Anne Jacqueline Hathaway is an actress and singer.

Hathaway was born… Read Full Bio ↴Anne Jacqueline Hathaway is an actress and singer.

Hathaway was born in Brooklyn, New York, U.S. Her father, Gerald Thomas Hathaway, is a lawyer, and her mother, Kathleen Ann (née McCauley), is an actress who inspired Hathaway to follow in her footsteps. The family moved to Millburn, New Jersey, when she was six years old. Hathaway has an older brother, Michael, and a younger brother, Thomas. She is of mostly Irish and French ancestry, with distant Native American and German roots.

Hathaway's first major role came in the short-lived television series "Get Real" (1999). She gained widespread recognition for her roles in The Princess Diaries (2001) and its 2004 sequel as a young girl who discovers she's a member of royalty, opposite Julie Andrews and Heather Matarazzo.

She also had a notable role in Nicholas Nickleby (2002) opposite Charlie Hunnam and Jamie Bell, and a starring role in Ella Enchanted (2004). A former top-ranking soprano in New York, Hathaway was reportedly a front-runner for the role of "Christine" in the 2004 The Phantom of the Opera (2004). However, due to scheduling conflicts with The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004), she couldn't take the role, which was later given to newcomer Emmy Rossum.

Hathaway soon started to move away from family-friendly films. Following The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004), she appeared topless in the films Havoc (2005) opposite Josh Peck and Brokeback Mountain (2005) opposite Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. Her desire to break out of her "Princess Diaries" image parallels that of her one-time co-star, Julie Andrews, who went topless in the film S.O.B. (1981) in order to break away from the image she created from her 1960s musicals. In interviews, Hathaway said that doing family-friendly films didn't mean she was similar to their characters or mean she objected to appearing nude in other films.

Other films she has starred in include The Devil Wears Prada (2006) opposite Meryl Streep, Becoming Jane (2007), in which she plays a young Jane Austen, and Rachel Getting Married (2008) in which she plays Rachel's sister who comes home for her sister's wedding after rehab. She has also featured in the romances Bride Wars (2009), Valentine's Day (2010), and Love & Other Drugs (2010), and the fantasy film Alice in Wonderland (2010). In 2012, she starred as Catwoman in her highest-grossing film, The Dark Knight Rises, and played Fantine, a prostitute dying of tuberculosis, in the musical Les Misérables, winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She has since played a scientist in the science fiction film Interstellar (2014), the owner of a fashion website in the comedy The Intern (2015), a haughty actress in the heist film Ocean's 8 (2018), a con artist in the comedy The Hustle (2019), and Rebekah Neumann in the miniseries WeCrashed (2022).

I Dreamed A Dream
Anne Hathaway Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving

Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed

Now life has killed the dream
I dreamed

Overall Meaning

Anne Hathaway's song "I Dreamed a Dream" is a powerful ballad that speaks to the loss of innocence and shattered dreams. The song starts with a nostalgic depiction of a time when "men were kind," "love was blind," and the "world was a song." The use of the past tense in these lines shows that this era is now long gone, and the singer seems to lament the fact that things have changed. The lyrics then shift to a dream sequence in which the singer longs for a time when hope was high and life was worth living. This is a time when she believed that love would never die, and God would be forgiving. She describes herself as young and unafraid, with dreams that were made and used and wasted.

However, the dream is interrupted by the arrival of tigers that come at night, tearing apart the hope and turning the dream into shame. It is not clear what these tigers represent, but they may symbolize the harsh realities of life that have shattered the singer's dreams. She then reminisces about a man who brought endless wonder into her life and took her childhood in his stride but left when autumn came. She still dreams that he will come back, and they will live the years together. However, there are dreams that cannot be, and there are storms that cannot be weathered. The singer says she had a dream that her life would be different from the hell she is living, but life has killed that dream.

The song speaks to the universal experience of shattered dreams and lost innocence. It shows how life can be cruel and unexpected, taking away our hopes and leaving us with nothing but regrets. The singer's voice adds a haunting quality to the lyrics, making them all the more poignant.

Line by Line Meaning

There was a time when men were kind
In the past, men were considerate and caring.

When their voices were soft
Their speech was gentle and mild.

And their words inviting
Their words were welcoming and alluring.

There was a time when love was blind
Once upon a time, love was oblivious to faults.

And the world was a song
The world felt joyful and musical.

And the song was exciting
The song was thrilling and pleasurable.

Then it all went wrong
But then things took a turn for the worse.

I dreamed a dream in times gone by
I had a dream once upon a time.

When hope was high and life worth living
When hope was abundant and life was enjoyable.

I dreamed, that love would never die
I dreamt that love would last forever.

I dreamed that God would be forgiving
I hoped that God would be merciful.

Then I was young and unafraid
At that time, I was young and fearless.

And dreams were made and used and wasted
Dreams were created, pursued, and sometimes squandered.

There was no ransom to be paid
No price had to be paid.

No song unsung, no wine untasted
No songs left unsung, no wine left untasted.

But the tigers come at night
However, the dangers arise at night.

With their voices soft as thunder
With their gentle but intimidating voices.

