Honestly, it’s hard to remember a time when Anne Hathaway wasn't an Oscar-winning powerhouse. But back in 2005, she was essentially the "Disney Princess." She was Mia Thermopolis. She was Ella Enchanted. Then came Brokeback Mountain.
People still search for anne hathaway brokeback mountain naked because that specific scene was such a massive cultural jolt. It wasn't just about the nudity; it was about a young actress effectively lighting her "good girl" image on fire to prove she belonged in serious cinema.
Why Lureen Newsome mattered
When Ang Lee was casting the film, Anne was actually shooting The Princess Diaries 2. She literally showed up to her audition in a ballgown and a massive hairpiece. Can you imagine? She looked like royalty, but she was gunning for the role of Lureen Newsome Twist—a hard-edged, Texas-born rodeo queen with big hair and an even bigger chip on her shoulder.
Lureen is a complex, often misunderstood character. She’s the wife of Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal), and she spends years in a marriage where the love is, at best, a performance. While the film focuses on the tragedy of Jack and Ennis, the tragedy of Lureen is just as biting. She’s a woman who expected to be loved and slowly realized she was just a convenient cover.
👉 See also: Diego Klattenhoff Movies and TV Shows: Why He’s the Best Actor You Keep Forgetting You Know
The infamous scene and the "why"
The scene involving anne hathaway brokeback mountain naked takes place early in Lureen and Jack's relationship. It’s a backseat-of-the-car encounter that establishes Lureen’s character as bold, sexual, and unapologetically in charge.
Unlike many Hollywood "reveals," this wasn't about being decorative. For Hathaway, it was a professional declaration. She later mentioned in interviews that she didn't view nudity in the film as a play for "maturity" in a shallow way. To her, it was simply what the art demanded. She believed that if you're going to play a character like Lureen—someone who uses her sexuality to get what she wants in a stifling environment—you can't do it halfway.
The phone call that changed everything
If the nude scene was the physical turning point, the final phone call between Lureen and Ennis (Heath Ledger) was the emotional one. This is the moment where we see the "real" Lureen.
✨ Don't miss: Did Mac Miller Like Donald Trump? What Really Happened Between the Rapper and the President
Here’s a wild bit of trivia: Ang Lee had Hathaway film that phone call two different ways.
- In one version, Lureen knows exactly how Jack died (the victim of a hate crime) and is lying to Ennis to protect herself or the memory.
- In the other version, she genuinely believes the story about the exploding tire.
In the final edit, Lee actually merged both takes. The result is that haunting, ambiguous expression on her face—the smacking of her lips, the glazed eyes. You can't quite tell if she's a grieving widow or a woman finally closing the book on a lie she’s told for twenty years. It’s easily one of the best pieces of acting in her entire career.
Breaking the Disney curse
Basically, Brokeback Mountain saved her career from being pigeonholed. Without Lureen, we probably don't get The Devil Wears Prada. In fact, Meryl Streep only agreed to meet with Anne after seeing a rough cut of her performance in Brokeback. She saw that "Texas princess" and realized this girl had some serious range.
🔗 Read more: Despicable Me 2 Edith: Why the Middle Child is Secretly the Best Part of the Movie
Actionable Insights for Movie Buffs:
- Re-watch for the subtext: Next time you see the film, watch Lureen's costume changes. As she gets richer and more powerful, her clothes become more of a suit of armor.
- Look at the lighting: Notice how the lighting in the "backseat scene" is harsh and neon, contrasting with the soft, natural light of the mountain scenes. This visual cue emphasizes the "unnatural" or forced nature of the heterosexual lives the men are trying to lead.
- Appreciate the risk: Remember that in 2005, taking a role in a "gay cowboy movie" was considered a massive career risk for any young actor. The bravery of that young cast—Ledger, Gyllenhaal, Williams, and Hathaway—is what made the movie a masterpiece.
She went from a princess in a tiara to a woman struggling with a hollow marriage, and she did it with a level of grit that still holds up twenty years later.