Anne Hathaway is looking back on her first New York City apartment—a 350-square-foot walk-up that she furnished with an inflatable mattress, a TV, and a table she found on the street. The actress, 43, shared the memory during a Q&A for New York Magazine’s “NYQ” segment, published Friday, September 25, 2026.
The apartment was a sublet with one feature Hathaway remembers as the “best part”: a fire escape where she would sit with friends.
The recollection offers a glimpse into Hathaway’s early years in the city where she was born and later returned as a young adult, long before her Oscar-winning career and current slate of major film releases.
Anne Hathaway Recalls Her First NYC Apartment
According to Hathaway’s account, her first New York City apartment was a 350-square-foot walk-up that she rented as a sublet.
The space was sparsely furnished. Hathaway told New York Magazine that she had “an inflatable mattress and a TV,” but “didn’t have anything to put the TV on.”
Despite the modest setup, Hathaway speaks of the apartment with fondness. She described finding a piece of furniture that became a fixture in her life for years.
The apartment’s small size and simple furnishings reflect the reality of many first apartments in New York City, where space is at a premium and young residents often make do with what they can find or afford.
Anne Hathaway’s Street-Found Table
One of the most memorable details from Hathaway’s recollection involves a table she discovered while walking down the street.
“It was a great table. It was my first apartment. I had an inflatable mattress and a TV, and I didn’t have anything to put the TV on,” Hathaway told the outlet. “And I was just walking down the street and I just saw this completely adorable little table. And it was my table for about 10 years.”
Hathaway noted that she is “no stranger to picking up a piece of furniture off the street,” suggesting this was not an isolated incident.
The table’s decade-long presence in her life illustrates how ordinary objects can carry lasting sentimental value, particularly when they are tied to formative periods.
The Inflatable Mattress
The inflatable mattress is one of the most relatable details from Hathaway’s story. It was, by her account, simply what she had at the time.
Hathaway did not characterize the mattress as a marker of financial hardship. She did not say she was “broke,” “struggling,” or unable to afford furniture. She described it as part of the apartment’s furnishings, alongside a TV and the table she later found.
Temporary furniture is common in first apartments, particularly in expensive cities like New York. An inflatable mattress can serve as a practical solution when someone is just starting out, between leases, or furnishing a space gradually.
The Best Part of Her First Apartment
When asked about her favorite feature of the apartment, Hathaway pointed to the fire escape.
“It was a 350-square-foot walk-up, a sublet. But the best part was it had a fire escape,” she said. “I would just go out there and get drunk and smoke cigarettes with my friends. And I literally didn’t think life could get better.”
The fire escape served as a gathering space, a small outdoor retreat in a cramped apartment. For Hathaway, it represented a moment of contentment during her early years in New York.
This detail adds a personal, human dimension to the story. It was not the size of the apartment or its furnishings that made it special—it was the memories made there with friends.
Anne Hathaway Has Deep New York Roots
Hathaway was born in Brooklyn on November 12, 1982. Her family moved to Millburn, New Jersey, when she was six years old, but she returned to New York City at age 18.
In the New York Magazine interview, Hathaway said she has probably moved around New York City more than 15 times since returning.
That history of moving—more than 15 times in roughly 25 years—contextualizes her first apartment story. It was one of many New York homes, but it was the first.
Hathaway’s connection to the city has remained a constant throughout her career. She has spoken about New York life in various interviews, including candid comments about the less glamorous aspects of city living, such as dealing with cockroaches.
From a Small NYC Apartment to Hollywood
Hathaway’s career has taken her far from the 350-square-foot walk-up.
Her breakthrough came in 2001 with The Princess Diaries. She went on to star in The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Les Misérables (2012)—for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress—The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Interstellar (2014), and numerous other major films.
The contrast between her first apartment and her current career is striking. But Hathaway has not framed her early years as a period of hardship. She has described the apartment as a place she remembers fondly, with a fire escape that felt like the best part of her life at the time.
That framing matters. The story is not about “rags to riches” or “struggle to success.” It is about a young person in New York City making a home with what she had and finding joy in simple things.
