Anne Hathaway leads A24's 'Mother Mary': What to expect
09 Jul 2025

New details about the upcoming A24 film Mother Mary have been revealed in a Vogue cover story featuring lead actor Anne Hathaway.

The film, directed by David Lowery, stars Hathaway as a pop star who seeks help from an old friend and fashion designer played by Michaela Coel.

The story describes the filming process as "intense" and "challenging," with much of the action taking place in a 13th-century barn.

'You can't perform Mother Mary...': Hathaway on her character
Acting method

Hathaway told Vogue that she had to completely immerse herself in the character of Mother Mary.

"What struck me right away, reading the script, is that you can't 'perform' Mother Mary," she said. "If I got the part, I would have to become material David could craft with."

Coel praised Hathaway's 'brave work' on specific dance number
Production hurdles

The filming of Mother Mary was not without its challenges. Lowery compared the experience to shooting Apocalypse Now, particularly a "pivotal sequence" near the end.

"At one point Annie broke down and said, 'I have to apologize, because I think what's going to come out of me will hurt you.' And Michaela took her hands and said, 'I love you, I trust you.'"

Coel also praised Hathaway's "very brave work" on a specific dance number in the barn.

Role is the most challenging of my career, says Hathaway
Role preparation

Hathaway described the role as the most challenging of her career.

"I had to submit to being a beginner," she told Vogue. "The humility of that - showing up every day knowing you're going to suck. And it has to be okay."

"It was welcome. But it was hard, the way transformational experiences can be hard."

Film features original songs by Jack Antonoff, Charli XCX
Music collaboration

The film, shot in and around Cologne, Germany, features original songs by Jack Antonoff and Charli XCX. The supporting cast includes FKA twigs, Hunter Schafer, and Kaia Gerber.

Despite not having the music before filming started, Hathaway is grateful for the experience.

"I had to learn...because if I'd had the music a year before we ever turned a camera on, I'd have tattooed every note of it on my soul...And that was not available to me."