'The Idea of You' with Anne Hathaway packs heat and goes beyond your average rom-com
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The much-anticipated film adaptation of the best-selling book "The Idea of You" is almost here.
The talk online is that this is inspired by Harry Styles fan fiction.
The film stars Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine.
We already know the book was a giant hit, but the question is now, will the movie be one?
If reaction to the trailer is any indication, yes!
It broke the record for the most watched trailer for any original streaming movie.
Eyewitness News Entertainment Reporter Joelle Garguilo has seen the film and says "The Idea of You" goes way beyond your average rom-com. It's a celebration of women embracing control of their lives, their happiness, regardless of age, and it's also steamy.
"The Idea of You" goes a little something like this: she's a 40-year-old single mom and he's a 24-year-old lead singer of the hottest boy band on the planet.
When their worlds collide, sparks fly, and a whirlwind romance ensues.
"There's some chemistry going on here," Galitzine said.
"Sorry," Hathaway said.
The movie is a fresh take on the rom-com, a steamy one, but it goes deeper. It delves into a woman's journey of owning her happiness and defying societal expectations. At 41, it hits home for Hathaway.
"I kept finding myself saying, 'In the earlier part of my career when I would make feel-good movies...' And I kept saying, 'feel-good movies.' And I said, 'This one feels different. This is a feel-everything movie,'" Hathaway said.
One of the things that's amazing about being in your 40s is you have a perspective to feel so much.
There's intensity in your 20s, but later you feel more and process it differently.
"Nicholas, a little birdie told me, one of the producers, that you were one of the last people to come in and audition for this. Is that right?" Garguilo asked.
"Well, I actually just found this out today," he said.
"You were the last person," Hathaway said.
Galitzine even had to do improv and dance. "It was scary," he said.
"It was very important. It was very important. Again, we didn't take anything...we left nothing to chance. And so when we invited the guys in, we said, 'How can we tell who has rhythm? How can we...' Truly, how do you test for chemistry? Because there are so many talented actors out there, but the question is, what happens when two people share a space and they're not talking? And if you were to just put the two of us next to each other, you'd be like, 'That's awkward.' Don't talk. Just stand there," Hathaway said. "And then we had to know who comes alive when they dance. Even if they don't know how to dance, who opens? And the answer is Nick Galitzine."
"I mean I would've been so gutted if I didn't get it. But I felt like the work that we all did and the connection we all made in that room was very, very special," Galitzine said.
That connection and chemistry was on display on-screen and off.
"Have you had Anne order dessert for you yet?" Garguilo asked.
"No, but... I know you want to do quick fire, but this is really important to me. When we had one of our beautiful, intimate scenes in the hotel, I hadn't eaten anything the whole day. I was going to be shirtless and I was trying to stay a little trim. And I got home to the hotel, you're the first person I'm telling you this, I'd ordered some McDonald's. There were some drunk people outside the hotel who stole my McDonald's. I was very upset about it. I went to bed hungry. I told Annie this and the next day, knowing that I'm a very proud Greek, she ordered me all of the Greek food, all of it, and I just stuffed my face. I was like, 'This woman will forever...' I will show up to anything, whenever Annie needs me for that, because of that one moment," he said.
"I didn't like the thought of you hungry," Hathaway said.
"I know," Galitzine said.
"Those people stole your middle-of-the-night McDonald's," she said.
"It was so distressing, and you made it so much better. So," Galitzine said.
"Make everything better," she said.
"Yes," he said.
"The Idea of You" delivers on every front; it's got heart, it's hot, and it gives you hope. It hits Prime Video this week, on Thursday, May 2.
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