Hathaway was born in Brooklyn, New York, and moved to Millburn, New Jersey, when she was six years old. She is the daughter of Gerald Hathaway, a lawyer, and Kate McCauley, an actress who inspired Hathaway to follow in her footsteps. She was named after the wife of playwright William Shakespeare. She has an older brother, Michael, and a younger brother, Thomas. Hathaway has mainly Irish and French Read more...

Hathaway starred in Get Real for one season, after which it was cancelled. Her first major role was in The Other Side of Heaven (2001) opposite Christopher Gorham, but before production began in New Zealand, she auditioned for the lead role of Mia Thermopolis in the Garry Marshall-directed The Princess Diaries (2001). Hathaway actually auditioned for the role during the flight layover on the way Read more...

Hathaway began appearing in less comedic-oriented films after The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. She said that "anybody who was a role model for children needs a reprieve", although she also noted that "it's lovely to think that my audience is growing up with me", a reference to her previous status as a children's actress. She voiced a version of Little Red Riding Hood in Hoodwinked! (2005), Read more...