Anne Hathaway Wants to Give Her Sons the Chance to “Define Their Own Lives” Outside of the Spotlight

Anne Hathaway is getting candid about her decision to keep her sons, whom she shares with husband Adam Shulman, out of the spotlight. In a new interview with NET-A-PORTER’s digital publication, PORTER, the actress opened up about the separation between her professional and personal life while explaining why she’ll always put her family’s needs in front of her career.

“It’s something I feel is not just essential for my health – I’m on a team, it’s my family, and it’s not just about me,” she said of the separation. “My family has needs, and one of the needs of children is that they need to be able to define their own lives.”

Hathaway and Shulman tied the knot in Sept. 2012 before welcoming their sons Jonathon, 7, and Jack, 3, in 2016 and 2020, respectively.

“It doesn’t even occur to me to link the two up, except through gratitude that they serve each other so beautifully,” the actress explained of the two areas of her life. “But they serve each other through me, and not through a space that’s outside of myself.”

Anne’s comments come just months after she opened up about motherhood yet again when speaking about the pressures she felt to “snap back” after pregnancy. 

“People don't talk about this and it really made me feel better when I found out about it," Hathaway told People back in Sept. "It takes three years for your body to fully recover from a pregnancy. ​​I didn't snap back. I want to very, very clear about that. With my second, it took every minute of those three years. And it's cool. Let your body be a body.”

She added, “There's nowhere to get to. It's just now. Just be present and take care of yourself and don't set expectations.”