Will Anne Hathaway Be The Biggest Star On TV?

It seems like Anne Hathaway is always starring in yet another movie. (Or, in some cases, she's just the subject of joke in Trainwreck , which, by the way, she found funny.) However, television remains a largely uncharted territory for the actress — until now. Hathaway is set to star in a TV series based on The Ambassador's Wife. The show, which will have a limited run, shares the same title as Jennifer Steil's novel.

“ The Ambassador’s Wife is an incredible story that pulls you in immediately and resonates with all of us based on the images and news headlines that are pervasive in our lives today,” producer Mark Gordon in a statement (via the Wrap). “We are so fortunate to have Anne starring in this timely, gripping, and compassionate drama. She is in a league all her own and we cannot think of anyone who can better portray Steil’s complex heroine.”

When Gordon notes that Hathaway "is in a league all her own," he's not kidding. She won a Best Actress Oscar in 2013 and has another Academy Award nomination to her name. Additionally, she already scored an Emmy for her voiceover work in The Simpsons. As Vulture notes, Hathaway is arguably "the largest current movie star ever to do TV."

The shift in television has been noted for quite some time. Shows like Mad Men and Breaking Bad raised the bar for cable shows, drawing more attention to the types of once-in-a-lifetime roles available on TV. Additionally, not only did True Detective add range to Matthew McConaughey's resume as he was awarded rave reviews for his Oscar-winning role in Dallas Buyers Club, but his performance helped draw heavyweights to the show's second season.

Hathaway is still one of the most in-demand actresses of the moment. The series certainly isn't a means for her to step out of a spotlight or continue to work. Rather, it's giving her the space to diversify where perhaps film cannot. Does this signal a turning point where television has superseded movies?

It's hard to tell, especially when Hollywood's two arguably biggest stars — Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt — just signed on to do a movie together. However, Hathaway's Oscar-winner status brings a certain clout that is rarely seen in TV series. Another notable star in a series is How to Get Away with Murder's two-time Oscar nominee Viola Davis. If we're to count Netflix, it's worth noting that the leads in Grace and Frankie have a collective nine Oscar nominations.

It remains to be seen just how much of an impact Hathaway's TV role will make. It does solidify one claim: Television is only continuing to grow and provide higher and higher quality content. It may never supersede the prestige of films, but it certainly gives another platform on which to tell incredible stories.

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