Anne Hathaway Trying ‘to Rise Above’ Latest Criticism, Worked Hard ‘to Move Past’ Career Low Point

Glamorous Anne Hathaway should be basking in the box office success of The Devil Wears Prada 2 — but instead she’s reeling after being hit by a new wave of Hathahate as critics are labeling her a secret mean girl, sources say.

“Anne has worked incredibly hard to move past that horrible period where she became the internet’s favorite punching bag,” an insider says, referring to Hathaway’s panned Oscar night cohosting gig in 2011 and her widely mocked Best Actress acceptance speech at the 2013 Academy Awards. “For a long time, she genuinely felt she’d turned a corner, which is why this latest wave of criticism has been so upsetting.”

According to insiders, some fans got ticked off by Anne, 43, posing at the recent Met Gala with Gossip Girl alum Blake Lively, who returned to the event for the first time in three years, photos posted by multiple outlets, including Reality Tea, showed.

Blake, 38, walked the red carpet hours after settling her civil lawsuit against It Ends With Us costar Justin Baldoni, who she’d accused of sexual harassment. Justin, 42, denied Blake’s allegations and the court had already dismissed that claim, but the pair released a statement acknowledging her concerns “deserved to be heard.”

Yet some celebrity watchers took issue with Blake’s battle and believe she may be a bully — and they’re now painting Anne with the same brush. The insider says of Anne: “This should be one of the happiest moments of her career. There’s huge excitement around Devil Wears Prada 2, but instead she feels like the negativity is creeping back in all over again and taking some of the shine off it.

“Anne will never forget how brutal things got years ago when people suddenly decided she was fake, so seeing people online pick apart photos of her with Blake Lively at the Met Gala and accusing them both of giving off ‘mean girl energy’ has definitely sent her into a panic.”

“The thought of having to go through that all over again is terrifying. She’s trying her best to rise above it and not let it ruin this happy time, but that’s much easier said than done because she’s very sensitive — and for good reason.”