Anne Hathaway Calls These Madonna & Britney Spears Hits the ‘Ultimate Pop Songs’

Anne Hathaway takes on a surprising role in her new film “The Idea of You.” The Oscar winner plays Solène, a 40-year-old mom who unexpectedly falls for Hayes Campbell, the 24-year-old lead singer of a boy band sensation called August Moon.

Just like her character, Hathaway admits she’s not exactly a boy band expert. “Honestly, I don’t know much about them,” she confessed to Billboard. However, when it comes to pop queens, she’s all in! “Madonna’s ‘Like a Prayer’ and Britney Spears’ ‘…Baby One More Time’ are my ultimate pop anthems,” she gushed.

Hayes Campbell, played by Nicholas Galitzine, on the other hand, knows his boy band history. When asked about the quintessential boy band song, he readily named “Incomplete” by the Backstreet Boys.

Based on a novel by Robinne Lee, “The Idea of You” has been compared to the real-life phenomenon of Harry Styles and One Direction. Steamy scenes between Hathaway and Galitzine are likely to fuel the comparisons even more.

The film doesn’t just rely on comparisons. The actors portraying the other members of August Moon – Dakota Adan, Jaiden Anthony, Raymond Cham Jr. and Viktor White – formed a strong bond while filming. They acknowledge the influence of iconic boy bands but emphasize that August Moon stands on its own.

Executive music producer Savan Kotecha treated August Moon like a real band, creating a collection of songs that evolve alongside their fictional career. He even explains the meaning behind a lyric in their hit single “Dance Before We Walk,” which hints at Hayes considering leaving the band.