Anne Hathaway and James Franco’s hosting gig at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards will end as one of the most awkward moments of all time. While the former was initially uninterested in hosting the biggest event in Hollywood, she eventually accepted the gig only to set a weird example that she addressed numerous times over the years.
Given that the lack of chemistry between the duo left many disappointed, she eventually realized that the pair was not meant to host the show. She commented in just one word about the widely panned Oscars 2011 hosting.
Anne Hathaway Commented on Her Hosting Gig With James Franco at Oscars 2011
During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Anne Hathaway participated in a game in which the former asked her to describe the photos he showed related to her career in one word. When her picture with James Franco at the 2011 Oscars ceremony appeared, The Devil Wears Prada star honestly answered, “[We] sucked.”
It quickly led Cohen and guest Victoria Beckham to break into laughter. Hathaway is quite honest with her experience of that night. Back in 2019, she revealed that her co-host ultimately convinced her to join the gig.
As per PEOPLE, she shared,
“Hey, can I dish some tea? I turned that gig down and James is the one that convinced me to do it.”
Her instincts were quite right as her decision to initially turn down the gig could have saved her from all the wrong hype she was surrounded with over the years regarding her performance at the night. While she knew that her hosting session with Franco ‘sucked,‘ she acknowledged her over-enthusiastic performance that did not impress everyone.
Anne Hathaway’s Take on Her Oscars 2011 Hosting
At The Hollywood Reporter‘s Actress Roundtable in 2012, The Witches star acknowledged her mistakes by understanding how she left out TV audiences.
She shared,
“I was just shooting energy to the back [of the house]. It was like a big party. It was great.”
She added,
“I think it looked slightly manic and hyper cheerleadery on screen…. Whether or not it was an actual failure, it was perceived as a massive failure.”
Their critically panned performance was never a good idea from the start. David Wild, one of the writers that year told The Ringer,
“It was like the world’s most uncomfortable blind date between the cool rocker stoner kid and the adorable theater camp cheerleader.”
The writing team unraveled several behind-the-scenes instances that evidently depicted the duo’s unconventional pairing. While the duo was given that opportunity to appeal to a younger audience at the time, it went completely bizarre. Due to their odd chemistry, work habits, and different personalities, their collaboration led to intense criticism.
