The Idea of You: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine talk love, sacrifice and ageism

What started as a Harry Styles fan fiction has now spiralled into arguably one of the biggest romantic comedies of the year - but what makes The Idea of You a notch above the rest? The flick’s protagonist duo Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine talk love, sacrifice and ageism - and why their upcoming film isn’t just another rom-com.

The Idea of You, based on a 2017 novel by Robinne Lee and inspired by One Direction’s Harry Styles, brings to life the unexpected love story of a 40-year-old single mum and a 24-year-old boy band singer.

The much-anticipated film has been the talk of the town online - so much so that the trailer has racked up 125 million views across all social media platforms globally, breaking the record for the most watched trailer for any original streaming movie.

So, with the growing excitement surrounding the film and its A-lister cast, what can we expect from The Idea of You?

Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine chatted to The Herald’s lifestyle and entertainment editor Jenni Mortimer as part of a roundtable interview to discuss the film, its themes and how the seemingly-harmless rom-com genre is breaking down boundaries.

Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine in The Idea of You.

What do you think is the message that the movie will leave on people who watch it?

Hathaway: I think the movie is really smart, but one of the strengths of the movie is that it takes you on a ride. So I don’t know if the movie has a message per se, but I know at the end of it, I felt like the movie was saying love is worth it.

Galitzine: I think also, you know, love is worth sacrifice and it endures if you find someone who’s a kindred spirit. It’s a lot of hard work but you have to try and endure the weathers and winds of the world and the society that we live in.

Nicholas Galitzine and Anne Hathaway in The Idea of You.

Ageism has become a hot topic lately and it’s an important part of the film. Given how Hollywood can treat actresses as they get older, I wonder how you relate to that on a personal level and also how you dealt with this theme while filming The Idea of You.

Hathaway: Well, I’m really curious where the instinct comes from. I’m really curious where the instinct to diminish someone else comes from. The instinct to diminish someone based on their gender, based on their age, based on any number of factors.

I’m not interested in that. I’m really interested in being happy for people. And I feel fortunate to find myself at 41 years old with an incredibly fulfilling career. I’m worried that I’m not sure everyone my age can say the same thing.

I am really grateful and proud to be making a film that furthers the author of the book, Robin Lee’s desire to create a new type of archetype, which is a mother who is not just there as a nurturer, but is there as a whole person.

Nicholas Galitzine in The Idea of You.

One of the main pressures on Solène and Hayes’ relationship is being thrust into the spotlight and having to deal with tabloids and fans. I wondered how you both cope with fame and tabloids in real life and in which ways your real-life experiences informed your portrayal of Hayes and Solène.

Hathaway: I love my job so much and I love my family so much. So I don’t really have a lot of time for what other people think of me. I don’t pay it much mind because I don’t see how it enhances my life.

In terms of how I relate to fame, I’m sort of amazed that I find myself in the position to be someone that people get excited to meet. If you think about the things that are really rare to happen to actors, becoming recognisable is actually not usually the way that it goes.

So, if somebody’s excited to meet me, I’m really excited to meet them. I’m really grateful. I mean, my ability to have this career, which as I mentioned before, I find so fulfilling. I love it so much. And the only reason I have a career is because people keep showing up to support my work. So I’m just grateful.

Galitzine: I think the ability to have resonance is an incredible thing because I don’t know what I believe necessarily spiritually, whether there’s a higher power or we go someplace else, but I think the importance of the job that we do becomes more and more apparent when you meet these lovely people who have been affected by your work in some way.

I think when it comes to Hayes, that can feel much more intense in both a positive and a negative way, because I think musicians oftentimes don’t have the buffer of a character, for example, that we both play. We have our characters that soften the blow of the weight that fame carries.

But oftentimes musicians present their onstage persona to be much closer to who they actually are as people. I think that was something for me with Hayes that I had to do a bit more research on and use less of my own kind of experiences.

I know it’s a romantic comedy, but to me, the movie was heartbreaking, What us women have to go through and how people judge us. Nobody judges him if he goes out with a 25-year-old, but they judge her, and she has to withdraw from what she wants because she doesn’t want to hurt her child. Do you think we are ever going to be fully respected as women and that we’re going to have the same chances and the same opportunities as men?

Hathaway: Oh yeah, I totally believe that. It’s so frustrating that it’s not happened yet in a way that’s felt by everyone.

The thing that I see happening, that I love, is I don’t think we’re isolated anymore. I think we understand that there are so many similarities while respecting the fact that women are not a monolith. There are a lot of similarities to our experiences. There are a lot of similarities in the way that we are treated and mistreated.

I just feel this linking of arms and they can’t push us all backwards. I feel like I am just linked up with my sisters across the world and we are taking steps forward together and it’s slow, but it is happening.

Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine in The Idea Of You.

There are really clear themes in the film around sacrifice - sacrifice for love, sacrifice for family, sacrifice for career - and that’s something that really resonated with me as a mother. I just wondered, what’s the biggest sacrifice you’ve had to make, be it for career or family or love?

Hathaway: I find it really hard when I’m at work and my kids are sick. You know they’re cared for, they’re supported and loved, but it’s a big deal.

When I’m at work, I have hundreds of people relying on me to be there and to be doing my job. It’s a very strange feeling to not be with the people you love most when they’re feeling vulnerable and unwell.

Galitzine: I think this job is so transient. It’s very rare that you’re filming in the same place consistently.

Just being able to spend time with loved ones is really difficult. You know, your girlfriend or friends, your family, you say goodbye and you don’t quite know when you’re next going to see them.

We are so lucky to be able to do a job that we both love that is full of expression and creativity and a lot of people want to do. I feel so lucky to be in my position. It’s just that those are the sacrifices. You have to find a way for love to cut through all of that.