Mention the term 'Bridezilla' and immediately you think of a seriously out of control woman driving everyone in her life crazy with the planning of her wedding. Bride Wars' synopsis sort of lends itself to potential ticket buyers thinking this is a tale of dueling Bridezillas, but Anne Hathaway says perpetuating that stereotype is not at all what they had in mind while making this movie.
"Actually, when I got the script that's what I was anticipating and I was really sensitive to that and I just thought there wasn't a point to making a movie that is reductive to women and the whole process. So I was so happy when I read the script that the movie kind of takes the tack that the Bridezilla doesn't have a lot to do actually in our movie with getting what you want and being the center of attention. That's the myth that plays into at least my character's consciousness. But what it actually does is that it brings you to a new place of freedom where she's admitting to herself that she wants more for herself. She wants better for herself, and that leads her to make an incredibly difficult, but ultimately wonderful decision to take control of her life and to be more present in it and to be more demanding and to set boundaries with people - be stronger and more confident," explained Hathaway.
"To those people that believe we've perpetuated the stereotype I say come to see the film. If you disagree with us, I will answer the strongly written letter that I'm sure you will write. But we were super sensitive to that in the beginning. Kate and I are both strong women that want to do everything we can to make sure that every woman feels strong. So we would never do anything that would set women back."
Hudson added, "As producer of the film, in developing this – it's a good question – the funny thing was that when it came as a pitch it was like, 'Oh, wow. I can't believe this movie hasn't really been made.' The more that I thought about it I realized why. It's because it's so easy to pit women against each other and it's so easy to sort of get carried away with the cattiness and the pettiness and stereotypes of women of how women handle a lot of situations. For me, I looked at this as a challenge. I thought, 'Well, wait a minute. This is such a great thing for women to be able to make fun of themselves.'"
"We are a little guilty of going a little crazy sometimes and getting stressed out. I think that at least for me women are great at being self-deprecating and making fun of themselves, and we don't get the opportunities as actors, as a female comedienne, to do that that often because there aren't really that many female-driven comedies. So in developing it I felt that there was a way to try to make a movie that's appealing to all ages of women that doesn't leave anyone out, that at the end of the sort of wild and funny thing, that we can all kind of relate to a little bit or feel is a little bit accessible that it's about friendship and honoring your friends and the importance of having those people in your life. None of these things matter if you don't have your girls. That was the trick and that was really hard."
Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway Bride Wars Press Conference
What did you do physically to prepare for the movie?Kate Hudson: "Do you mean in terms of the comedy or in terms of getting in shape?
Anne Hathaway: [Laughing] "I didn't eat for weeks."
Kate Hudson: "Workout, you mean? Well, I'm always doing something. I'm either dancing or doing Pilates or biking or running. I'm quite active."
Anne Hathaway: "Yes, you are."
Kate Hudson: [Laughing] "So for this movie, we were actually doing a lot of drinking."
Anne Hathaway: "Yes, that might develop your biceps."
Tequila?
Kate Hudson: "I'm a tequila girl. We like our champagne though, too."
Anne Hathaway: "Oh, we do. Someone asked me the other day, my friend asked what my drink was and I said, 'Well, when I'm with Kate…' But Kate's amazing. Kate's inspiring in terms of all the physical activity that she engages in. We would have script meetings and she would be stretching. I'd be like, 'Yeah, I'm going to touch my toes next year.' I work out with a trainer in New York and so I worked out with him leading up to it."
You worked out pretty hard though.
Anne Hathaway: "I did. Well, I really wanted Emma to appear kind of like an ex-ballerina and have everything kind of tight and proper and sinewy. So I really watched what I ate and I hit the elliptical, just the usual stuff. But whatever the character needs, that's what we did."
The guys in the movie are gung-ho in the wedding to say, 'Let's just have a double wedding…,' but then of course you wouldn't have had a movie. But in your real lives, if the situation were similar would you just get married together?
Kate Hudson: "Yeah. I would've been like, 'The more fun we'll have, the bigger the party, the bigger the ballroom –' Yeah, in real life I probably wouldn't have been like, 'I don't even know if I want to get married. Go ahead.' But then again there's that little part of you, like you said, where it's like, 'No, no, no. It's my one day.'"
