03 October,2026 09:43 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Anne Hathaway. Pics via Instagram
Anne Hathaway has officially made good on her promise to disappear - quite literally. After a year packed with major films, red carpets and back-to-back promotional commitments, the Oscar-winning actor has stepped away from the spotlight with a rather theatrical exit. Hathaway announced her "disappearance" through a playful Instagram video, which arrived shortly after the release of her latest film, Verity.
In the clip, recorded ahead of the film's September 29 premiere, Hathaway begins by talking about heading to the Verity premiere and its October 2 release. She then mentions October 3, only for a dramatic animated cloud of smoke to cover the screen and make her vanish.
The video then cuts to mock headlines announcing Hathaway's disappearance, including references to her evaporating in a plume of smoke. The tongue-in-cheek video was Hathaway's way of following through on a promise she had made earlier.
Hathaway had already warned fans that she would be taking a break after completing her fifth press tour of the year. During an interview with Entertainment Tonight on September 21, she joked about her plans after Verity hit theatres.
"The movie comes out October 2, and on October 3 I'm going to, like, vanish in a plume of smoke and you're not gonna see me until you have to," she had said. The timing also comes as Hathaway, 43, prepares for the arrival of her third child with husband Adam Shulman. She announced her pregnancy in June, making her 2026 schedule particularly eventful.
Hathaway's year has seen her appear in five films, including Mother Mary, The Devil Wears Prada 2, The Odyssey, The End of Oak Street and Verity. With each project bringing its own promotional campaign, the actor previously admitted that maintaining such a visible presence came with some apprehension.
Speaking on CBS Mornings, Hathaway acknowledged that audiences were seeing a lot of her throughout the year. "It's a lot, and you want to be able to show up fully for each film," she said, adding that she wondered whether viewers might get tired of seeing her so frequently.
However, she ultimately chose to look at the situation positively. "What if it goes better than you'd imagine?" she recalled telling herself.
With Verity now out, Hathaway appears ready to trade premieres and press appearances for some much-needed time away from the public eye. Signing off her playful Instagram announcement, she thanked audiences for their support and described the year as "incredible" and "unforgettable." Verity is currently screening in theatres.
