Anne Hathaway Talks Chemistry With Nicholas Galitzine and Delivers Easter Eggs in 'The Idea of ​​You' (Exclusive)

Anne Hathaway I knew that producing a film based on a beloved book meant that the details were completely accurate.

In his new romantic comedy, The idea of ​​youbased on the popular novel of the same name by Robinne Lee, the Oscar winner plays Solne, a 40-year-old divorced mother who is forced to accompany her teenage daughter's trip to the Coachella music festival.

After a chance meeting with Hayes Campbell, the 24-year-old lead singer of the world's most popular boy band – played byRed, white and royal bluestarNicolas Galitzine–Solne finds herself immersed in a whirlwind romance.

For Hathaway, she knew that as producer of the film adaptation, The idea of ​​you must have won over both devoted fans of the book as well as newcomers looking to enjoy the unexpected chemistry between her and Galitzine's characters.

“I just think Nick and I would have been friends no matter what,” she told ET's Rachel Smith of filming the movie. “Sometimes in this life you meet people for about five minutes and you're like, 'Oh, I think I'd be friends with that person.' But you don’t really have time.”

“Nick and I hit it off from the start,” she continued. “We just started texting and then we started talking and then we acted together and then we talked in between… We kind of developed a real friendship and it's really, I don't don’t know, special.”

However, Hathaway added that the creative team behind the adaptation made sure to include plenty of details for longtime fans of the story.

“I’ve never produced an adaptation like this before,” she said. “I read the script first, and then I read the book. And what was so wonderful was that when I read the book, I was like, 'Oh, but I love so is the book and they cannot mirror each other.' . I think you have to go through a filter for it to be this version of the film.'”

“As a fan of the book, I would be disappointed if TAG Heuer wasn’t there,” she said. “I would feel so excluded if [the painting] “Unclose Me” didn’t make me feel like it was necessary.”

Hathaway admitted that the production team had been looking for the perfect painting – which gallerist Solne sold to Hayes early in their relationship – for “so long”.

“Ultimately, Sarah M. Johnson, who is an artist I know well, knew her…she ended up being the one,” she recalls. “There were all these little details that I knew [were going] work as well as a film – to do it The idea of ​​you, we had to bring what the fans love into the book… I wanted to do the right thing for them. They love this thing and I take their love very seriously.”

Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine in “The Idea of ​​You.”

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As for portraying her character, Hathaway noted that it was a new challenge to take on “this mom, as someone who relies on her own desires and who, during a period of her life, really puts herself first.” .

But thanks to director Michael Showalter and the behind-the-scenes artists she's worked with before, including We crashed production designer Amy Williams – they were able to make creative decisions that sparked everyone's passion.

“I just think Solne was someone who, she didn't have unlimited resources. And she was a young woman who had a child, and she still wanted to build a life for herself,” Hathaway added, noting that it was an “economical and practical real estate decision” for the character to settle down and work in the trendy Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles.

“We created a whole story and a life for her, and how grateful she was to have made such a great call that has aged for 20 years,” she shared.

“I love the idea of ​​believing in a future. And I think it's become more difficult to do that these days,” the actress added. “It's scary to do, sure, but I think there's sometimes great joy to be found in it. Especially this little thing called hope.”

The idea of ​​youpremieres May 2 on Prime Video.

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