Alice In Wonderland’s White Queen Was A Nerve-Wracking Role For Anne Hathaway
Walt Disney Studios
Known for whimsically dark films like “Beetlejuice,” “Edward Scissorhands,” and “Sleepy Hollow,” director Tim Burton has solidified himself in Hollywood as an eccentric visionary. Marrying fantasy and horror, Burton tackles original screenplays and classic adaptations through a gothic lens and with a playful imagination.
In 2010 when he directed “Alice in Wonderland” (a live-action reimagining of Lewis Carroll’s works), many were nervous about how Burton would tackle the classic piece of literature, myself included. However, star Anne Hathaway had her own trepidations about playing The White Queen and working with the legendary director.
In an interview with MovieWeb, Anne Hathaway stated that she “had been very nervous about working with Tim Burton.” She stated that she had admired him from the first time she saw “Beetlejuice” and didn’t want to disappoint him. Hathaway continued, “I wanted to fit into Wonderland, which was a mad, imaginative wonderful world. Also I was very nervous about working on green screen, which I had not done before.”
All of those fears seem valid. However, it was also Burton’s first time filming with a green screen and those portions comprised a majority of the film. There is an incredible amount of technology involved with that much CGI, and I appreciate how actors are able to perform scenes without the real environment or characters there with them on set. It takes an added layer of focus and imagination that would be difficult to channel.
‘He likes to play, he likes to explore’
Despite Hathaway’s nervousness, Burton ended up being a pleasure to work with. Hathaway explained:
“Tim Burton was totally open to everything. He is not a director who says ‘no’ very often. He likes to play, he likes to explore. Even if he might disagree with you or if he doesn’t understand where you want to go, he will give you the opportunity to try.” She continued, “he is very easy to get along with. He is very interesting, very funny and he is a rule breaker.”
It’s always nice to hear stories like this about directors because there doesn’t seem to be much of an in-between. Some directors have a singular vision and do not take input from their cast while others are open-minded and willing to play with ideas. Since Burton does have such a distinct style, it’s refreshing to know that he is still flexible on set.
Despite Hathaway’s anxiety about working with such legends, she tackled her character with grace and has obviously continued to flourish in her career like the true queen that she is.
