Anne Hathaway Cut her Hair for Les Mis Movie

[Fan2]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 7:44am

Thought she would wear a wig.
Long Hair Gone

[jo]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 8:10am

First, Hugh.

Then, Anne.

Who's next??

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 8:21am

I always fail to see how this is such a big deal, hair grows back -- and fairly quickly.

Troubling is the 500 calories a day diet -- that messes with your body.

[PitPro2004]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 9:07am

I remember when Marissa Jaret Winokur was doing Grease. She had to wear this really short wig and I was always amazed that she got all those huge ringlets tucked underneath, she had enough hair for three people.

[best12bars]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 9:59am

You can actually tell in that photo that she's lost weight, too. Look at her jaw line and cheeks.

I'm digging that these actors are so committed to the roles.

I'm reminded of when Ann Rutherford, who played one of Scarlett's sisters in Gone With the Wind, was having her costume fittings. There was all this fancy laced undergarments and petticoats. Ann asked the costume designer (Walter Plunkett) why his department was bothering with it, since no one in the audience would ever know it was there. Walter told her, "Yes, but YOU will know it's there." The O'Hara girls were raised as little Southern princesses, and he was right that it would effect their acting or at least their awareness while the cameras rolled.

I also remember when Mickey Rooney cut Elizabeth Taylor's hair off on-camera in "National Velvet." It was real, and they did it in one take (obviously). Why bother? Because of the risk involved. Velvet Brown is risking everything right then for her dream. You can try to "act" it, sure, and if something had gone wrong with the take, they would have wigged her and reshot it. Thankfully, all went well, and we can see Taylor's face light up as she knows her hair is coming off. It's pretty remarkable actually.

I don't think all actors need to do this, but I'm also appreciative of the dedication and commitment to "getting it right." Whenever I see that, as long as nobody's health is at risk, I'm grateful of the effort.

Updated On: 4/8/12 at 09:59 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 10:32am

(in case my post was unclear)

Besty -- I'm totally onboard with the things you discuss above. In fact, I'm all for the actor cutting off her hair (etc) -- I just don't see what the big deal is to the rest of the world. You'd think that James Franco actually removed his own appendage they way people react to her cutting off her hair.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 10:46am

Also, other actresses chopping off their long tresses might have made her realize that a shorter haircut CAN look quite deliciously fabulous. And as stated above, if ALL else fails -- it still grows back AND wigs are in plentiful. Wigs are the norm now on stage, film AND television -- everyone, males and females, are wearing them. Gone is the wig stigma.

Many aren't aware that when Julia Roberts did the film SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY, those gorgeous trademark Julia Roberts brunette curls was actually a wig -- she had cut her hair off at the time and obviously, the producers had signed a long curly hair Julia Roberts and THAT'S what they expected up there on the big screen. The wig did the trick.

Michelle Williams:

THEN:


TODAY:



EMMA WATSON:

THEN:


TODAY:

[best12bars]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 11:01am

Ask Keri Russell if cutting your hair off is a big deal. It killed her as a "rising star" as much as Jennifer Grey's nose job.

If the public doesn't like what you've done, they dismiss it. Actually, they dismiss you.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 11:14am

"I'm reminded of when Ann Rutherford, who played one of Scarlett's sisters in Gone With the Wind, was having her costume fittings. There was all this fancy laced undergarments and petticoats. Ann asked the costume designer (Walter Plunkett) why his department was bothering with it, since no one in the audience would ever know it was there. Walter told her, "Yes, but YOU will know it's there." The O'Hara girls were raised as little Southern princesses, and he was right that it would effect their acting or at least their awareness while the cameras rolled."

That story reminds me of what Olivier famously told Hoffman.


TRY ACTING DEAR BOY

[sueb1863]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 11:15am

It's a big deal because her long hair is one of the things Anne is known for. Yeah, it'll grow back, but a lot of people will probably still be surprised that she would actually cut it off.

But it's good that they're reacting that way, because that's the effect Hugo wanted when Fantine loses her hair. If people are this shocked by a few pap photos, the scenes in the movie should be especially effective.