As they tear your hope apart
As they destroy your hope.

As they turn your dream to shame
As they make your dream feel shameful.

He slept a summer by my side
He was my companion for a season.

He filled my days with endless wonder
He brought me endless amazement.

He took my childhood in his stride
He made a significant impact on my childhood.

But he was gone when autumn came
But once the autumn arrived, he was no longer there.

And still I dream he'll come to me
Nevertheless, I still dream he will return to me.

That we will live the years together
That we will live together for the rest of our lives.

But there are dreams that cannot be
But there are dreams that cannot be fulfilled.

And there are storms we cannot weather
And there are hardships that we cannot overcome.

I had a dream my life would be
I envisioned that my life would be different.

So different from this hell I'm living
Extremely different from the miserable life I am living now.

So different now from what it seemed
Very contrasting from the way it appeared before.

Now life has killed the dream
Now life has crushed that dream.

I dreamed
I had a dream.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alain Albert Boublil, Claude Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer, Jean Marc Natel

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@ljalvarez6202

50w↑28

"I Dreamed A Dream"
(from "Les Misérables" soundtrack)

There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving

Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung
No wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came
And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed
The dream I dreamed

@noelicoan8290

4y↑14.6K

0:00- brokenness
1:14- wishful
1:26- regret
2:19- shattered
2:35- demand
2:52- anger
3:09- hope
3:23- reality
3:39- disbelief
3:42- denial
3:47- rage
3:56~4:12- sadness
4:16- emotionless

All this shown in one single song. It's amazing.

@essttelee

1y↑1

There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong
I dreamed a dream in times gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed, that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame
He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came
And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream
I dreamed

@florencepi6232

1y↑3

Lyrics
There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong
I dreamed a dream in times gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed, that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame
He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came
And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream
I dreamed

All comments from YouTube:

@RandomPerson-cz8yq

3y↑20.1K

I really don't understand the hate that Anne Hathaway got after this movie. This was truly one of the most well deserved Oscar wins in history.

@stonecutter2

3y↑1.2K

Les Mis is a terrific musical, great songs, great rich opportunity for actors to dive deep. It had a legendary run on Broadway. I think most people felt this was just a revival of an old favorite and was easy winnings for Oscars. It's exceptionally well done as this film though. Anne is fantastic in it.

@topnotchcardz1639

3y↑495

@brontew cat hugh jackman was on broadway and anne hathaway has a good voice and they brought a bunch of people over from broadway

@brontewcat

3y↑219

@TopNotchcardz 16 Maybe, but she doesn’t have a top voice. Les Miz is like an opera, and it needs strong voices. While I do not think the producers needed classically trained opera singers, it needs strong voices. Anne Hathaway is a good actress, but her voice was not strong enough.

Hugh Jackman was fine, but Russell Crowe’s voice was a train-wreak.

@brontewcat

3y↑138

This is, of course, personal preference. I am much more emotionally moved by beautiful music than good acting. So for me, no matter how good Anne Hathaway’s acting, I am not going to be emotionally moved as by somewhat weaker acting but a much better voice. I understand from an interview I saw with her, Anne Hathaway made a deliberate choice not to sing it ‘pretty’. I get that choice, but in my view the song required a stronger voice.

Movie musicals used to always have strong voices, even if the producers/ directors had to use a voice double. Just because this is movie does not mean the the acting has to prioritised over the singing. There are plenty of non musical versions of Les Miserables if it is acting that is wanted, including a brilliant French version with Gerard Depardieu as Valjean and John Malkovich as Jarvert.

@topnotchcardz1639

3y↑185

@brontew cat yes of course im just saying she pulled it off for someone who isnt a trained singer

379 More Replies...

@Danny30011980

1y↑2.1K

This is the most dramatic, emotional performance ever, she incorporates and conveys the drama and emotion fully. 20 out of 10 performance, she put the bar for others extremely high. Well done!

@TheSidrawoman

13w

I would add just another one: Natalie Wood - Splendour in the grass! The bath scene… amazing!

@SS_DT

52w↑978

I will never understand why people disliked her in this role. She was beyond perfect.

@moozie996

47w↑102

They mad because she was at peak of her career and wanted the actress has stronger voice lmao this is not musical theater this musical movie ofc they gonna cast actress that talented enough to potray those emotion not just with big voice LOL

@SS_DT

46w↑23

@Moozie exactly! It's a different type of performance.

@jbeu5562

30w↑12

The one dislike is the avid theater geek, who wants singing over acting, i find it funny, since singing is expression. I choose emotion than just belting, yeah great you can belt, but does it make people feel the emotion of the song, the story behind it. I love theater too but if u can emote the song with feeling than just belting i salute you.

@GREYHEAD1000

30w

She hasn’t paid her acting dues, we can all play this roll, but what has she actually done,
Sorry if i spelt dues wrong. No sorry, she’s miss plaiced

@tdamtoft

30w

Pedantic I know - there is no beyond perfect, and she is.

