Anne Hathaway Wanted To Do 'Hot Ones' for 'Verity' Until Pregnancy Ruled It Out: 'I Might Go Into Early Labor'

Anne Hathaway had hoped to take on the real 'Hot Ones' challenge while promoting Verity, but her pregnancy put the appearance on hold after her doctor advised against it, saying she 'might go into early labor.'

The 43-year-old actress revealed the missed press appearance while discussing the psychological thriller, in which she plays bestselling author Verity Crawford. Hathaway had wanted to mirror her character's fictional media tour, which includes an appearance on the spicy-wing series.

Anne Hathaway Wanted To Do 'Hot Ones' Challenge

Hathaway said appearing on Hot Ones would have made sense as part of the promotional campaign for Verity, particularly because the programme features in the film. Speaking on the Talk of the Townsends podcast, she said she had suggested the idea during a production meeting while discussing how to establish Verity as an 'iconic cultural figure.'

'In my head, if we could do something like, I don't know, get a Gayle King interview and Hot Ones, that would be like the Triple Crown trifecta,' Hathaway said. She had initially expected to complete the show's 10-wing 'gauntlet' as herself while promoting the film. However, becoming pregnant changed those plans.

Hathaway Filmed a Fictional 'Hot Ones' Appearance

Hathaway appears in a fictional Hot Ones segment in Verity, but has yet to appear on the real show.

During filming, she ate the first three chicken wings for real before switching to dummy wings for the rest of the scene. She said she wanted her first full experience of the challenge to happen as herself rather than while playing a character.

'You don't want your first kiss ever in your life to be like an on-screen kiss,' Hathaway said, explaining why she wanted to save the real experience for later. The fictional interview is part of Verity's media tour in the film, which Hathaway said was intended to establish her as an 'iconic cultural figure.'

Pregnancy Put the Real Challenge on Hold

Hathaway said her doctor advised her against taking part in the real Hot Ones challenge after she became pregnant. 'But then I got pregnant, and my doctor said I couldn't do it because I might go into early labor,' she said.

Hathaway announced her pregnancy in June and is expecting her third child with husband Adam Shulman. The couple already have two sons, Jonathan and Jack.

For now, Hathaway has not completed the full Hot Ones gauntlet, although she suggested she could eventually attempt it. 'Maybe next year,' she said.

What Is 'Verity' About?

Verity is based on Colleen Hoover's 2018 psychological thriller and stars Hathaway alongside Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett. The adaptation is directed by Michael Showalter, with Hoover serving as an executive producer.

The film follows struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh, played by Johnson, who is hired as a ghostwriter for bestselling author Verity Crawford after an accident leaves Verity unable to continue writing. Hathaway plays the acclaimed novelist at the centre of the psychological thriller.

The film's fictional media appearances are part of the way Verity's public profile is established, including her appearance on Hot Ones, which Hathaway said made her consider doing the real challenge during the film's promotional campaign.

Verity is scheduled to open in US cinemas on Friday, 2 October 2026.

For now, Hathaway's real-life Hot Ones debut remains on hold, with the actress suggesting she could finally take on the full 10-wing challenge 'maybe next year.'