Anne Hathaway admits to "internalised misogyny" towards female directors

When asked which film she learned the most from, she told ABC that she was worried she had “resisted” Lone Scherfig, who directed her in One Day, because she was a woman.

"I really regret not trusting her more easily," she said. "And I am to this day scared that the reason I didn’t trust her the way I trust some of the other directors I work with is because she’s a woman."

Hathaway said that, despite it being difficult to admit, it’s an issue that needs to be raised.

"I’m so scared that I treated her with internalised misogyny. I’m scared that I didn’t give her everything that she needed or… I was resisting her on some level. It’s something that I’ve thought a lot about in terms of when I get scripts to be directed by women.

“I’m getting red talking about this, it feels like a confession, but I think it’s something we should talk about.

"When I get a script, when I see a first film directed by a woman, I have in the past focused on what was wrong with it. And when I see a first film directed by a man, I focus on what’s right with it," she continued. "I can only acknowledge that I’ve done that and I don’t want to do that anymore.”

One Day

The actress said that she doesn’t shy away from working with women. “I, before I realised this, had actively tried to work with female directors. And I still had this mindset buried in there somewhere."

Hathaway pledged to call Scherfig after the interview and apologise.

"I’ve never apologised to her about it," she said. "It wasn’t an issue of professionalism… I hold her in such a dear place in my heart and I think she does for me too."

In response to ABC’s request for a comment, a spokesperson for Scherfig said the director “is deep in pre-production of her next film and is consumed by it. She asked me to express her love and admiration for Anne and her work”.

Scherfig’s latest film, Their Finest, is released in UK cinemas on Friday 21st April.