Anne Hathaway Apologizes To Limb Difference Community After ‘The Witches’ Backlash
Published on November 6, 2020.Warner Bros. Pictures
Anne Hathaway has shared a heartfelt apology to the limb difference community after her recent portrayal of the Grand High Witch in The Witches.
Director Robert Zemeckis reimaged the Roald Dahl book to portray Hathaway and her coven of witches as having three long fingers that they hide under gloves. The original book and the 1990 film, starring Anjelica Huston, portrayed the witches with five fingers and long claws.
After The Witches premiered, activists in the limb difference community created some backlash on the new interpretation explaining how it’s damaging to those with a similar-looking disability.
In an Instagram post on Thursday, Hathaway made an apology alongside a video of children and adults with limb differences giving powerful statements about their disability. “I have recently learned that many people with limb differences, especially children, are in pain because of the portrayal of the Grand High Witch in The Witches,” she began.
“Let me begin by saying I do my best to be sensitive to the feelings and experiences of others not out of some scrambling PC fear, but because not hurting others seems like a basic level of decency we should all be striving for. As someone who really believes in inclusivity and really, really detests cruelty, I owe you all an apology for the pain caused. I am sorry. I did not connect limb difference with the GHW when the look of the character was brought to me; if I had, I assure you this never would have happened.”
She continued, “I particularly want to say I’m sorry to kids with limb differences: now that I know better I promise I’ll do better. And I owe a special apology to everyone who loves you as fiercely as I love my own kids: I’m sorry I let your family down.”
Hathaway also urged her followers to learn more about the Lucky Fin Project and follow the hashtag #NotAWitch, where many in the community are uploading pictures of their limb difference.
Check out Anne Hathaway’s full apology below: