Weightless in space? Not this astronaut...
Anne Hathaway on the physical challenges of her latest role
GLAMOROUS actress Anne Hathaway made strenuous efforts to succeed in her role for the new $175m Hollywood space epic Interstellar.
First, she underwent a brutal US Navy SEAL body-building regime so she could cope with the extra 25lbs that came with the space suit and helmet she had to wear.
Then, mindful of the mistakes made by Sandra Bullock whose locks stayed unrealistically immobile in the space scenes in blockbuster Gravity, she cut off all her hair.
Otherwise the role was a perfect fit for Hathaway, 31, who has been fascinated by outer space since she was a child. She plays one of four astronauts (alongside Matthew McConaughey) on a mission to find a habitable planet, in a bid to save humankind.
The actress, who played the lead roles in such films as The Devil Wears Prada, Batman: The Dark Knight Rises and Les Misérables, said of her role in Interstellar: ‘The costume guys put the suit on me, and then they put the backpack on – which added ten pounds. Then they put the helmet on, which added five pounds. And then they put these thrusters on my arms, which were five pounds each. I found myself saying, “Uh… everyone here knows I am a girl, right?”
‘I called a Navy SEAL I know, and said, “I need you for threeand-a-half weeks and I need to be in the best shape I have ever been.” So he put me through a really intense workout to build as much muscle as possible.’
Hathaway cut her hair at the director’s request to spare him a vexing problem experienced on the film Gravity.
‘I was growing my hair back after shaving it in Les Misérables and Chris said, “How would you feel about cutting it all off again?” It turned out it was going to be easier to film me if they didn’t have to work out how a ponytail would float in zero gravity. So of course I said, “No problem.” For me, vanity comes second to a good role.’ Interstellar opens in cinemas here on Friday, November 7.