Anne Hathaway has been subjected to some... well, let's just say questionable interviews. Most recently, fans have rediscovered an interview she did with Matt Lauer and have justifiably had some issues with it. But there's another interview that fans are still bothered by... and that's one she did when she was promoting DC's The Dark Knight Rises.
Why Fans Are Upset About This Catwoman Interview
We are in a constant state of reevaluation, perhaps more than ever before. This means we're taking a look back at what we and others have done before to better ourselves. At the very least, we're trying to be more empathetic or add more context to sometimes complicated and emotional discussions. While many have issues with the 'cancel culture' elements involved in this (and for good reason), only good can come from trying to make ourselves better, smarter, and more aware of the experiences of others... The world could surely use more of that.
To that point, we wonder how Jerry Penacoli feels now about his 2021 interview with Anne Hathaway on Extra. After all, his interview with the acclaimed movie star hasn't exactly aged well... not unlike many controversial celebrity interviews. Particularly in the age of the #MeToo Movement.
In the decade-old interview, Jerry spent a large chunk of time asking Anne Hathaway about her physique. This is because she was playing the iconic Catwoman/Selina Kyle character who is notoriously fit. She does wear a tight cat-suit, after all. But the line of questioning became so uncomfortable and downright pushy that Anne eventually had to call him out for it.
Jerry pushed things too far when he claimed that Anne had to be in "perfect shape" in order to fit into the suit and portray the DC Batman villain.
"It wasn't about being in perfect shape. It was about being able to do the stunts and the fighting perfectly," Anne Hathaway said, trying to navigate the questioning about her body respectfully but also from a place of strength.
Unfortunately for Anne, Jerry didn't quite get the hint and continued with his line of questioning.
"What was that suit like?" he asked. "It had to be comfortable to wear but it looked like it was so formed-fitting, was it?"
"I was form-fitting," Anne responded, clearly becoming somewhat uncomfortable, or at the very least, annoyed by his line of questioning. "Um, I mean, it's not a pair of sweatpants. So, I wouldn't describe it as that kind of comfortable. But, um, you know, it was fine. I think Christian [Bale] had it worse in the Batsuit than I did. I didn't have my ears covered."
The Line Of Questioning Continued And Anne Felt She Needed To Shut It Down
By now, most interviewers would have moved on as the question was asked. And, for a second, it appeared as though Jerry Penacoli was moving on... but he wasn't...
"When you found out that you were playing Catwoman..."
"Mhm?" Anne said, now with a big smile.
"Is there a certain regimen that you put yourself through in terms of the diet, the workout. What is the feline fitness regime?"
Anne proceeded to laugh uncomfortably but answer him by claiming that what she did to prepare for the role was "boring" and that no one would care about it.
"It's just watch what you eat and get to the gym," Anne said, trying to shut down the conversation.
Once again... Jerry pushed...
"Any particular workout?"
"Are you trying to lose weight? What's the deal, man? You look great," Anne responded, now making him a little uncomfortable and feel off-guard. "No, no seriously. We have to talk about this. What do you want? Are you trying to fit into a catsuit?"
Thankfully, Anne's witty and upfront response pushed Jerry to change the topic completely. Although not to The Dark Knight Rises' controversial ending.
Unfortunately for Anne, this was far from the only time she was asked about her fitness and her body while promoting The Dark Knight Rises. In fact, another entertainment reporter even went on Twitter to explain that he believed that he offended Anne with his line of questioning.
While Anne's reaction may have been a surprise in 2014, it's certainly not now. This is because so much effort has been made in sharing how uncomfortable this line of questioning is... especially for female stars who want to talk about more than just how they look. Anne put a lot of effort and creativity into her portrayal of Catwoman. And that's something that should've been focused on instead. At the very least, reporters should have been respectful when it became clear that Anne didn't want to talk about how 'good' she looked in the catsuit.