While The Voice was starting production, Anne Hathaway quietly arrived in the U.K. to begin filming Ella Enchanted.
It was a fantasy project adapted from the novel of the same name by American author Gail Carson Levine.
When Gail wrote Ella Enchanted, she took inspiration from the Grimm Brothers' Cinderella—retaining the core story structure but filling it with fairies, elves, dwarves, and giants, transforming it into a high fantasy tale. So, the biggest difference between the novel and Disney's Cinderella was that—ironically—Disney itself saw no difference at all. It was a "fresh reinterpretation for a new era."
In other words, when Disney didn't dare touch its old IPs, Ella Enchanted was the perfect loophole.
If it flopped—
Well, too bad. It wasn't really Cinderella!
But if it succeeded—
Then it would be the Cinderella of a new generation!
A new princess for the new century!
Flexibility, that's the Disney way.
And Hathaway understood all of this.
So, for a long time, she had been thrilled to have landed this role.
In her mind, as long as she gave it her all—if she did justice to the Newbery Medal-winning novel—she could naturally ascend to become a real Disney Princess.
With that title would come endless opportunities—and true backing from capital.
But no one—not her, not anyone—could've expected that just when she was savoring her "epic jackpot," Isabella Haywood would appear out of nowhere.
Hermione Granger, in her unstoppable glory, shattered Anne's dream to pieces.
When Harry Potter crushed Star Wars, Jurassic Park, even toppled Pixar and The Lord of the Rings—what girl character could possibly rival Hermione Granger?
None. Absolutely none.
So—
All Hathaway could do was watch as Disney downgraded Ella Enchanted.
Originally, the project had been under Walt Disney Pictures.
Now, it was being produced by Miramax.
That shift made Anne shake with rage.
Because with the change in production studio, even if Ella Enchanted succeeded, it would never return to Disney's main division.
Yes, Miramax was technically a Disney subsidiary—but everyone in Hollywood knew it was Harvey and Bob Weinstein's company.
And those two were notorious. Disney would never bring a Weinstein film back into its core catalog for the sake of reputation.
So even if Ella Enchanted got made—even if it blew up—Anne Hathaway would never become a Disney Princess.
When that truth hit her, Hathaway wanted to strangle Isabella Haywood with her bare hands.
To destroy someone's future was like killing their parents.
And now, when she learned Isabella's unnamed project had gone viral before it even had a title—
"Crack!"
Her right hand clenched hard.
Her knuckles turned white, making the plastic armrest of her chair groan under the pressure.
Her eyes burned red.
In that moment, she truly wanted to tear Isabella apart—
No, worse—
If she could, she'd stuff Isabella into an Iron Maiden and gently close the door.
"Anne? Can I come in?"
The sudden voice made her flinch, clutching the newspaper in panic.
But then she realized—it sounded like her mother.
"Mom?"
"Mhm."
"Come in."
"Alright."
The door creaked open, and a short-haired woman stepped in.
When Kate Hathaway entered, she immediately noticed her daughter's flushed face.
Her brows furrowed slightly.
Then she saw the newspaper on the floor.
Without a word, she shut the door, walked over, and bent down to pick it up.
"Don't look at that!" Anne lunged forward to grab it.
Kate turned away, shielding it.
As the paper unfolded, the sight of a young girl in wizard robes holding a wand made Kate sigh with understanding.
"Still angry?"
She sat down beside Anne with a weary sigh.
"Yeah."
Since her mother had seen everything, Anne didn't bother pretending anymore.
Her head drooped, full of dejection.
Kate wrapped an arm around her and gently rubbed her back.
"Still thinking about it?"
"How could I not?"
Tears welled up as Anne's voice cracked.
"That was my shot at the top—and it's gone!"
"If it was my fault, fine! I'd admit it! But it wasn't!"
"I did everything right!"
"I nailed The Princess Diaries! I beat Keira Knightley! And now—what? I lose to someone I don't even know?"
"How am I supposed to accept that?"
Her voice trembled; her body shook.
