“As someone who really believes in inclusivity and really, really detests cruelty, I owe you all an apology for the pain caused.”
Anne Hathaway has apologised to children with limb differences following her portrayal of The Grand High Witch in The Witches.
In the film, Hathaway plays a witch who has split hands, a neurological condition where the muscles on the side of the thumb appear wasted. A trailer released for the film entitled ‘How to spot a witch’ included Hathaway’s character’s defect.
The Oscar winning actor has since shared an apology for any children who may have been affected by the film.
“I have recently learned that many people with limb differences, especially children, are in pain because of the portrayal of the Grand High Witch in The Witches,” she said.
“Let me begin by saying I do my best to be sensitive to the feelings and experiences of others not out of some scrambling PC fear, but because not hurting others seems like a basic level of decency we should all be striving for.
“As someone who really believes in inclusivity and really, really detests cruelty, I owe you all an apology for the pain caused. I am sorry. I did not connect limb difference with the GHW when the look of the character was brought to me; if I had, I assure you this never would have happened.”
Hathaway included a video from The Lucky Fin Project in her post, a charity dedicated to celebrating children and adults with limb differences.
The charity and its supporters have been sharing the hashtag #NotAWitch for the past few weeks, so counter the message portrayed in the Roald Dahl remake.
“I particularly want to say I’m sorry to kids with limb differences: now that I know better I promise I’ll do better,” said Hathaway.
“And I owe a special apology to everyone who loves you as fiercely as I love my own kids: I’m sorry I let your family down.”
Warner Bros has since added that they felt “deeply saddened” to learn the movie “could upset people with disabilities”.
“It was never the intention for viewers to feel that the fantastical, non-human creatures were meant to represent them,” they said in a statement.