What Anne Hathaway Is Working on in 2026
Hathaway’s 2026 is one of the busiest years of her career, with multiple major releases.
Her films this year include:
- Mother Mary (released earlier in 2026)
- The Devil Wears Prada 2 — released May 1, 2026
- The Odyssey — Christopher Nolan’s adaptation, released July 17, 2026
- The End of Oak Street — released August 14, 2026
- Verity — scheduled for October 2, 2026
The New York Magazine interview and the apartment story arrived amid this busy promotional cycle.
Anne Hathaway’s Verity Era
One of Hathaway’s most anticipated 2026 projects is Verity, an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling psychological thriller.
Hathaway stars as Verity Crawford, a renowned author who is bed-bound after an accident. Dakota Johnson plays Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer hired to complete Verity’s book series. Josh Hartnett plays Verity’s husband, Jeremy.
The film is directed by Michael Showalter and is scheduled for theatrical release on October 2, 2026.
Hathaway has been actively promoting the film, including participating in cast interviews and trailer releases. The apartment story emerged during this promotional period.
Why Celebrity First-Apartment Stories Resonate
Stories about celebrities’ first apartments tend to resonate because they offer a glimpse of ordinary life before fame.
The details in Hathaway’s story—an inflatable mattress, a table found on the street, a fire escape where she hung out with friends—are recognizable to anyone who has lived in a small apartment in an expensive city. They are not the trappings of stardom. They are the trappings of being young and figuring things out.
There is also something appealing about the fact that Hathaway kept the table for about 10 years. It suggests that objects can carry meaning beyond their material value, and that the things we find or acquire early in life can stay with us.
Anne Hathaway’s Long Relationship With New York
Hathaway’s New York story spans decades. Born in Brooklyn, raised partly in New Jersey, she returned to the city at 18 and has lived there on and off since.
She has moved more than 15 times, according to her own estimate. She has experienced the city’s highs and lows—from fire escape gatherings with friends to cockroaches in her home.
Her first apartment, small and simply furnished, was the starting point. It was where she began her adult life in the city that would serve as a backdrop to much of her career.
What Her First Apartment Story Actually Reveals
The story Hathaway shared is not a dramatic tale of hardship. It is a simple recollection of a small apartment, a few pieces of furniture, and time spent with friends.
The details—the inflatable mattress, the street-found table, the fire escape—are ordinary. But they are the kind of details that stay with people. They are the textures of early adulthood.
Hathaway’s account does not suggest she was struggling financially. It suggests she was living in a small apartment and making it work with what she had. That is a common experience, even for people who go on to achieve significant success.
The story’s appeal lies in its relatability and in the fondness with which Hathaway recalls it.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Celebrity | Anne Hathaway |
| City | New York City |
| First apartment size | 350 square feet |
| Bed | Inflatable mattress |
| Furniture detail | Table found on the street |
| Table duration | About 10 years |
| Favorite feature | Fire escape |
| NYC connection | Born in Brooklyn; returned at 18 |
| Reported moves | More than 15 |
| Current 2026 project | Verity |
| Verity release | October 2, 2026 |
FAQ Section
What was Anne Hathaway’s first NYC apartment like?
Hathaway’s first New York City apartment was a 350-square-foot walk-up that she rented as a sublet. She furnished it with an inflatable mattress, a TV, and a table she found on the street.
How big was Anne Hathaway’s first New York apartment?
The apartment was approximately 350 square feet.
Did Anne Hathaway have an inflatable mattress in her first apartment?
Yes. Hathaway said she had “an inflatable mattress and a TV” in her first apartment.
Where did Anne Hathaway get the table in her first NYC apartment?
She found it on the street. Hathaway said she was “walking down the street” when she “saw this completely adorable little table.”
How long did Anne Hathaway keep the table?
Hathaway said the table was hers “for about 10 years.”
When did Anne Hathaway move back to New York?
Hathaway returned to New York City at age 18. She was born in Brooklyn and her family moved to New Jersey when she was six.
What is Anne Hathaway’s new movie Verity?
Verity is a psychological thriller based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel. Hathaway stars as Verity Crawford alongside Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett.
When is Verity released?
Verity is scheduled for theatrical release on October 2, 2026.