Because anyone who chose show business wanted fame—no one joined "just for the art."
Those who claimed otherwise were simply not famous yet.
Kate understood her daughter's pain—Anne wasn't wrong. She had done everything right but lost to sheer luck.
But luck is part of life.
"Anne, you promised me before you started this career—"
"That you'd face every hardship with a smile."
"You haven't forgotten that, have you?"
Anne froze. Then tears streamed down her cheeks.
Of course she remembered that promise.
Before she entered the industry, her mother had tried to stop her—telling her how brutal and competitive acting was.
And Anne had seen it firsthand—
Because Kate Hathaway herself had been an actress.
A Broadway star, actually.
When Les Misérables first toured the U.S., Kate Hathaway had played Fantine.
The lead role.
So yes, Anne had always known what showbiz was like.
But still—she had been drawn to the glamour.
She thought, with her mother's connections, her own road would be smooth.
Yet…
"Wuuuh…"
Anne broke down in tears, sobbing in her mother's arms.
Kate gently stroked her daughter's back and rested her cheek against Anne's forehead.
When Anne finally calmed down, Kate whispered, "Anne, I know you're upset, but I need to tell you—you can't keep doing young adult films anymore."
"Ella Enchanted will be your last one."
Anne understood immediately.
Before, even if people believed Isabella could dominate the young-adult market, that was only speculation.
Now, after she'd proven it—after she'd made a non-Harry Potter YA film with Anthony Hopkins, Jude Law, and Christian Bale—and caused a media storm—she had monopolized the entire genre.
Because no one before her had ever done that.
Continuing to compete in YA films now would be suicide.
"But… when I signed with Disney, we agreed to a sequel," Anne said, rubbing her red eyes.
The Princess Diaries was based on a novel series, and Disney had secured sequel rights from the start—locking the main cast under multi-picture deals.
So, whether The Princess Diaries 2 got made wasn't up to Anne. It was up to Disney.
"That's fine—we can negotiate," Kate said calmly. "If Isabella's new film blows up, Disney will probably rethink sequel development. That's our opening."
Anne clenched her teeth.
It hurt—badly.
It was Isabella who had destroyed everything for her.
And now she had to depend on Isabella for a way out?
What the hell.
Kate knew her daughter's pride was bleeding, but there was no better plan.
However, she did know what came next.
"Anne, don't worry about the contract—I'll handle that. Afterward, you should shift toward drama."
"Joel Schumacher called me. He wants you for The Phantom of the Opera."
"I think it's a good project. It might not be a box-office smash, but it'll show your acting chops."
In Hollywood's power ladder, climbing meant embracing blockbusters first—but A-list projects required budgets over $100 million.
And there were only a dozen or so of those a year—most of them sequels.
So, when actors took on dramas, it wasn't always out of passion—it was because they had no other choice.
And now?
With Isabella cutting off everyone in her generation's path, these actors had no choice but to turn to the Oscars.
"Go chase the awards," the world seemed to say.
"If you're lucky enough to win, maybe one day you'll get to play her supporting role."
The thought made Anne inhale sharply and close her eyes.
A few seconds later—she started laughing.
Right now, she wanted to stab Isabella Haywood even more.
"Mom, you really think Phantom of the Opera is a good idea?"
"It has award potential. A lot of eyes are on it."
"Then… I'll do it."
"Good. But there's something you should know."
"What?"
"The rights to Phantom of the Opera belong to Warner Bros. It's a Warner project."
"..."
Anne's smile froze—then widened, bright and brittle.
"Fine."
At that moment, she wanted to drink Isabella's blood and eat her flesh.
And she wasn't the only one.
Because at the same time, Lindsay Lohan was in her West Hollywood home, glaring at her mother in fury—
"Mom, Disney's decided?"
"Mhm."
"They're cutting Freaky Friday's budget?"
"Yes."
"And focusing more on Pirates of the Caribbean?"
"Uh-huh…"
"Oh—shit!"
Her punches crashed against the sofa armrest, echoing her anger.
