Anne Hathaway made a strong effort to bring Julie Andrews back as Queen Clarisse Renaldi for The Princess Diaries 3, but says she respects the veteran actress’s decision to stay away from the film.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight after receiving her Disney Legends honour at D23, Hathaway said she “did push really hard” to persuade Andrews to reprise her role.
“If she has a change of heart, we’re down,” Hathaway said. “Just anything, really. But we also want to be respectful. Like, for goodness’ sakes, if anybody has contributed to the world of entertainment and to our collective joy, it’s her. Whatever she wants, we completely understand.”
Andrews recently told The Hollywood Reporter that she does not “think I should be a part of” the third film. She said she is not completely retired but now focuses on writing books, podcasts and voiceovers.
However, Hathaway said the team “did push really hard to see if she would want to do it”.
Princess Diaries 3 will continue the story of Mia Thermopolis, played by Hathaway, who discovers she is heir to the throne of Genovia. At the end of The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Mia becomes queen after Parliament abolishes the requirement that the monarch must be married. She also reunites with Nicholas Devereaux, played by Chris Pine, after ending her engagement to Andrew Jacoby, played by Callum Blue.
Hathaway said she wants the new film to be “fun” for fans who grew up with the original, released in 2001.
“I want the women who were six when the first one came out — a lot of whom are now mothers themselves, maybe even with 6-year-olds — I want them to feel like they’re bringing their children to something that mattered to them, a core memory for them, something that was a part of their heart and their lives,” she said. “And that means doing it justice. And that means taking the time that it takes to really build it right. That’s a lot of pressure, but I feel like this is a great team.”
Adele Lim is directing the film, with Flora Greeson writing the script. Aadrita Mukerji wrote an earlier draft before the production team changed direction.
