Anne Hathaway says turning 40 helped her loosen up and enjoy herself more.
“When I started out, I thought I’d be a better artist if I was really hard on myself,” Hathaway, 43, told People in an interview published on Monday. “And then turning 40, I just kind of found a different gear, and I was no longer interested in living an awkward life. I was just interested in getting to the fun part.”
Hitting that milestone has also made her think more carefully about the choices she makes.
“You have to be more serious about how you take care of yourself. I just think that when you’re in your 40s, you’ve had the opportunity to see how certain decisions bore fruit over time. And so you can assess if you want to continue making those decisions or if you want to make new ones,” she said.
Hathaway said one of the things she appreciates most about being in her 40s is that she no longer gets “so swept up in things anymore.”
“I used to really not understand that phrase, ‘Take it with a grain of salt.’ There’s no salt. Every high was so high, every low was so low. And now I really value the chill,” she said.
These days, Hathaway is embracing the uncertainty that comes with getting older.
“I’ve never been this age. So let’s just like, you know, figure it out. You still never know what’s coming around the corner,” she said.
But there’s already plenty ahead for her to look forward to. The actor has five films scheduled for release this year, including “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
Hathaway is not alone. Many celebrities have said turning 40 shifted how they see and approach their lives.
In December, “Big Bang Theory” star Kaley Cuoco says turning 40 made her more empathetic and less judgmental.
It’s very cheesy and corny, but it’s true — you don’t know until you’ve lived it. You see things differently, and you understand people in a way you can’t when you’re 20 or 30,” Cuoco said.
In March, Chelsea Handler said she moved away from conventional dating expectations in her 40s, choosing to date younger men after years of dating older partners.
“Like, I’ve got to flip it and reverse it, you know? So, now I’m heading in the opposite direction because I’m too hot to be dating a 65-year-old. Let’s be honest,” Handler said.
Turning 40 is a milestone that can prompt reflection and anxiety. It ushers in midlife — a period during which research suggests life satisfaction dips.
Hannes Schwandt, an associate professor of human development and social policy at Northwestern University, told Business Insider in 2024 that this midlife dip is often tied to unmet expectations that feel especially disappointing at the time, although they tend to matter less later in life.
Still, not everyone views this period as a low point.
Several women who switched careers in their 40s told Business Insider that they saw it as a chance to rebrand. Executive coach Monique Shields said it’s because many people reach a stage where “achievement is no longer the goal.”
“You’ve done all the striving,” she said, “and now, the questions become more about well-being and legacy.”