[best12bars]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 11:31am

henrik---I always laugh at that story even though I'm reminded of how many truly lousy screen performances Sir Larry gave. Easily as many as the good ones, if not more.

The whole point is you do what it takes. If you don't need to go to extremes or take realistic measures, then don't. But if you don't and you turn in a lousy performance, the first question I would ask a talented performer is why didn't you try harder? Why didn't you commit?

Updated On: 4/8/12 at 11:31 AM

[ohjustjake]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 11:41am

I mean, it's not like it's the first time she's cut her hair off for a film. She had short hair for a portion of "One Day" which was just last year. Sure, it wasn't as drastically short as it is here, but she still cut off a large portion. (Unless if this is a wig, then please ignore this ENTIRE message haha)

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 11:43am

Fantine's not going to be blonde in the movie?

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 11:50am

In any event the level of commitment on Les Mis seems so far to be exemplary in every way. I'm very optiimistic.

[best12bars]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 12:20pm

I am too. I have a feeling that if you combine such dedication with the live singing, it will have a level of "rawness" and immediacy that should be incredibly effective and (hopefully) very moving.

My fingers are crossed.

As much as I love Chicago and Dreamgirls and Hairspray, I'm ready for an "epic musical" again ... on the scale of Oliver! or The Sound of Music.

This may do it.

[peachesr82]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 2:59pm

I still think it's a brave thing to do for a role, yes it grows back, but I'm not sure I'd do it, hair is a big part of a person's identity and Anne's style as a whole is held in quite high regard those who are into fashion. I work in fashion and it has certainly caused ripples today especially as she has a summer of promo coming up for The Dark Knight Rises. Her short hair in One Day was a wig.
I'm wondering if they're actually going to cut it on screen a la Demi Moore in GI Jane and Natalie Portman in V for Vendetta? As others have said, the level of commitment to this film from the cast is proving to be really encouraging.

Updated On: 4/8/12 at 02:59 PM

[NewYorkYankee2006]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 3:01pm

even though i am a huge fan of les miserables and cannot wait for this movie to come out, i think the director tom hooper is being unreasonable. i mean he is asking a hell of a lot from anne hathaway having her to cut her hair and going on a 500-calorie diet to prepare for the role. anne hathaway has never been big for him to ask her to lose 1 stone & a half anyway. just 500 calories a day for a woman, is extremely dangerous especially someone who has never been big in the first place.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 3:16pm

I agree with the danger of a 500 cal/day diet, but we have NO proof that the director is behind any of this. It's not uncommon for actors to do these things on their own.

I always thought Hathaway was known for her acting. (Which I enjoy.)

[peachesr82]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 4:47pm

I was under the impression the weight loss story was just something in the tabloids. I don't remember reading anything that confirmed that such a plan had come from Tom Hooper himself or anything that had come from the set direct. From the recent pap pictures, it's difficult to really tell how much, if any, weight she's lost really and lets not forget that the hair will change her face shape too.

Just by-the-by they're busy building the set in Greenwich at the moment, you can wander down there and see quite a lot, it's enormous. Really impressive. Updated On: 4/8/12 at 04:47 PM

[NewYorkYankee2006]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 5:07pm

it might not have been tom hooper, but it has been reported that someone has told her to lose 16lbs in 3 weeks in order to prepare for the role, which i think is rediculous. she was never big to begin with and now she has even had to cut her hair in order to play the role of fantine. surely make-up can give the impression of her being frail instead of having to lose weight for it and being a danger to herself.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2122648/Anne-Hathaway-500-calories-day-crash-diet-slim-Les-Miserables-role.html

Updated On: 4/8/12 at 05:07 PM

[HBP]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 5:31pm

Updated On: 4/8/12 at 05:31 PM

[theminutepast]

Posted: 4/8/12 at 10:45pm

The 500-calories-a-day-diet was published by a tabloid and debunked by Anne Hathaway's agent. The agent confirmed that Hathaway was on a diet for the film, just not an extreme diet with only 500 calories a day.