Then she grabbed a nearby vase and smashed it to pieces.
"Lindsay!"
Her mother, Dina Lohan, yelled in alarm—but before she could scold her, Lindsay shouted back—
"Mom!"
"Why the hell is Disney doing this?"
"I've worked for them for years! Made them so much money! And they keep dropping me!"
"First Princess Diaries! Then Princess of Thieves! And now that Hermione Granger bitch shows up—and suddenly my project gets cut??"
"Oh—they're demons! Every one of them!"
"In Michael Eisner's eyes, I'm just a tool! Use me when they need me, toss me when they don't!!"
Her eyes were like daggers, leaving her mother speechless.
Because Dina couldn't deny it.
Lindsay had entered the industry early—and all because her father was a disaster.
He'd been a Wall Street worker, earning well, living on Long Island—but under immense pressure.
He turned to alcohol and drugs early on.
As Dina once put it—
"In our house, the thing we had most of… was cocaine."
The environment at home had become unbearable. When Lindsay was three, her mother separated from her father. Not long after, her dad was arrested for insider trading. So, the family lost its main source of income.
That was why Lindsay started modeling as a child, stepping into the entertainment world—and as for her mother... let's just say wives of finance guys usually don't work. If they do work, it means their husbands are just finance employees, not masters of the universe.
Maybe luck had a hand in it, because Lindsay's modeling career went pretty well. She made some money, and her looks soon caught Hollywood's eye. By ten, she was acting in soap operas. By twelve, she'd been picked by Disney to star in The Parent Trap.
From that point on, her life changed completely.
The Parent Trap was made for $12 million and pulled in $92 million at the box office. That little miracle got her a three-film contract with Disney.
She thought this was the start of something beautiful—a turning point. She'd finally be a real movie star, no more hustling for random gigs. And yeah, for a while, that's how it looked. After The Parent Trap, she worked steadily for Disney.
Then came Disney's "Princess Project."
And Lindsay? She thought it had been designed for her. She was Disney's princess!
Except… when it came time to cast, Michael Eisner didn't choose her. Because, you know, don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Lindsay Lohan was famous and profitable. Better to keep her busy printing cash. If she starred in The Princess Diaries or The Pirate Princess and they flopped, Disney would lose twice over.
And if they succeeded? Well, let's not pretend Disney wasn't trying to keep her pay under control. Capitalists, in the end, are all the same species of bird.
So—Anne Hathaway and Keira Knightley appeared.
Lindsay was furious.
At one point, she even wanted to leave Disney entirely.
To calm her down, Disney promised to open a new project just for her. A project "tailored" to her, they said. Freaky Friday was the start of that promise.
Sure, it was a "B-tier" film, with a budget under $30 million, but they were going to promote it like an A-lister.
That gesture made Lindsay feel seen again. She believed Disney was sincere.
But then—Isabella Heywood appeared.
And suddenly, Disney wanted to cut her project's budget? Because they thought the future of the Young Adult genre lay with Warner Bros.?
Oh, what a fantastic revelation.
M-fxxk.
"If I could, I'd kill Michael Eisner right now," Lindsay muttered through clenched teeth. "And I'd kill Isabella Heywood too."
"Anne Hathaway and Keira Knightley? Those two can't touch me. The real threat—the one who already destroyed my career—is Isabella Heywood."
"Gulp." Her mother, Dina Lohan, swallowed hard at her daughter's icy tone.
Lindsay stood up sharply, heading for the door.
"Where are you going?" Dina called out, terrified her daughter might actually confront Eisner.
"For a drive."
"You're insane! You're seventeen! This is California—seventeen-year-olds can't drive alone!"
Dina jumped up, trying to stop her, but Lindsay ignored her completely and yanked the front door open.
Desperate, Dina shouted after her, "Wait! Even if Disney gave up on us, other studios are still interested! Paramount called me—they have a project for you! If you want, I can start talks right now!"
See, with child actors, the "agent" is usually a parent—real agencies can't get guardianship, which makes them legally useless.
