Yes, Anne Hathaway has an Oscar on her shelf. She took home the award for Best Supporting Actress, a win that cemented her position at the top of Hollywood. She received an award for portraying Fantine in Les Misérables in 2012.
The role was no walk in the park. She played a poor single mother forced into prostitution to support her daughter. It was a tough, emotional performance that demanded everything from her. The result was a golden statue and a career-defining moment.
Her achievement at the Oscars goes beyond just winning. Hathaway was also nominated for Best Actress for her role in Rachel Getting Married. Directed by Jonathan Demme, the film was released in 2008. She played a woman who returns home to her sister’s wedding with heavy luggage, both literally and metaphorically.
So what performance earned her the win? Role in “Les Misérables” 2012. Which earned her her first nomination? Actor in the 2008 film ‘Rachel Getting Married’.
“She received this honor for the role of Fantine, a poor single mother who starts working as a prostitute to support her daughter.”
The industry noticed this early on. Nominee Rachel Getting Married proved she could play a dramatic role. Winning Les Misérables proved she could deliver even when the stakes were highest and the material was musical.
It’s a short list for an actress with a career as long as hers. Two nominations. One win. The rest is box office history and indie darlings that didn’t quite make it to the Academy finals. But these two moments define the awards side of her legacy.
You might wonder if she won for anything else. No. Only Fantine’s supporting actress award. The second nod was in the lead actress category. That is the full picture of her Academy Award history.
What happens after the gold? Usually it is the stage of choosing the next challenging role. For Hathaway, it meant getting back on her feet with other genres. But the Oscar is still the highlight. The moment the name was called. The only win that stands out in a filmography full of hits.
