Anne Hathaway

Hi, everybody. I'm Anne Hathaway. Let's be honest, this speech is going to be earnest and overlong. So, like a week or so ago, I gave an interview with a trade publication, and they asked me, "You know, how do you feel about this?"

And I went deep, and I spoke from my heart, and I said, "Confused." And then it occurred to me, that was a terrible answer, and that I should probably do a little bit better. So I'm like, no, come on, really think about this.

Go deeper. And in thinking more deeply, I started to think about the land that goes underneath the star, then the land that's beneath all of these stars, and how it was cared and kept for millennia, more than millennia, by the Tongva people, which are the indigenous people who are the original inhabitants of Southern California. And I think it's important to mention that they still live here today.

So the soul and the spirit that runs through the earth beneath us originates with and continues to be kept by them today. So I would like to begin by thanking the Tongva people and by acknowledging that they are the rightful keepers of the land that this star is on. This star, which has my name on it, is not mine.

I do not own it. The District of Hollywood does not own it. The City of Los Angeles does not own it any more than you can own a tree.

This star is just a piece of space on the earth, which is shared by everyone and belongs to no one. Like a tree, it's just, it's our turn to care for it for now for a while. So what really makes me excited about this is thinking about it as a shared thing.

It makes me so excited that this star can be a space where my incredible fans who, my fans who are the reason that this piece of land has been named for me, can pour their own loving, vibrant spirit. This is a spot that has meaning to me because of you. You are why I'm standing here.

You have shown up for me again and again for the last 20 years. And let's be honest, not every film was good. But you showed up.

I love Havoc. Yeah. I know you love Havoc, Nora. I know. You have been generous and loyal and sweet and loving, and this star reflects your light.

Thank you so much. So much of success is due to the Oh, thanks, honey. That's. Just got a tickle.

So much of success is due to the people who believe in you.

In my case, these are people who met me when I was very young, and these are people who not for one second thought it was inappropriate for a young girl to have ambition, people who fostered both the ambition and the girl, who, even before I knew who I was, never pushed me to be like anyone other than myself and waited patiently, supportively, steadfastly while the late bloomer blossomed.

Thank you to Susan Bymel, my manager and treasured friend since I was 16. Thank you. Thank you to Jason Sloan, my lawyer and favorite vacation rental by owner landlord. Thank you to Steven Hubain, my publicist, who keeps me scandal free.

Mainly. How am I doing this week, Steven? You okay? Good. Yeah. Oh, and thank you to Josh Lieberman, Maha Dakeel, Mick Sullivan, Brian Lord, and Joe Mahota, my wonderful, ferocious longtime agents at CAA.

Jonathan Demi believed in me as a person and as an artist. Jonathan Demi was the first artist I didn't have to convince that I was more than the girl from The Princess Diaries. Somehow, he believed in me as an artist because of The Princess Diaries.

And Joe's, I think JD probably saw The Princess Diaries because of you so thank you very much. During his time here, Jonathan left his mark all over film and all over the world. I see him in the best of every moment.

His humanity, creativity, imagination, and integrity were instrumental in leading me to my own. He was my most beloved teacher, and I miss him every day. So thank you Jonathan Demi.

And he would have loved Dee Rees and Awkwafina. Oh, my gosh, you guys. He would have loved you.

He would have really been obsessed with you. So thank you so much for showing up today. Thank you for what you said.

Nora, I am ready for our trumpet duet anytime. Okay, cool. And Dee, oh my God, I'm just ready to follow you anywhere. I'm. What a force you are.

What a voice you have. What greatness you possess that we are just beginning to glimpse, and I cannot express to you what it means to me that you see me as someone that has worth. Thank you so much.

I am so honored that you're both here today for me. Thank you. Before I go, I want to shout out to my team on The Hustle, which opens this Friday. I hope you all see it.

So thank you to United Artists. Thank you to MGM. Thank you to my amazing partner in literal crime, Rebel Wilson.

Thank you to Chris Addison, our director, Jack Shafer, our writer, and the original voice of Josephine. And thank you to my dialect coach, Joan Washington, who finally wrestled a decent British accent out of me. And who also allowed a terrible Australian one, but for comedy.

And so thank you very much to everyone involved with this film. Now I have saved the best for last. Mom. Aw. Dad. Adam Shulman, my husband and the internet's favorite William Shakespeare lookalike.

Look, Anne Hathaway won both times. I'm just saying it. The gift of being the focus and recipient of your tremendous and enlightened love is, along with motherhood, the most important and profound part of my very blessed life.

I am able to walk through this world as I do because you make me feel safe, held, seen, and adored. I love you. Thank you so much. I could go on thanking people forever.

Gary Marshall, Meredith Chevry, SoCo Nine, Valentino, Ang Lee, Jacob Brooks Harris, Christopher Nolan, The Barrow Group, Tom Hooper, Mark and Jackie Shulman. But sun damage is real even when it's overcast. Wear your sunscreen. So thank you very much.

Thank you to the Chamber of Commerce. Thank you to everyone. Have a beautiful day.