Oh boy, my life's ambition obviously. I haven't really given it a lot of thought.
Why not?
Because I don't really think of myself as a hunk, to be honest.
How do you feel about being described as the next Colin Firth?
I don't know how to put what I think about that. I think it's probably not very accurate. I don't think I'm the same kind of actor as Colin Firth, but it's very flattering.
Can you live an anonymous life in London?
I think I can lead a pretty anonymous life, yeah.
Teenagers don't know where you live?
(Laughing) No.
Are you concerned about the possibility of huge fame and how you would deal with that?
I don't think it's something you really sit around and think about. Do you? It wouldn't make you a very, in my mind, attractive or interesting person if you made game plans for your sudden fame. If it happens as a result of something you're proud of then, fantastic, because at least when people come up and say, “Oh I like this and that…,” you can say with all honesty, “Good, I'm really glad,” instead of gritting your teeth.
Do you have a girlfriend back home in England?
No.
Are you looking?
Not actively.
What do you look for in a girlfriend?
Somebody that's challenging and can stand up for themselves. That's about it. I don't have any other factors.
With your theatrical background, is their a particular story or character you'd like to play?
Honestly, I think the advantage of having come from that background is that you come with an awareness of the wealth of characters and different styles and literature and different genres. The only reason to go into this at all is because you have an interest in all of them. I just want to try and stay enthusiastic, and the best way to do that is try out a lot of different things.
What's up next?
As always, there's a couple of things in the pipeline - but that pipeline is a strange and ambiguous place. The next thing I think I'm going to do is I think I'm going to have to go back and do some re-shoots for “King Arthur.”
Where did you shoot “King Arthur?”
Ireland. Great for the spirit - very bad for the body.
How much drinking do you when you’re on an Irish set?
On set? None at all, I hasten to add. But one of the most fantastic things about Ireland and Dublin is that the pubs are like Paris and the café culture. And Dublin, in many ways, is a pub culture. So it was great. When we were filming “Ella,” we'd all meet up and go round the town.
Does Anne Hathaway drink as well as the boys?
That would depend on how you defined ‘the boys.’ I tell you, the haunted castle we stayed in has a kind of old retainer who worked there and he kind of did everything. He served the food, he served at the bar, and we had a couple of great nights in there drinking pints of Guinness. So, yes, she certainly will enjoy a pint of Guinness but she's not a lager lout.
Are you a lager lout?
No, I'm not a lager lout either. I think you have to be a massive football fan to be a lager lout…
What's your daily life when you're not working?
Mundane, in the extreme. I've not as yet found one hobby that would absorb me completely when I'm not working, but I have just bought a new apartment and didn't quite bargain for the amount of effort and time and money that that absorbs.
A bachelor pad?
Well, I'm a bachelor and it's a pad. Two bedrooms.
What's the bravest thing you ever did?
Good question. I think becoming an actor because it's a ridiculously insecure profession to go into. I feel very comfortable but very lucky. I think any time that you imagine that it's plain sailing for hereon in, then you're kidding yourself.
How early on did you decide you wanted to be an actor?
I knew I wanted to be an actor when I was growing up, really. So when I decided to go to university instead of drama school, it was with the intention of becoming an actor afterwards.
Are there any other actors in your family?
My cousin has just started out but, I'm not from a family of actors - a lot of doctors and a lot of teachers and academics. My father is a professor of philosophy.
Are they supportive?
Very, because I think those other professions are things you only go into if you really care about them, so they understood that.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Interview with "Ella Enchanted's" Anne Hathaway
"Ella Enchanted" Photo Gallery, Credits and Trailer
