Anne Hathaway took control of the red carpet at the premiere of her new film, Verity, by calmly instructing photographers on how to pose the cast. The 43-year-old actress told the camera crew where she would look and when, then directed the rest of the cast to follow her lead. Videos from the event went viral on social media, where fans praised her for making the group photo process efficient.
The film stars Hathaway alongside Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett in an R-rated thriller set for release on October 2. In the viral clips, Hathaway is heard managing the chaos of a group shot. One user on X described the moment as Hathaway seeing the photo "drifting" and taking the wheel immediately. Another commenter noted that she acted as if she were saying, "fine ill do it myself," adding that this is the energy every group photo needs. Facebook users also chimed in, with one calling her the "Queen of Genovia" and another joking that her dress and ankles had a time limit.
For the premiere, Hathaway wore a figure-hugging black mermaid gown designed by Prabal Gurung. The outfit featured sequins, beading, and a long sheer cape, showcasing her baby bump. This was not her first time directing photographers; a video from Valentino's fall 2022 show in Italy, where she told fans and paparazzi to "calma," previously went viral and became an audio trend.
Hathaway addressed that earlier viral moment in a February 2024 interview with W Magazine. She explained that the timing coincided with the end of the pandemic, leaving people feeling fragile. "I remember that particular time, we were coming out of the pandemic so we were all feeling a little fragile," she said. She added that many fans had known her since childhood, so their excitement came from a pure place. She wanted them to know she was equally excited and believed that meeting calmly would allow for a more significant connection.
Hathaway is currently pregnant with her third child with husband Adam Shulman. The couple married in September 2012 and share two sons, Jonathan and Jack. She announced the third pregnancy on Instagram in June and first showed her baby bump at the world premiere of The Odyssey in London in July.
Verity is the fifth feature film starring Hathaway this year. Her other releases include The End of Oak Street, The Devil Wears Prada 2, The Odyssey, and Mother Mary. In an August interview with The New Indian Express, she noted that it was exciting but not something she had planned. "The five films are the proceeds of more than three years of work," she said. "It just so happens they are all out this year." She added that while she might have been stressed years ago, she is now finding it fun to discuss films she is proud of.