11 More Replies...

@xniks101x

1y↑3.6K

The broadway version of “singing well and ignore the acting” doesn’t compare to the heartbreak Hathaway conveys in this… you really feel the character’s circumstances in this version. While it might not be the best vocally, it’s the most raw. Brava.

@j.7881

1y↑118

I prefer this version to the belting harpies on Broadway hands down🙌

@cerebrophage7709

1y↑125

This is because we are able to see micro-expressions, subtle body cues that broadway doesn't give us.

@hellterminator

1y↑29

And I hate it. If I wanted to see a drama, I'd watch a drama. But I'm not watching a drama, I'm watching a musical, which means that first and foremost I want good music and singing.

@lovelessdinosaur6650

1y↑145

@hellterminator then go to broadway. Who watches "movie musical" and then expect a carbon copy of the broadway musical?

@hellterminator

1y↑17

@Loveless Dinosaur Who watches a musical and doesn't care about the music? Go watch a drama instead.
On a constructive note, there's a way to combine the two, you know. You can keep the Broadway singing and add the much superior sets and costumes of movies. And even the better acting, to the extent where it doesn't interfere with the music.
This has been done many times. The Sound of Music, Marry Poppins, Grease, West Side Story, Phantom of the Opera, Fiddler on the Roof,…
It's a shame they chose to ruin Les Mis.

51 More Replies...

@lozebel

43w↑1K

Whilst training as a professional vocalist I had many teachers. All of them said the same thing: you can sing through anything...sore throat, pain - anything except for crying. Crying swells the throat and limits your vocal range to the point of damage if you continue. This scene gave me so much respect for Anne Hathaway. Her acting is incredible, her singing equally so. The despair in her eyes is heart-wrenching. Im no expert on acting, but this was something else. The genius to it is her breathing. Every breath, every emphasis on each phrase is carefully timed so that her sobs don't interfere with her vocal. She was really going for it emotionally and this must have been incredibly controlled for her, or just a natural talent at switching from sob to vocal. This was filmed live in one take. I thought the film overall was rubbish, miscast and don't even get me started on Russell Crowe. But this scene is PERFECTION.

@benjaminraymond7866

39w↑6

I love this movie

@PinkyToe

32w↑10

@@benjaminraymond7866The whole point of Les ,Miserables is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved. He is God. ✝️🙏🩷

@nathansmith7335

29w↑2

She isn’t really crying

@Geordie-hs7kt

28w↑5

Anyone can sing a song you can hear the magic comes when the singer sings a song another person can feel.....😢

@wiwlm

27w↑4

Aaaah please don't even mention Russell Crowe, god how he butchered Stars it's unthinkable, I heard his version first and I though what a boring filler song and then I saw Phillip Quast's version... I had no idea how beautiful this song could be.

13 More Replies...

@edwardduda4222

1y↑547

I’ve heard many versions of this song and Anne Hathaway is the only one who is able to express the melancholy and despair of the character. Truly phenomenal

@manuelvillacarillojr6404

1y↑10

Ik, Lea Salonga's version punches me in the gut while Anne's with the added godly visual was more of a punch with brass knuckles to me.

@tahirihhanson

43w

To all the Anne Hath a Ways who have been bought and paid for to say good things for her, come on. Really people? Russel Crowe was made fun of but Anne Hathaway was praised? No one in Hollywood has any taste, class or morals. Les Mis the movie ~would~ have been great if Anne Hathaway wouldn't have weasled and wedged her talentless self in it. Shame on Hollywood's gristmill of talentless hacks like her. Just a shame when hundreds if not thousands of better actresses and songbirds are overlooked due to Hollywood's graft and tastelessness. Shame on your lazy status quo.

@jimbo_1312

34w↑1

For the longest time, Ruthy Henshall was my favourite version she really is rather incredible.... but Anne's performance hits differently.

@mpicc4808

33w↑4

Susan Boyle

@djbenje4019

29w

Actually, the problem I have with this performance is that there are tears rolling down here cheek THE WHOLE ENTIRE SONG. The best way to sing this song 'with genuine emotion and feeling' is to start-off on a light and reflective note with glimmers of fond/happy memories, and to intensify the sadness as the song/lyrics progress. There's just no need to be so melancholy and distraught THE ENTIRE SONG. And then VISUALLY, this thing was a mess. Never seen Anne Hathaway look so unattractive and unappealing in my entire life -- for the entire song. Nothing 'perfect' about this performance.

4 More Replies...

@johntedesco9834

3y↑8K

The fact she can sing this perfect while she's having a breakdown is truthfully amazing talent

@SinhaUrvashi

3y↑58

Is she is singing for real?

@leeanndiamond8218

3y↑438

@U Sinha Yes, all the singing in the movie was sang while filming took place. No prerecorded vocals but all live.

@thirdeerino27

3y↑4

No.. its not her....its recorded by different Singer

@matthewrammig

3y↑94

It’s because she’s having the breakdown that she’s able to sing it so phenomenally.

@morgensternn

3y↑134

if you look at her throat you can see that it's moving (in that specific way it does when people sing, you know what I mean) so she was singing live. You can also search videos of Annie singing, she's very good

42 More Replies...

@dianajames4717

1y↑584

This is one of the best sung versions of this song.This actress really put her heart and soul into it.

