‘The first person who came to my mind was Sandy but she wasn’t the right age,’ Schulman dished.

She was talking about none other than 59-year-old Sandra Bullock, the producer shared with Variety.

Cathy clarified: ‘I’m not saying Anne wasn’t my first choice — I’m saying I was thinking about that girl who we can all put ourselves into their shoes. The girl next door thing. Meg Ryan also does it so well. And so does Anne.

‘And I did that thing I always advise people not to do, which was really develop something with one person in mind — because what if you don’t get them?’

Producer Cathy Schulman has revealed that a different A-list actress was considered for Anne Hathaway’s role in the 2024 film The Idea of You; Anne pictured in December 2023

In the film, Anne’s character Solène sparks up a romance with boy band member Hayes Campbell, played by Nicholas Galitzine

Speaking with Variety, Schulman said Sandra Bullock, 59, was the first star she thought of when creating the movie; Sandra pictured in 2022

Cathy explained, ‘So I definitely felt the character on the page was sort of the vintage Anne from The Princess Diaries or The Devil Wears Prada. And I missed that Anne, and I wondered if she misses it, too.’

She went on to say, ‘But also she had mentioned to me that she wanted to do something when she was 40, where she could kind of stand on top of a building and scream, “I’m 40 and I’m still vibrant. And more than that, I can still have 𝑠e𝑥, and I can still light up a room!”

‘And it worked out perfectly because she was 39, about to turn 40. She turned 40 during filming.

‘She was also someone very willing to delve into the truth of what it means to be a woman at that age. I felt like maybe America would be willing to grow up with her.’

Schulman also noted that pop star Taylor Swift inspired the casting.

‘I’m fascinated by the Taylor Swift phenomenon, I’m a huge fan,” she admitted.

The successful producer went on to say, ‘And in Lavender Haze she has the lyrics “the only kind of girl they see, is a one-night or a wife.”

‘And Taylor Swift is someone who has shared every stage of her life with her fans — we have seen her through these stages.’

Schulman also noted that pop star Taylor Swift inspired the casting; Swift pictured in September 2023

Turning back to Hathaway, she noted, ‘And I liked the idea that you could take an actor that generations have grown up with and she would let us in for this maturation event — a divorce and self-realization and a new life.

‘I knew she’d be the right actress to walk us through this investigation.’

In the film, Anne’s character Solène sparks up a romance with boy band member Hayes Campbell, played by Nicholas Galitzine.

Fans speculated that the story was inspired by Harry Styles, but Anne cleared up the confusion, telling Stellar, ‘You guys keep saying it. The author keeps saying it’s not!’