Anne Hathaway found herself at the centre of renewed online discussion after footage circulated showing her apparently being handed a copy of the Quran by a fan at the London premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2 — an encounter that went viral days after her use of an Arabic phrase in an interview had already divided opinion on social media.
The brief exchange, captured on video and shared widely across X and other platforms, showed the Oscar-winning actress accepting the religious text from an individual in the crowd while they appeared to speak to her. The clip spread rapidly, drawing both criticism and amusement from viewers who connected it directly to comments Hathaway had made in a recent interview with People Magazine.
During that interview, the actress had used the expression “Inshallah” — an Arabic phrase meaning “God willing” — while discussing her hopes for the future. “I want to have a long, healthy life, Inshallah. I hope so,” she said. The remark prompted a wave of reactions online, ranging from curiosity and goodwill to pointed criticism, with some questioning whether she understood the religious and cultural weight of the phrase, and others dismissing the controversy as overblown given how commonly the expression is used in everyday speech across the Arab world and far beyond.
The premiere footage only added fuel to an already active debate. “She said one word in an interview and someone showed up with a whole Quran at the premiere. People move fast,” one user on X observed. Others were more critical, with one commenter writing: “She has no idea how many women have been subjugated throughout the world in the name of Islam and the Quran.” Another noted pointedly: “Would have to be London where someone gifts a Quran.” Not everyone saw the moment negatively — “That’s a wholesome moment,” one user wrote, while another described it as “a wonderful gift,” though they questioned whether Hathaway was the right recipient.
The Quran episode arrives alongside a separate and entirely unrelated religious controversy surrounding Hathaway’s other recent project. Her new A24 psychological thriller Mother Mary, directed by David Lowery and released in limited cinemas in mid-April 2026, has drawn significant backlash from Catholic and Christian viewers who have accused the film of blasphemy and mocking the Virgin Mary. The film stars Hathaway as a fictional pop star who goes by the stage name “Mother Mary,” and promotional imagery featuring Marian symbolism — including a crown of rays traditionally associated with depictions of the Virgin Mary — paired with a revealing pop-star aesthetic has drawn accusations of sacrilege from religious communities.
The studio and filmmakers have maintained that the film is a fictional psychological drama about a pop star in personal crisis and bears no intended connection to the biblical Virgin Mary. That clarification has done little to quiet the criticism on social media, where Catholic accounts and religious groups have accused Hollywood of applying a double standard when it comes to religious sensitivity. The controversy has spread to review platforms, with IMDb scores falling to between 3.6 and 4.2 out of 10 in the film’s early release period, driven largely by one-star reviews citing offence to Christianity — many posted before the film had received a wide release.
A further dimension to the row involves a real-life electropop duo called MOTHERMARY, former Mormon artists from Montana, who publicly questioned similarities between their name and branding and those used in the film, and were reported to be considering legal action.
Hathaway, who grew up in a Roman Catholic household before her family later converted to the Episcopal Church, has previously described her personal beliefs as a “work in progress.” Her family is reported to have distanced itself from the Catholic Church after her brother came out as gay, citing disagreement with the Church’s stance on homosexuality.