The word "Paramount" made Lindsay stop mid-stride.
"What project?"
"I heard it's an adaptation of a novel. Another Young Adult story."
That made Lindsay smirk.
So Disney didn't believe in her?
Wow.
But Hollywood wasn't Disney's private playground, was it?
Other studios could still recognize her worth.
"So… what's it called?" she asked, turning back.
"Queen Bees and Wannabes."
Dina blurted out the title just to keep her daughter from bolting.
"Queen Bees and Wannabes?" Lindsay frowned. She hadn't heard of it.
Her mom rushed to explain: "Yes, that's the one. It's a recently published teen novel—it hit The New York Times best-seller list just months after release."
That got Lindsay's attention.
A newly released book she hadn't heard of—fine, makes sense.
A newly released book already on the bestseller list—that meant potential.
And pairing potential with her?
Hah. Someone out there still had good taste.
But then she frowned again. "Why isn't Paramount asking Isabella?"
"She's born in 1990, right? She's too young—she'll only be able to play that kind of role in two years."
Lindsay asked only because she wanted to hear her mother say she was better than Isabella.
But Dina hesitated.
Her pause looked suspiciously like she was making something up.
Lindsay narrowed her eyes. "Mom? You're not trying to lie to me, are you?"
"Of course not," Dina said stiffly, shaking her head.
"Then tell me—why me?"
"Uh… because the story suits you better?"
"'Suits me?' How?" Lindsay's forehead creased.
"W-well…" Dina finally threw up her hands. "It's about a few high school girls forming little cliques. Paramount said they want to show how one 15-year-old girl goes from an outsider to the center of attention."
It sounded harmless enough—except Lindsay could read between the lines.
She knew how high-school girl cliques worked: hypocrisy, backstabbing, sweet smiles hiding knives.
So Paramount wanted her to play a fake-innocent manipulative queen bee?
Oh, that was rich.
How was that different from calling her a bitch—again and again and again?
She'd thought this was some big, promising project. Turns out...
It was a project even Paramount thought Isabella wouldn't touch.
Because Hermione Granger wasn't a "mean girl."
"Tell Paramount to shove it!" she yelled. "I don't want to see Paramount again! If I do, I'll stab Sherry Lansing myself!"
And with that, she stormed out—
BANG.
Silence.
…
Truth be told, Isabella had no idea Anne Hathaway and Lindsay Lohan were currently raging at her like rabid raccoons.
But she could guess.
Because that's how showbiz works—it's a zero-sum game. Only one person can stand at the top.
She knew perfectly well that by taking all the best roles and sucking up all the industry's oxygen, she'd made enemies.
If those girls didn't fantasize about stuffing her into a cannon and launching her into the sun, they had no business being in Hollywood.
Still, she didn't care.
She had Harry Potter.
She had J.K. Rowling's blessing.
She could eat everyone's lunch, and nobody could touch her turf.
So the others could curse her all they wanted. That was just professional jealousy wearing lipstick.
Besides, she barely had time to notice anyway—she was buried in chaos.
"Daniel? Rupert? Can you two please stop talking at the same time?!"
"When you both talk at once, I swear my head explodes—it's so loud!"
At that moment, Isabella was juggling two phones, one with "Egg Girl," the other with Rupert.
She felt like a kindergarten principal trying to control two sugar-high toddlers.
Author's Notes:
① In 2004, Joel Schumacher did want Anne Hathaway for The Phantom of the Opera, and she was prepping for it—until scheduling clashed with The Princess Diaries 2.
② Queen Bees and Wannabes became Mean Girls. Paramount had begun developing it in 2002 but delayed filming until 2003 because Lindsay's Disney contract hadn't expired.
③ Sherry Lansing was indeed Paramount's chairwoman at the time.
④ Lindsay really did get burned by Disney. After The Parent Trap, she signed a three-film deal expecting theatrical releases, but Disney fulfilled it with TV movies instead. Why? Their cable viewership had tanked after their fallout with Warner Bros., and Eisner used Lindsay to boost their TV ratings.