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Anne Hathaway made her cinematic debut as Mia Thermopolis, a curly-haired teenager living in a fire station who unexpectedly discovered her royal roots. The Princess Diaries marked Hathaway’s first film role, but the movie also boasted other remarkable elements. Director Garry Marshall secured the legendary Julie Andrews, who came out of semi-retirement to portray Mia’s grandmother, the queen of the fictional kingdom of Genovia. The cast also included a hidden Coppola and a real-life politician. Discover more about Marshall’s casting decisions and his subtle nods to Pretty Woman below.
1. ANNE HATHAWAY SECURED THE ROLE BY TUMBLING FROM HER SEAT.
Anne Hathaway, then 18, won her first movie role in an unforgettable way—by literally falling out of her chair. Her nervousness during the audition led to an accidental slip, which charmed Garry Marshall instantly. Impressed by her genuine clumsiness, Marshall chose her to play the endearingly awkward Mia without hesitation.
2. GARRY MARSHALL ADORED JULIE ANDREWS.
While Marshall was willing to cast a newcomer for Mia, he had only one choice for Queen Clarisse Renaldi: Dame Julie Andrews. He famously stated, “She’s incredibly talented, and I’m a huge fan of hers,” in an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “I watched her perform in My Fair Lady on Broadway 11 times, and she captivated me. I thought, ‘This girl is exceptional.’ Now, I’m thrilled to collaborate with her!”
3. THE MOVIE WAS SHOT ON THE SAME STAGE AS MARY POPPINS.
Andrews revisited a meaningful location during the filming of The Princess Diaries. The movie was shot on Stage 2 at Walt Disney Studios, the very stage where Mary Poppins, the film that launched her career, was made. “It’s karma,” Andrews remarked in an interview. “Seeing the plaque on the door that read ‘Mary Poppins was filmed here’ filled me with nostalgia.” In 2001, the stage was renamed “Julie Andrews Stage 2” in her honor.
4. THE MOVIE WAS INITIALLY TITLED
THE PRINCESS OF TRIBECA.
The movie’s initial title paid homage to its source material. In Megan Cabot’s The Princess Diaries book series, Mia and her mother reside in Manhattan. This setting was originally intended for the film as well, leading to the title The Princess of Tribeca. However, the location was later switched to San Francisco during production, necessitating a title change.
5. THE MOVIE FEATURED A FAMILY-HEAVY CAST.
For Garry Marshall, The Princess Diaries became a family project. His daughter Kathleen portrayed Queen Clarisse’s assistant, Charlotte Kutaway; his wife Barbara took on the role of Lady Jerome; and his granddaughters Lily and Charlotte appeared as the two girls requesting Mia’s autograph. Marshall wasn’t alone in involving family—his close friend Hector Elizondo, who starred in all of Marshall’s films, secured a small role for his granddaughter Juliet as Marissa Motaz, the Genovian prime minister’s daughter.
6. JULIE ANDREWS AND HECTOR ELIZONDO PLOTTED TO TURN THEIR CHARACTERS INTO A ROMANTIC PAIR.
In The Princess Diaries, Queen Clarisse, a widow, finds love with her chauffeur, Joe—a development sparked by the natural chemistry between Andrews and Elizondo. “In the script, he was just a limo driver,” Elizondo shared with SFGate. “But we gradually developed this new dynamic. It started during rehearsals: Julie and I looked at each other and thought, ‘Hmm, you’re charming.’ We genuinely enjoyed working together.”
7. ROBERT SCHWARTZMAN’S REAL BAND PERFORMED IN THE MOVIE.
Michael Moscovitz, Mia’s love interest, is part of a fictional band named Flypaper. Interestingly, Robert Schwartzman, the actor portraying Michael, fronts a real band called Rooney. Their song “Blueside” is featured in the film, and Schwartzman performs it during a Flypaper practice scene alongside his actual bandmate, Ned Brower.
8. HE COMES FROM A HOLLYWOOD LEGACY.
Though Schwartzman has acted in only a few films, his family is deeply rooted in Hollywood. His brother Jason is known for his roles in Wes Anderson’s movies, while his mother is Talia Shire. His uncle is the iconic director Francis Ford Coppola, and his cousins include Sofia Coppola and Nicolas Cage. This family connection explains his appearances in Sofia’s early works, Lick the Star and The Virgin Suicides.
9. THE MOVIE HAS A LINK TO PRETTY WOMAN.
Marshall’s Pretty Woman shares several similarities with The Princess Diaries. Both films feature a Pygmalion-style transformation and include actors like Hector Elizondo and Patrick Richwood. They also share an identical joke: In The Princess Diaries, Mia shatters a glass at a formal dinner, prompting a waiter to comfort her by saying, “It happens all the time.” Similarly, in Pretty Woman, Vivian causes a scene by accidentally launching an escargot across the room, only for a waiter to catch it and reassure her with the same line. Interestingly, both waiters were portrayed by the same actor, Allan Kent.
10. SAN FRANCISCO’S MAYOR MADE A CAMEO.
Willie Brown, San Francisco’s mayor from 1996 to 2004, appeared as himself during the Genovian Independence Day ball scene. He even delivered a memorable line when a reporter asked if it would rain, replying, “It never comes down on Willie Brown.”
11. WHITNEY HOUSTON SERVED AS A PRODUCER.
Whitney Houston was one of the four producers credited for the film. She also returned to produce its sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. Keep an eye out for her cameo in the B-roll footage at the end of the movie.
12. THE MOVIE ALMOST LIMITED HATHAWAY’S FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES.
During the promotion of 2015’s The Intern, Hathaway revealed that The Princess Diaries made it difficult for her to be considered for serious roles. “It was an amazing first job and a huge success,” she shared with The Huffington Post. “But it was tough to convince directors like Robert Rodriguez that I could handle more complex roles. I struggled to be seen as more than just a princess.” This perception nearly cost her a role in Becoming Jane. Director Julian Jarrold initially refused to meet her, and her first audition failed to impress him. However, she turned things around in her second audition by arriving exhausted, which helped her break free from her princess image.
“I was exhausted and not in the best mood,” she told the Los Angeles Times. “I think Julian realized I wasn’t the cheerful, carefree girl from The Princess Diaries. That’s when he offered me the role.”
