In 2005, Anne Hathaway featured in a movie that definitely wasn’t within her usual wholesome family-comedy genre. Her character in Havoc was wealthy teen Allison Lang. The scene in question had Hathaway rapping 2Pac’s hit ‘How Do U Want It’, using the N-word.
The clip has been doing the rounds on social media since late September, as Ice Cube’s son O’Shea Jackson Jr. shared the video with the caption “…..what’s wrong with me”. The attention comes in the same week Hathaway’s new thriller Verity opened in US theaters on October 2, taking in $32.6 million in its first weekend.
How the Internet Is Reacting to Anne Hathaway’s Havoc N-Word Scene
Worldstar Hip Hop’s Facebook post about the situation racked up hundreds of comments, including:
One commenter defended her, saying the 2000s were just a different time.
Another joked that the clip made them want to pour one out with Anne.
A third said they had been wondering when the clip would surface.
A fourth wrote, “Leave her alone she not saying it in a derogatory way.”
Why Do Some Celebrities Get a Pass While Others Get Cancelled?
This situation raises an age-old question: why do some celebrities get a pass while others get cancelled for using the same word? Who could forget about what happened with Michael Richards, Paula Deen, and even the late Hulk Hogan? Hogan was dropped by WWE in 2015 and reinstated in 2018.
Timing, fame, public apologies and who is doing the talking all seem to matter.
Was Anne Hathaway’s Havoc Scene Scripted? The Context Behind the Controversy
Hathaway defenders point out that this was a scripted scene in a film about privileged outsiders appropriating a culture. Her character was meant to be cringeworthy and out of touch.
Many commenters are also saying that the 2000s were simply a different time and that people these days are too sensitive.
Critics counter that the word lands the same way no matter who writes the script, and that the film drew criticism over its handling of race at the time of its release, not just in retrospect (Havoc holds a 45% Tomatometer score from 11 reviews and a 36% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes).
The Washington Post, for one, found its take on race and class too simplistic in 2005, and Hathaway herself told Chud around the release of Brokeback Mountain that the film had objectionable material and might be best left to DVD.
Where to Watch Havoc (2005)
Havoc (2005), which is not to be confused with Tom Hardy’s 2025 Netflix action film, is available to rent or buy digitally in the US through Prime Video, Apple TV and YouTube, with a free ad-supported option on Plex.
Havoc |
|---|
Two affluent suburban girls clash with the Latino gang culture of East Los Angeles. |
 |
|---|
| Studio: New Line Home Entertainment |
| Running Time: 85 minutes |
| Release Date: November 29, 2005 |
| Cast: Anne Hathaway, Bijou Phillips, Mike Vogel |
| Director: Barbara Kopple |
| Writers: Stephen Gaghan |
| Genre: Teen, Crime, Drama |
| Box Office: $371,000 |
