Anne Hathaway on grief, parenthood and calm ahead of third child
Synopsis
Anne Hathaway's appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show was more than a pregnancy reveal — it was a rare, unguarded look at how grief, anxiety, and the weight of parenthood have reshaped her. Her message: self-compassion isn't optional when you're the person a child is learning everything from.
Key Takeaways
Anne Hathaway appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show , opening up about grief, anxiety, and parenthood ahead of her third child .
She and husband Adam Shulman have 'weathered several seasons of very real grief together,' which she says has bonded rather than broken them.
Hathaway described anxiety as still present but said she now connects to 'a larger arc full of love and wonder.' She reflected that first-time parents often judge themselves harshly, and that modelling self-compassion is essential for children.
Her key takeaway: she now has 'a lot more calm, a lot more grace, and a lot more perspective' than in earlier years.
Hollywood actress Anne Hathaway has opened up about her personal journey through grief, anxiety, and the evolving lessons of parenthood, saying she has cultivated far more calm, grace, and perspective with time. The candid conversation came during her appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, where Hathaway also revealed she is preparing to welcome her third child.
On Grief and Growing Together as a Couple
A video of the chat, shared on the show's Instagram handle, captured Hathaway reflecting on the emotional seasons she and her husband Adam Shulman have navigated together. 'There's highs and lows to life, as we all know, and one of the things that's really hard to get through is grief,' she said. 'And Adam and I have now weathered several seasons of very real grief together, and that either breaks you or it bonds you.'
She described how the couple has learned to find lightness even in hardship. 'We've discovered how to laugh as a couple through just about anything, and then real heartbreak,' Hathaway added, noting that the experience has sharpened her resolve to invest only in what is genuinely meaningful.
Anxiety, Perspective, and Staying Grounded
The Princess Diaries and Les Misérables star acknowledged that anxiety still surfaces, but described a broader shift in how she relates to it. 'Sometimes it happens, and the anxiety nips at your heels and all of those things,' she said. 'But I just think that there's a larger arc going on that's full of love and wonder, and I just try to stay connected to that — and that's not something I knew how to do.'
Her remarks carry weight at a moment when public conversations around maternal mental health and celebrity vulnerability have grown significantly. Hathaway's willingness to speak frankly about anxiety and grief reflects a wider cultural shift in how high-profile figures engage with these topics.
What Parenthood Has Taught Her About Self-Compassion
Hathaway recalled navigating what she described as 'choppy water' during her first pregnancy, when self-judgment ran high. 'The first time you do something, it's so hard not to judge yourself. And you have nothing to base it on except that feeling inside of you that you should or could be doing better,' she said.
With experience, she said, came a crucial realisation: that children absorb lessons in self-regard from their parents. 'This human that has been entrusted to you is learning everything from you,' Hathaway reflected. 'So if you don't want them to suffer from that feeling of being really hard on themselves, you want to teach them grace with themselves — well, you better start with you.'
Preparing to Welcome Her Third Child
The actress, who already has two sons with Shulman, is reportedly expecting her third child. The Drew Barrymore Show appearance marks one of her more personal public conversations in recent memory, offering a glimpse into the emotional and psychological evolution she has experienced across pregnancies and years of private challenges.
She summed up her current outlook with characteristic directness: 'What I have a whole lot more of is I have a lot more calm, a lot more grace, and a lot more perspective.' As Hathaway prepares for a new chapter, her words are likely to resonate with parents and audiences navigating their own seasons of uncertainty.
Point of View
No project, just a frank account of grief and self-reckoning. What is quietly notable is her framing of parental self-compassion not as self-care rhetoric but as a direct pedagogical responsibility to one's children. In a media landscape where celebrity mental-health conversations can tip into performance, this reads as unusually grounded. Whether it translates into broader audience conversation around maternal anxiety will depend on how much of the original interview surfaces beyond the Instagram clip.
NationPress
3 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Anne Hathaway say on The Drew Barrymore Show?
Anne Hathaway spoke about navigating grief alongside her husband Adam Shulman, managing anxiety, and the lessons parenthood has taught her about self-compassion. She said she now approaches life with more calm, grace, and perspective than during her earlier pregnancies.
Is Anne Hathaway expecting a third child?
Yes, according to the caption on the show's Instagram post sharing the interview clip, Hathaway is preparing to welcome her third child. She already has two sons with her husband Adam Shulman.
What did Anne Hathaway say about grief and her marriage?
Hathaway said she and Adam Shulman have 'weathered several seasons of very real grief together,' and that shared hardship 'either breaks you or it bonds you.' She said the experience taught them to laugh as a couple through difficult times.
How has Anne Hathaway's outlook on parenthood changed over time?
Hathaway said her first pregnancy was marked by self-judgment and uncertainty, describing it as navigating 'choppy water.' With experience, she came to understand that modelling grace and self-compassion for herself was essential because her children learn everything by watching her.
Where was Anne Hathaway's interview aired?
The interview took place on The Drew Barrymore Show. A video excerpt was shared on the show's official Instagram handle, where it garnered attention for Hathaway's candid remarks about grief, anxiety, and impending motherhood for the third time.