@tahirihhanson

43w↑2

@AyDotHam

25w↑1

@@tahirihhanson???

@harmvzon

25w↑1

@@tahirihhansonwow very good reasoning

@gca3956

42w↑156

The emotions in her eyes... it was absolutely painful and breathtaking. I remember watching this is the cinema and felt tears rolling down my cheeks. The way her eyes changed towards the end of the song was so crazy good. I never really understood this song until I watched her version. Absolutely fantastic acting!

@musingsofamomma621

2y↑791

the blank expression on her face at the end, then suddenly checking her surroundings as if going back to her reality that life must continue. just wow.

@tahirihhanson

43w

Just no. You are stupid.

@JMPCHI76

35w↑75

For anyone who has ever had regrets, have felt depressed, helpless, and hopeless... Anne perfectly conveys every emotion flawlessly with this beautiful and moving performance. A well deserved Oscar.

@karinelees

1y↑231

The raw emotion - I fight back the tears every time I hear this. She is flawless.

@michele6126

1y↑5

We just introduced our 20yr boy to Les Mis with this clip. We think we saw him shudder. Welcome to Broadway, musicals and A-list actors that can sing and pierce your heart with this type of talent.

@tahirihhanson

43w

You are either stupid, deaf or addicted to meth.

@natallison6823

4y↑15.1K

What makes me give Anne full respect is that she did this whole scene in one take. All this emotion, that wonderful singing, one take. Such a great actress!

@CharlieAUS

4y↑255

Nat Allison She did it in one take 20 times in a row and they used the fourth one she did

@PhillipUtterback

4y↑611

@Charlie so they filmed it multiple times but only used one of the takes instead of editing them together? So she did it in one take.

@CharlieAUS

4y↑46

Phillip Utterback Yes that’s what I said

@midnightlibraryy

4y↑6

Nat Allison probs the greatest💕

@63Calypso

4y↑6

Absolutely adorable 💋

41 More Replies...

@bobearly3653

1y↑15

This isn't a flawless practiced presentation of art. This is a crushed face of hopelessness from a battered human being. That is the art.

@StarriannaIsa

1y↑56

More than 10 years on and I still can't hear this version without sobbing. I swear I have had this exact mental breakdown. And she depicts all of those feelings within that so perfectly.

@sam89671

42w↑2

That’s why I love this so much, is not just singing good from other videos, yes they are beautiful, but this is real , this why I feel so much , I been like this a lot of my life but i can’t sing , just here and said thank you to miss Anne

@theburninator3202

2y↑911

Les Mis is my favorite book and musical. I HATED the casting of Hathaway. All my friends heard me say that it was ridiculous to "cast an actress who can sing instead of finding a singer who could act because acting is so much easier than singing."
When I first watched this scene in theaters. I had tears in my eyes and could not remove them from her face. I turned to my wife, sighed, and said, "Well, I guess I was wrong, maybe acting was what this scene needed."
I LOVE this version, still moves me to this day.

@rg1809

1y↑41

@Stephyfra 12 pretty amazing isn't it, the number of people here who simply don't get how truly incredible this performance is, all caught up on the lack of strength of her voice. The character is so emotionally wrecked she can hardly breath...let alone sing. Just an amazing performance.

@taeqxc898

1y↑37

But Anne Hathaway is really good at both acting and singing she's literally a theater kid

@victorianromantic

1y↑17

Acting is in no way easier than singing

@prym7588

1y↑11

The negativity this movie had during its time hurt me because i loved this kind of songs, where the songs are acted and sang as what the emotion has to be. I love watching singers live, as they emote their song, i dont need perfect pitch.

@allison2732

1y↑4

Love your comment

3 More Replies...

@z.basri_

45w↑44

I hope that Ms.Hathaway was able to watch this after filming and felt impressed with herself and proud of her work because this is the most breathtaking and heartbreaking scene I’ve ever seen. She’s incredible.

@tammycarmen3258

2y↑151

that was the most honest rendition of any song i have ever heard - she wasn't afraid to pour all of her emotions into it. a very deserved Oscar for this talented actress!

@agreedyhobbit7403

3y↑1.4K

“There are dreams that cannot be, and there are storms we cannot weather” gives me chills every time

@kendrageorge8312

3y↑35

every single time I hear "he took my childhood in a stride" I cry like a baby

@joshmoonXY

2y↑3

@Kendra George same. That line gets me too.

@OfficiaLdcslays

14w

@@kendrageorge8312YES

@martinanderski1057

14w

Unglaubliche anrührende Leistung von Anne Hathaway. Mit minimalistischen Stilmitteln, kaum geschnitten, toll gesungen und irre perfomt. Mit jeder Faser nimmt man ihr die Verzweiflung der Figur ab .... Wahnsinn ❤

@kimberlyperkins9400

1y↑91

I have watched this so many times and it makes me cry every time. I saw it on opening day, Christmas, in the theater and I knew she'd get an oscar right then. She did.

@jthomas420

1y↑2

😢

@LACITYBOY

2y↑68

Hands down. One of the most riveting and profound performances in the history of film with all due respect to all great actors who have graced the screen, I would put this performance up against any other single performance in cinematic history.

@Pearlem

2y↑1

Go watch more movies. She was great but not one of the best either

@Roogs

1y↑212

There are no words. An Oscar worthy performance.

@assdan27

37w↑21

This is the most powerful rendition of this song. I think Lea Salonga gave a more "accurate" performance of this song, but sacrficed the emotion. Anne Hathaway's version of this song always has me on the verge of tears.

@danielyang8573

2y↑3.7K

When she sings "There are dreams that cannot be", and that tear rolls down her cheek as it she hits the word "Be".... Just perfect.

@jv82495

2y↑17

yes

@carlosfarrokh9837

2y↑24

Absolutely beautiful.

@barryberkmanblock

1y↑24

3:21, perfect

@alk672

Except you can't cry when you sing. Which explains why she sounds like crap.

@oscarca9565

1y↑11

perfect timing

11 More Replies...

@TheInkTank

16w↑5

This is incredible. One take, live singing. Such a raw and emotional performance.

@alecross5255

1y↑500

10 years ago, I didn't get it. 10 years later, I get it. There are other versions of this song I prefer to listen to, but this is the version I prefer to watch.

@radekszczepanski8655

You pervert You

@eveningstar1

1y↑11

Exactly!!

@ljalvarez6202

50w↑28

@terrynewman2489

1y↑46

One of the best Oscar Winners ever. A few minutes of absolute genius. More emotion went into this performance than any of the professional singers who have performed this song.

@MusicSkiesAndStars8

49w↑31

3:03 The key change and “Still I dream he’ll…” absolutely make this song. Killer performance by Hathaway too.

@noelicoan8290

4y↑14.6K

@aanon2550

4y↑427

You're right. The songwriting is great and Anne Hathaway is the real deal. In my mind this performance overshadowed everything else in the movie. I have a CD of the original London cast recording and I get the same emotional journey in On My Own, Bring Him Home and others. Unfortunately I don't think Jackman or Crowe or even Samantha Barks got to that level in this movie.

@gener2473

4y↑85

Thanks for this

@madisonslays3436

4y↑174

This comment is beautiful and captures the tone of this song excellently.

@noelicoan8290

4y↑18

@Madison Slays Thank you x

@threalismaradona9899

4y↑18

Damn your are righr

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@huytran7392

42w↑17

For me - a foreigner with no bias (I did not even know what is her name) I listened this and love it, I can feel the pain that character has to faced in the way she sing. What a masterpiece!
Her acting is very great too and I have no doubt about why she got an Oscar for this.

@fh5926

51w↑15

Brilliant performance. You could not give this enough awards. I cannot watch this without tearing up.

If I want to hear a perfect voice, I'll buy a recording. If I want emotional intensity that shakes me to the core, I'll watch and listen to this.

@aponi4938

1y↑10

just a great performance!! How she expresses the despair, pain and anger is just incredible, and pulls me into the abyss that you can literally feel, Fantastic, Love you Anne

@marciafigueiredo7278

14w↑1

Me emociono sempre ao ouvir e ouvir muitas vezes!!! Ela foi incrível, sensacional como atriz. Passou a todos o sentimento e a dor que vivia.👏👏👏👏👏

@michiyo430

1y↑16

Simply, it’s difficult to sing when you are crying……and she managed so well! Amazing!

@ellacoleman4204

3y↑2.6K

This performance goes down in history as one of the most incredible displays of acting and vocal talent in a movie. It is incredible how much emotion can be shown in just a 4 and a half minute clip.

@alexamahone8992

3y↑44

i can’t imagine the emotions she felt when getting into her character. i still don’t understand how anne hathaway was able to do this..maybe i doubted her abilities, but she is literally so amazing there are no words

@njhansen9815

3y↑27

This is the single most amazing display of acting talent I have ever been priviliged to see. Hathaway 's performance was a gift to us all.

@johnread7404

2y↑20

Probably 'the' most authentic version of this song you will find. The thing with film is it is so much more intimate than stage. I went to drama school, and this is fantastic.

@CelesChere9999

2y↑5

It's hauntingly beautiful.

@mr2748

2y↑3

Yes.some people can't show this much feelings in their life time.Shame

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@gildejesus22

48w↑34

It is not about singing this song perfectly. It is about the emotions. Superb!

@max_mittler

1y↑10

unconditionally one of the greatest performances in all of music/film history

@amyrodriguez1303

40w↑14

This song hits different when this is your reality as you look back how you wasted your life and your dreams have come and gone, and you realize you will never see the dreams you worked so hard for. To anyone else out there feeling this, my heart hurts with you.

@richardhunter5710

14w

SPECTACULAR!!! one of the greatest scenes and performances in cinema history!

@georgehunt6381

47w↑5

Stunning, so beautiful and moving. I can not think of any other performance that the actor was so true to his or her part. I was breathless, and fell in love. Easily my favorite acting performance of all time.
I was moved to tears the very first time I saw this and thought to myself, she just won an Oscar.
I bring this up ten years later because I just watched the movie again and the scene brought me to tears...again. Bravo Anna, Bravo

@ehgabika

4y↑3.8K

that part when she says “I had a dream my life would be so different from this hell I’m living” and starts hyperventilating and sobbing...that’s what gets me. it’s like it’s hitting her all over again

@patrickpfister2377

3y↑50

Yes, a kick in the stomach.

@johnkidwell4866

3y↑125

I got physically sick to my stomach watching this scene for the first time. I know it's just acting but she portrays it so well that I don't even know what to feel. She literally portrayed what it felt like to be to totally defeated and then the acceptance of her defeat. A life of getting dirt kicked in your face, of being used, abused, under-valued, spat on, and dehumanized and then final a swan song of 3-4 minutes of saying what you want to God, the world, the cosmos , whoever is listening, and then the final acceptance of total surrender as you die...it's honestly unmatched in cinema so far.

@charlesdavis4400

3y↑9

You nailed it!

@g0nt4

3y↑25

For me is when she sings "But there are dreams that cannot be".

@k.robertrichardson6779

3y↑8

The hyperventilating is what takes me out of the moment. She gives such a raw, truthful performance overall, especially in this particular number, but filling the brief interlude with a burlesque of a panic attack was an amateurish choice that marred her otherwise sublime rendition.

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@isaiahfarris3539

15w↑2

One of my all-time favorite movie scenes. Absolutely amazing.

@stevenhackworth3303

14w

Swear if I would have seen this in theatres when she completed that 2:36-2:46 part I would have been hollering and clapping with NO SHAME.. The roller coaster ride she took us on was epic and I was NOT ready.. Tears flowing and all I wouldn't of cared.

@francesbirkner8078

2y↑22

She felt Every aspect of this role and nailed it with flawless perfection. I ugly cry every time I watch this. This is the Epitome of Fantine.

@themistermax

20w↑4

It seems to me, film acting is so much different from stage. The camera right on top of you, every slight motion and facial feature in sharp focus. What a tremendous thing she did. And reprising her mother's role from her childhood. A dream indeed.

@andrebarros3003

1y↑4

My favorite actress, in sad movies or on happy ones, so versatile and so true to the characters she plays. She really has an outstanding talent.

@VladSicoe

4y↑3.6K

From her hilarious performance in The Princess Diaries, to her emotional performance in Les Miserables, she has grown so much as an actress and an artist.

@LeeLee19901

4y↑22

She's definitely come a long way!

@Brianwright808

4y↑16

Then I watched her on Lip Sync Battle....Legendary status!!

@leefithian3704

4y↑10

Vlad Sicoe even Catwoman was good stuff

@mimiace9361

4y↑13

It wasn't that she have grown it just that she know for movies apart from theatre in fact she is a skill performing musical actress before she made her big break on screen in hollywood

@pinang1

3y↑6

if you haven't seen that coming after Princes Diaries you probably should refrain from giving your opinion about acting

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@sha8photo

31w↑15

The most honest, real, heartbreaking rendition of this song. Any broadway performance of this is empty to me now.

@FronkieTheSaltyRat

15w↑1

I remember this absolutely ripping me apart in theaters. I feel so much heartbreak for the younger version of myself that related so much to this scene, but also so much pride that I was able to overcome my situation and pursue a better life. 💔❤️‍🩹 Thanks Anne Hathaway

@klow12370

13w

@2:53 is the highlight. She transitioned from dreaming, longing, anger and despair in 6 seconds. My God!!! Very masterfully done!

@grethe1956

1y↑3

What a remarkable performance. The fact that she can control her singing voice whilst displaying such heartbreaking emotion is truly amazing.

@gonzalomunoz7324

2y↑18

I just can't. This performance overwhelms me to the point I'm frozen and I could write 100 pages about it at the same time. So much raw emotion poured into so little screentime. The obscene amount of talent required to make it just imperfect enough to be devastatingly real, hitting the highest notes at the same time she's actually crying, and doing the whole thing in a single shot? Those broken words, the whispers... everything. I refuse to believe there wasn't someone crying their eyes out in the set when this happened. It just pushes all the buttons at the same time. I respect this woman as one of the greatest actresses of all time, if only because of this single song.

@rhoumelarado3520

3y↑2.5K

The most convincing portrayal. The eyes were just extremely expressive. I can feel the pain, the longing, the regret. Anne is just truly amazing.

@jkadas2500

2y↑5

Beautiful, perfect performanceZ,

@cosettefauchelevent5495

2y↑5

She was the Fantine herself indeed... It's been almost 10 years but still impressive.

@oldmanriver1955

1y↑5

Pain. Waste. Beautiful. Exquisite. Meaningful. Heartfelt regret. Masterful and believable. Gives the song its meaning.

@VV-ks6cw

34w↑3

Its not always about just the singing, but the acting. Many people may not like this version, but I do. I can feel the words not just by song, but by more then just that.

@petergroefke4639

39w↑3

There is hardly a song that expresses the pain of devoted love more powerfully than this song. Sung in an impressive way by Anne Hathaway. The song combined with Anne's pain-distorted facial expressions results in a song of pain, sorrow and at the same time devotion to life, which does not always give us what we hope for. Every person should always remain hopeful, even if the current signs are not rosy but gloomy. Rain is always followed by sunshine. Please always believe in life and love.

@mdkushida

2y↑12

The envy of the people in show biz made Anne disengage from fame after her continuous and tremendous demonstrations of talent. Such is the world for women. Love her!

@maryannramelcarlos1069

1y↑5

Non broadway and musical fans cant really appreciate how tremendous Anne's performance in this film. So tragic 🥺 one of her best performance for me. 🎉

@g7eit

2y↑5

I can’t watch this particular scene without getting emotional. A performance that deserves such a response every time. Simply amazing.

@jacksamuel416

3y↑7.9K

For those that aren’t actors, you’ll never truly understand how badly scenes like these can mess you up. You become the character and take their burdens, this is raw. Well and truly worthy of an Oscar.

@MrAlexOrex

3y↑226

Good actor can live the life of the character.
Good director can choose the actor that can live the role.

@catholicdad

3y↑62

Yeah, try being a pipefitters or a soldier. Jeeeeuuuuuusssst a teenie bit harder than acting.

@clownemoji5395

3y↑188

@catholicdad nobody said it isn't lmao.

@jasonyntig717

3y↑99

@catholicdad woah troll, we said actors related to arts and you’re here showing that. Oh honey, live life.

@catholicdad

3y↑19

@Jason Yntig lovin' life baby! Most things are harder than acting--jes keepin' it real.

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@Steverita132

1y↑3

To sign this song at this level while acting so convincingly is probably my favorite acting scene and favorite rendition of this song, absolute genius Anne Hathaway.

@essttelee

1y↑1

@jonathanlopez5624

2y↑12

Even before the tears, as she tries to hold back those tears from falling, its the facial expressions she puts out. You wouldn't think she was acting, rather you would think she was really hurting deep inside. She really got into character and played the role perfectly!! Song is beautiful and the story it tells is a sad one but Anne did so well and nailed it!!

@kristenroberts4502

15w

The way she plays this scene is so effective and so devastating

@KawaiiPockyEater

2y↑4.1K

I never fail to breakdown at the line “He took my childhood in his stride” it always hits me so hard…

@Ryan_The_Thing

2y↑21

SAAAME

@AlexiaM

2y↑6

Me too

@spidey3471

2y↑102

And it’s a line so many Fantines can relate to with the same frustration that she delivers it in

@joshmoonXY

2y↑46

Same. It's a simple line that portrays a thousand.

@Locateson

2y↑15

A one two gutpunch

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@LemonadeLiberal

34w↑3

Anne's version leaves you bawling. Lea's original leaves you floored. Both are magnificent.

@isabelaprende

13w

Una escena que justifica un Oscar y cualquier premio de interpretación que exista.

@AlizMari23

38w↑2

I already loved Anne because of The Princess Diaries and everything else she'd done prior to this. But when I saw this with my mom in theaters, we were both crying. This is one of the very few times that I honestly believed that I was watching a real person and not just a character.

@danielschiller6413

35w↑2

No Matter how many times I watch this is always rips at my heart. She truly nails the emotion the character was feeling.

@Howlingburd19

50w↑2

In terms of showing the audience the harsh roughness Fantine is going through, nobody does it better than Hathaway. I cannot put my foot in the ground and choose a “best rendition”, but this is certainly the most emotional

@dan5072

4y↑29.3K

Just a reminder that Anne Hathaway was in a 3-hour movie for only 30 minutes but she still won Academy’s Best Supporting Actress...

Oh and this was taken in one take.

@CharlieAUS

4y↑1.2K

She sang the song 20 times in a row it was the fourth one they used

@funguy29

4y↑199

Nope there is a cut with a change in camera.

@rafaeljohn4172

4y↑642

@funguy29 what do u think they only use one camera?

@funguy29

4y↑65

Rafael John people like you believe anything they're told

@zweigackroyd7301

4y↑738

@funguy29 Yeah, you're confused. The song was a single take. But as Charlie noted, she performed it multiple times. They did not cut together different takes, though.

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@peterwaterman1458

1y↑2

A beautiful performance from Anne Hathaway , such raw emotion, it brings me to tears every time I see it.

@purplebunnysareevil

1y↑7

This is one of the most memorable beautiful heartbreaking performance I’ve ever seen. Breaks my heart every time I see it

@georgebazan2928

2y↑2

Till this day I watched this clip and gives me the chills. Very powerful performance from Anne Hathaway

@boobo

30w↑2

Maybe her singing is not as good as it should/could have been as some say, but watching her sing makes me cry and get goosebumps all over. Don't think good singers could do this level of acting, so good balance here. No complaints from me.

@VeeJTv-dr2go

39w↑2

It's the best! Even though she doesn't have the voice of an opera singer, but it fits the grief she felt while singing the song. And her voice suits to it. It is so hard to sing while you're grieving yet she pulled it in one take and sang while looking for the right emotion to it.

@GoSaltLakeWeb

4y↑1.3K

One of the greatest performances in acting history imo.

