Anne Hathaway is speaking out about the viral hate that she was subject to almost a decade ago.
The 39-year-old actress was the target of harsh insults and vilification after she won an Oscar for her performance in Les Miserables. Not only that, her public persona was also thrown into question, with her being categorized as “annoying,” among other things.
On Monday during her speech at Elle Women In Hollywood, Anne opened up on how that experience made her feel and how she moved past the hate that was directed her way by online trolls and critics. She began by saying:
“Ten years ago, I was given an opportunity to look at the language of hatred from a new perspective. For context — this was a language I had employed with myself since I was seven. And when your self-inflicted pain is suddenly somehow amplified back at you at, say, the full volume of the internet…It’s a thing.”
Anne went on to say:
“When it happened to me, I realized that this wasn’t it. This wasn’t the spot. When what happened, happened, I realized I had no desire to have anything to do with this line of energy, on any level. I would no longer create art from this place. I would no longer hold space for it, live in fear of it, nor speak its language for any reason, to anyone, including myself.
We don’t have enough time to discuss all the myriad causes of the violent language of hatred, and the imperative need to end it. Because there is a difference between existence and behavior. You can judge behavior. You can forgive behavior or not. But you do not have the right to judge — and especially not hate — someone for existing. And if you do, you’re not where it’s at.”
She spoke about the ability to un-learn hate and “re-learn love,” stating:
“Hate seems to me to be the opposite of life; in soil that harsh, nothing can grow properly, if at all. I want to say: Be happy for women. Period. Especially be happy for high-achieving women. Like, it’s not that hard.”
