Why Anne Hathaway Is the Perfect Choice to Play Barbie?

Anne Hathaway could prove to be a much cannier choice than Amy Schumer for the upcoming toy-inspired movie

It’s a strange day when Anne Hathaway is in talks to take a role that originally went to Amy Schumer, but here we are. The Oscar-winning actress is in talks to star in the upcoming Barbie movie, a long-gestating project that, in its last incarnation, would have starred the stand-up comedian as a doll who gets kicked out of Barbieland for not being perfect enough.

But while these two actresses seem to have little in common, this role could actually be a perfect fit for Hathaway. She’s already demonstrated her comedy chops, but could perhaps stand to remind the viewing public that she can, indeed, make fun of herself just as well as (or perhaps even better than) anyone else.

Schumer recently pulled out of the project due to scheduling conflicts, leaving the role open for the taking. Hathaway’s turns in The Princess Diaries, The Devil Wears Prada, and Get Smart have already proven she has great comedic timing, as have her multiple stints as a Saturday Night Live host. But as the actress moves past the largely unfair criticism that’s persistently followed her since the 2013 awards season, during which she swept up accolades for her turn as Fantine in Les Misérables, sticking with lighter fare can only help to quiet the naysayers who once attacked her for supposedly being too earnest.

With the exception of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, Hathaway has done just that since winning her Oscar. She starred in The Intern in 2015, made waves in the dark comedy Colossal this spring and will also join an ensemble in the much-anticipated heist caper Ocean’s Eight. The Barbie film, however, offers a unique opportunity for Hathaway beyond simple comedy. According to Variety, it’s still unknown whether Hathaway would play the same version of the character originally conceived for Schumer.

But the arc of that Barbie movie—in which the protagonist is ostracized for being “too perfect”—could be a clever way for Hathaway to lampoon not only herself, but also the very culture that once turned on her. The Princess Diaries and The Devil Wears Prada have also shown already what a delight Hathaway can be when she allows costume designers to dress her up in a rags-to-riches story. A plastic-to-real-world story—which will reportedly take its cues from films like Enchanted and Big—would allow us to see what that looks like in reverse.

Australian director Alethea Jones is in talks to direct Barbie, and Sony is still shooting for its original June 29, 2018, release date. Until we know more about Hathaway’s involvement in the film, enjoy trying to get this song out of your head: