You probably think you know exactly where it all started. You’re picturing the frizzy hair, the clunky glasses, and that awkward "shut up!" delivered to a very poised Julie Andrews. Most people swear that The Princess Diaries was the Anne Hathaway first movie. It makes total sense, right? It was the global breakout. It turned her into a household name overnight.
But if we're being literal—and honestly, in Hollywood, "literal" is a messy word—the timeline is a bit weirder than the Disney PR machine would have you believe.
While Mia Thermopolis is the role that stuck, Anne actually shot an entirely different feature film before she ever set foot in Genovia. She spent months in the mud and humidity of the South Pacific for a movie called The Other Side of Heaven.
So why does everyone forget it? Basically, because Disney sat on it. They saw the potential of the "Princess" brand and pushed The Princess Diaries into theaters first in August 2001. The Other Side of Heaven didn't limp into a limited release until late 2001, making it her second movie to hit screens but technically her first-ever professional film gig.
The Audition That Changed Everything (And Involved a Floor)
The story of how Anne Hathaway landed her debut is kinda legendary at this point. She was a teenager from New Jersey who had done a short-lived TV show called Get Real with Jesse Eisenberg. She was talented, sure, but she wasn't "Disney Lead" famous yet.
In 2000, she had a 26-hour layover in Los Angeles. She was literally on her way to New Zealand to film that missionary drama, The Other Side of Heaven. During that tiny window of time, she decided to go in for an audition for a project then titled The Princess of Tribeca.
She was nervous. Like, visibly shaking.
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At one point during the meeting with director Garry Marshall, she actually fell right out of her chair. Most actors would have died on the spot. They would have apologized, turned red, and bolted for the door. Not Anne. She just stayed down there, laughing at herself.
Marshall, who had a legendary eye for "human" moments (he directed Pretty Woman, after all), was sold. He didn't want a perfect, stiff princess. He wanted a girl who was a klutz. He later admitted that his granddaughters helped make the final call because they thought she had the best "princess hair," but that chair fall was the clincher.
The Princess Diaries: More Than Just a "First Movie"
When we talk about the Anne Hathaway first movie, we have to talk about the cultural earthquake that was The Princess Diaries. It wasn't just a job; it was a masterclass.
Imagine being 18 years old and your first major co-star is Julie Andrews. Talk about pressure. Anne has since mentioned that Julie taught her how to be a professional on set—how to treat the crew, how to hit a mark without looking down, and how to carry a film.
- The Retainer: That gross, blue dental retainer Mia wears? That was Anne's real one from high school. She brought it to set.
- The Bleacher Fall: Remember when Mia falls on the gym bleachers while talking to Lilly? That wasn't in the script. Anne actually slipped, Marshall kept the cameras rolling, and they put it in the final cut.
- The Hair: The "before" hair was so heavy and tangled it was nicknamed "The Beast." It took hours to apply.
The movie grossed over $165 million worldwide. For a Disney "tween" flick in 2001, those were massive numbers. It effectively "trapped" her in the princess mold for a few years, leading to Ella Enchanted and a sequel, but it gave her the leverage to eventually pivot into gritty stuff like Havoc and Brokeback Mountain.
What About the "Real" First Movie?
Okay, let's circle back to The Other Side of Heaven. If you haven't seen it, you aren't alone. It’s a biographical drama about John H. Groberg, a Mormon missionary in Tonga during the 1950s. Anne plays Jean Sabin, the girl he left behind.
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It’s a far cry from the glitz of a palace.
She shot this in New Zealand right before The Princess Diaries went into production. If you watch it now, you can see a much younger, more raw version of her. She doesn't have the "movie star" polish yet. She’s just a kid trying to figure out how to act for a camera instead of a stage.
Disney eventually distributed it, but only after they realized they had a massive star on their hands with the Diaries release. They basically used her new fame to try and sell a small, faith-based indie film. It didn't really work—the movie was a bit of a box office flop—but it remains a fascinating "lost" chapter of her career.
The Get Real Era: The Prequel to the Big Screen
Technically, her very first professional on-camera job wasn't a movie at all. It was the Fox series Get Real (1999–2000).
She played Meghan Green, the eldest daughter in a dysfunctional family. If you can find clips of it on YouTube, it's wild to see her and a baby-faced Jesse Eisenberg playing siblings. The show only lasted one season, but it was the bridge that got her from New Jersey theater to Hollywood sets.
Without Get Real getting canceled, she might never have been free to take that New Zealand job or that 26-hour L.A. layover. Failure is weirdly productive like that.
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Why the Debut Still Matters in 2026
Looking back from the perspective of 2026, Anne Hathaway is an Oscar winner with a range that most actors would kill for. She’s played Catwoman, a dying mother in Les Misérables, and a fashion intern in The Devil Wears Prada.
But the Anne Hathaway first movie remains the foundation of her "relatable" brand. Even now, fans see her as the girl who can't walk in heels or the one who accidentally sets a guest's arm on fire at a fancy dinner.
She embraced the "klutz" identity early on, and it made the public forgive her for being almost too perfect later in her career. It gave her humanity.
Actionable Takeaways for Movie Buffs
If you're looking to revisit the start of her career, don't just stop at the Disney hits. Here is how to actually trace her evolution:
- Watch "The Other Side of Heaven" first. It’s her "true" first performance. You'll see the difference in her confidence levels compared to The Princess Diaries.
- Look for the unscripted moments. In The Princess Diaries, almost every time Mia trips or fumbles, it’s a real-life Anne Hathaway moment that Garry Marshall refused to cut.
- Check out "Get Real" clips. It’s the only way to see her raw, pre-Disney energy.
The transition from a high school theater kid to a global icon happened in the span of about eighteen months. It wasn't just luck; it was a combination of a broken chair, a long layover, and a director who realized that being "perfect" is actually pretty boring.
To truly understand Anne’s career, you have to look past the crown. You have to look at the girl who was just trying to survive a 26-hour layover without losing her mind—or her seat.
Next Steps for Your Movie Marathon:
Start by streaming The Princess Diaries on Disney+, then track down The Other Side of Heaven on digital rental platforms to see the "lost" debut. Compare the two performances to see how a director's vision can completely change an actor's screen presence.