Remember Anne Hathaway’s emotional Oscar speech in 2013? The one where she clutched her golden statue, sighed dramatically, and whispered, “It came true,” like she was living out a fairytale? Well, it turns out it was all an act.

In an interview, the actress admitted that her acceptance speech wasn’t precisely actual. Yes, that time, Hathaway didn’t feel the happiness she was supposed to. Winning Best Supporting Actress for Les Misérables should have been the best night of her life. Instead, she felt utterly disconnected.

Why? Because the Hollywood beauty had just spent months starving herself, crying on camera, and fully immersing herself in the misery of Fantine, the miserable character she played. Then suddenly, she was on stage in a designer gown worth a fortune, accepting an award for depicting agony. Something about it felt off to her. Of course, when she tried to look sunny, the internet called her out for being bogus. And, well, people weren’t exactly amicable about it.

Anne Hathaway Wasn’t in the Right Headspace While Receiving Her First Oscar

Winning an Oscar is supposed to be the ultimate dream. But for Anne Hathaway, it didn’t feel that way at all. After Les Misérables, she was completely drained, both physically and emotionally.

To play Fantine, she lost 25 pounds, lived off tiny portions of oatmeal, and spent months crying on cue. By the time awards season came around, Hathaway was still stuck in that dark headspace. She wasn’t celebrating but instead just trying to get through the night. In her own words, which she said in an interview with The Guardian:

“It’s obvious: you win an Oscar, and you’re supposed to be happy — I didn’t feel that way. I felt wrong that I was standing in a gown that cost more than some people will see in their lifetime and winning an award for portraying pain that still felt a part of our collective experience as human beings.”

Hathaway knew she had to deliver a heartfelt speech, so she did her best to act satisfied. But the way she spoke—the breathy delivery, the dramatic “It came true”—felt too polished, too rehearsed. And people were not buying it.

Social media immediately exploded, calling her unnatural, chafing, and even intolerable. Some thought she was overacting, while others found her speech too perfect. One of the biggest reasons Hathaway struggled with her Oscar win? There is a sheer contrast between her real life and the character she plays.

She had just spent months portraying a woman who lost everything—her home, her dignity, even her teeth. Now, she was standing on stage in an expensive designer gown, holding a trophy, and pretending to be elated. The guilt hit painfully.

But fast forward to 2017, and she’s learned to brush it off, saying, “What you learn from it is that you only feel like you can die from embarrassment; you don’t die.”

For more of the latest Hollywood updates, stay tuned to Koimoi!