Anne Hathaway’s fans are divided after she was cast as the lead in the movie adaption of Colleen Hoover’s book “Verity.”
Deadline reported Wednesday that the Oscar-winning actress was teaming up with her “The Idea of Us” director for the upcoming adaptation, which is set to be released on Amazon Prime.
Following the news, fans of both the actress and the movie took to social media to express their feelings about the decision.
Some people were ecstatic over the news with one person writing via X, “I’m very much tuned in for anne hathaway in verity I’m so sorry #guilty”
“OKKK so now I can’t wait that for the film adaptation of CH’s book ‘Verity’ to be starred by Anne Hathaway,” another person excitedly shared on social media.
Meanwhile, a third person recognized that although they didn’t like Hoover as a writer, they’d watch the movie for Hathaway.
“listen i hate colleen hoover but verity was a good book and ANNE HATHAWAY is starring in it omg,” they wrote.
Others applauded the casting decision, “I can actually see Anne Hathaway playing Verity. It’s a good fit IMO.”
“There’s gonna be a film adaptation of Verity and Anne Hathaway is going to star in it? Yes, waaay! 😲🖤📖,” another fan shared.
However, others had strong feelings about the casting and Hathaway’s decision to be part of the movie.
“HOW DID THEY BAG ANNE HATHAWAY FOR VERITY??? ANNE DOMT [sic] DO THJS [sic],” one person tweeted.
Meanwhile, a second shared, “Watch them butch this like they did with it ends with us.
“And the other was blake lively and they butchered that, I love Anne Hathaway but how Colleen went with it ends with us there’s no way she won’t change key parts in verity and that’s a shame cause I loved that book,” they continued, referencing the controversy behind casting Blake Lively as Lily Bloom in Hoover’s “It Ends With Us.”
A third also candidly wrote, “I’m more concerned for Anne Hathaway wasting her talent on this kind of s–t.”
“anne hathaway is literally THEEE anne hathaway what is she doing, i excused the harry styles [sic] famfic but colleen hoover?” a fourth said, referencing her movie “The Idea of You,” which many speculated was based on One Direction’s Harry Styles.
“not anne hathaway staring in a colleen hoover film 😭😭😭😭”a fifth person tweeted.
The 2018 book “Verity” follows Lowen Ashleigh, who accepts a job ghostwriting for famed author Verity Crawford after she’s been injured. While staying and working at Crawford’s home, Lowen finds a manuscript with several disturbing anecdotes she begins to believe may not be a work of fiction.
The casting news comes just months after the release of “It Ends With Us,” which was wrapped in controversy over the feud between its main stars, Justin Baldoni and Lively, as well as the actress publicizing her hair care line while promoting a film about domestic violence.
Videos from behind the scenes surfaced online seemingly showing Baldoni, who was also the director, fighting with Lively. It was said that the two often butted heads over creative decisions.
However, fans seemed to take a bigger issue with Lively and Hoover diminishing Bloom as a domestic violence survivor.
During the press tour, Lively was slammed for promoting the movie as a fun girls’ night out activity where they could wear their best florals. They also criticized the movie’s absence of a trigger warning or not including a helpline for victims.
The actress was also slammed for telling reporters that domestic violence does not define her character.
“She is not just a survivor, and she’s not just a victim, and while those are huge things to be, they are not her identity,” she said. “Lily is not defined by something someone else did to her or an event that happened to her, even if it’s multiple events.”
The “Gossip Girl” alum noted, “She defines herself, and I think that’s deeply empowering. … No one else can define you. No experience can define you. You define you.”
Lively was also slammed at the time for her past “rude behavior” to reporters.
However, many praised Baldoni for how he chose to raise awareness about domestic violence and abusive relationships during the tour.