Anne Hathaway struggled with typecasting after The Princess Diaries, despite its success, making it tough to escape the “good girl” label.

Anne Hathaway might have worn a crown in The Princess Diaries, but behind the scenes, it wasn’t all royal bliss. Sure, it shot her to fame, but that sparkling tiara came with a heavy price tag—a career rut. Even with a big fat paycheck, Hathaway wasn’t thrilled about being typecast as the sweet, clumsy princess. After Mia Thermopolis, everyone seemed to forget she could be more than a teen rom-com star.

Anne Hathaway in Ocean’s 8 | Credits: Warner Bros

It took years of dodging typecasting traps and taking on daring roles to finally break free of The Princess Diaries’ shadow. And while the role made her a household name, Hathaway had to work twice as hard to prove she wasn’t just another princess on the big screen.

Anne Hathaway’s $400K Breakout Role Came with a Price: The Princess Diaries Pigeonholed Her Career

Hathaway in The Princess Diaries. | Walt Disney Pictures

Anne Hathaway’s breakout role in The Princess Diaries may have launched her into Hollywood, but it came at a cost. Despite earning a hefty $400,000 for the film, Hathaway revealed that being typecast as the good girl made her early career tough. She shared,

Of course, after Princess Diaries, I was labeled a good girl, and for the first eight years of my career I had to fight to get any other kind of role. But I like fighting for a job, actually.

Hathaway’s first major gig as Princess Mia in Garry Marshall’s The Princess Diaries (2001) was a smash hit, followed by The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement in 2004. But the shadow of the tiara stuck with her. No matter how much fun she had on set, the actress struggled to break free from the good girl label that followed her around.

While Robert Schwartzman, who played Michael Moscovitz, reminisced about how hard Hathaway worked on set and how ambitious she was, Hathaway confessed to Glamour that the very role that made her a star also boxed her in. Though Hathaway eventually broke out of the princess mold, winning an Academy Award for Les Misérables (2013), she didn’t forget those early struggles. Still, Hathaway has always praised her Princess Diaries experience, saying the films were fabulous, and she remains grateful for the lessons learned.

Even with a Golden Globe and Oscar on her shelf, Hathaway knows that The Princess Diaries—while magical—came with a heavy crown.

Anne Hathaway is Ready to Reclaim the Throne in Princess Diaries 3

Anne Hathaway and Chris Pine in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement | Walt Disney Pictures

Anne Hathaway is officially stepping back into the royal shoes of Mia Thermopolis. The Princess Diaries star confirmed her return on Instagram, quoting Mia’s iconic “Shut up!” moment alongside Variety’s big headline.

This time, the third installment is helmed by Adele Lim (Crazy Rich Asians), who’s beyond thrilled to bring the magic back. “As a diehard fan, I’m excited to celebrate female power and joy,” Lim told Variety.

Debra Martin Chase, the original producer, is also returning, with Hathaway co-producing. The plot? Still under wraps, but it’s a continuation—not a reboot. The film’s script is written by Flora Greeson, with no release date just yet. Get ready, Genovia fans—the queen is coming back!

Watch Princess Diaries on Apple TV & Hulu.