Anne Hathaway: the Catwoman workout, forgiveness for James Franco

Anne Hathaway has learned that it takes a lot more than milk and a few naps to perfect her Catwoman mojo for "The Dark Knight Rises."

"I've always thought that skinny was the goal, but with this job I also have to be strong," she told Harper's Bazaar.

Along with a high-level acting performance as Selina Kyle, a character previously defined by the likes of Julie Newmar and Michelle Pfeiffer, Hathaway has had to prepare her body for the Christopher Nolan project's twists, bends and occasional moments involving the martial arts.

Her new regimen? Five days a week of high-intensity workouts and stunt training, following by an hour and a half of dance class to keep her lean, she told the mag.

While she's building strength on her frame, it doesn't mean she's emotionally invincible. Consider, for example, those comments from Oscars co-host James Franco, who blamed Hathaway's off-the-charts energy for making him look sluggish.

"I let James know that a whirling dervish is a more flattering comparison than a Tasmanian devil," she said. "I called him, and we emailed a bit." 

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-- Matt Donnelly
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Photo: Anne Hathaway smiles in her fashion spread. Credit: Harper's Bazaar