@ouahabyasmin5811

انت على حق

@amandabotterill3461

I totally agree

@donrog5035

Yeah 😧

@juliet.1588

Agree

@JonHareGames

Agreed... brilliant acting.

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@krzysztofcanas3476

23w↑1

zawsze gdy to słucham to mam łzy w duszy

@edtracker47

1y↑3

Absolutely Incredible. The Oscar was well deserved. I fell to pieces

@eyaisdeaf

14w

Her acting skills are absolutely incredible.

@hockeyrules160

37w↑1

Her eyes and soul are elsewhere. She’s in a place actors always try to get. I’ve watched thousands of movies over 50 years and this scene is as close to dissolution of self as I’ve ever seen. Thank you Anne…

@MedievalFolkDance

3y↑1.7K

Single shot. No break. She sang the whole thing like this with zero edits Fully emoted, sung brilliantly, and with an exceptionally noticeable passion. In terms of musical cinema, superb. Absolutely superb. And I'm not a fan of musicals!

@saffronskies333

2y↑9

She nailed it...

@WILTALK

1y↑1

You and others with your perspective are certanly not fans of musicals. As a musical the movie sucked. What do you think a musical is about. It emphasises music. Music is a priority. If the director wanted to emphasie acting he should have just done another none musical version. Ann was actually better vocally than most of the other charaters who were just downright horrible. As I stated before the director over rehearsed them so that their voices were gone before they did the scens on film. Jackman is a far better singer than he showed. It you are going to do a musicla , then do a musical. This movie was an offense to my ears. ------ By the way Solonga was not the best Fontaine. She was the best Eponie. If you want to hear the show as it was meant to be sung listen to the 10th anniversary perfornance. The trick in musicals is to find the line between emotion and vocal quality. It takes a lot of talent to do that.

@MedievalFolkDance

1y↑9

@WILTALK Lol. You actually wrote this. Just let that sink in.

@jdb5961

1y↑3

And it was live singing on set, not an audio recording

@kenthomas4376

1y↑1

@WILTALK How to win a Oscar in three minutes. Let that sink in.

@WCYUM

23w↑2

Is there anything she can’t do?? Wow!! So much talent in one human! ❤

@amycasey2818

32w↑3

She was magnificent. Well-deserved Oscar. Go, Anne!!!

@lilianamarchini5058

34w↑1

Una de las versiones más conmovedoras que he escuchado!! Una actriz gigante con una voz maravillosa que interpretó este personaje como ninguna!! ❤❤❤ Simplemente magnífica!!!

@thischarmingman2990

28w↑2

This actually took my breath away. I’ve never seen the play or movie I just like the song. First heard from Susan Boyle. This was heart wrenching, I would love to see this in play. But this was very very real from Anne. Very beautiful.

@laurenneufeld7107

25w↑1

Anne was amazing. Incredible performance

@RayneBeauRhode

4y↑1.6K

Anne Hathaway deserved this Oscar. No questions asked.

@rickeydean5792

3y↑6

If they had gave it to me I would have given it the person who deserved it Ann Hathaway! Down right moving!!!!

@frogazonbuttonup950

Lora. I love you.

@jemsmay2167

27w↑2

There have been many Fantines, she is the best. By far. She was all in for this part, and it came across beautifully.

@fibersden638

47w↑1

I cried every time in her version. Yes she might not have the best singing voice but thats how she has the best performance.

@suziesparkle2260

2y↑8

This scene is one of the most incredible, emotional, desperately sad, moving scenes in a movie ever, imo. Anne Hathaway made it so. Incredible. I hold my breath and shake until it's over each and every time.

@jonathanklein383

25w↑1

Not only was her acting superb, her singing was as good as any on stage and best in the movie.

@cjanvier1536

2y↑2

This touched me to the core when I first watched it. Not many actors can get to the level of portraying emotion and invoking emotion. Superb.

@briyarose5815

4y↑2K

“There was something selfish about going for the pretty version of it”. - Anne Hathaway.
This version isn’t pretty but it’s raw, moving and incredibly thought provoking. Something that would have been lost by just sitting there and singing.

@maddietillem6778

4y↑67

I completely agree, and honestly, I do think it was pretty. I don't like the crazy vibrato usually used in this song, she nailed it

@icannotchoose

3y↑3

I completely agree...looking at you Sideways

@skoz3342

3y↑1

Exactly my thoughts

@jockyroll3041

3y↑2

There is no pretty version. The world has killed the dream i dreamed this is a sad song

@haileydinger1019

That's why it was pretty, the pain and sorrow she showed transformed it into a gorgeous work of art.

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@florencepi6232

1y↑3

@roberthart6072

48w↑7

How to win an Oscar in three minutes. One take. What a legend

@HavokJD

2y↑2

A perfect marriage of acting and song. Award well deserved.

@DavidLivingston01

34w↑1

This brings me to tears every time I listen/watch it. Anne Hathaway won her Oscar on this strength of this particular scene and song. She might not have sang the song as clean as many others have on Broadway, but she put such emotion into it that it wipes away any impurities in the voice. I wonder what she was thinking about as she filmed this scene.