Rewind Back to 2001: “The Princess Diaries” (25th anniversary)
- Matt Palmer
- Jun 8
- 3 min read
With the Dietrich Theater celebrating the 25th anniversary of their re-opening this year, I wanted to focus my Rewind Series slate for the next few weeks on films that are also celebrating their 25th anniversary. For this week, I took a look at “The Princess Diaries” and “The Fast and the Furious” (separate review).
This 2001 Disney movie is based on the 2000 young adult novel of the same name written by Meg Cabot. A sleeper hit, the movie grossed $165.3 million worldwide ($108.2 million domestic), dyeing expectations as most analysts expected it to under-perform due to its G rating.
Shy San Francisco teenager Mia Thermopolis is thrown for a loop when, from out of the blue, she learns the astonishing news that she’s a real life princess!
As the apparent heir to the crown of the small European principality of Genovia, Mia begins a comical journey toward the throne when her strict and formidable grandmother, Queen Clarice Renaldi, shows up to give her “princess lessons.”
When “The Princess Diaries” premiered in 2001, it was an unexpected box office smash that deeply resonated with everyday viewers, even though it originally split professional critics. Over the decades, the movie has achieved a dedicated cult following and is widely celebrated as a millennial classic.
“The Princess Diaries” delivers a charming blend of humor, wholesome, family-friendly storytelling and the irresistible “ugly duckling to royalty” transformation. This 2001 movie still remains a fan favorite due to its strong cast, relatable high school themes and a feel-good message of self-acceptance.
Throughout the movie, Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway are still the major highlight and served as the movie’s emotional anchor. Their witty banter and loving growth and loving growth between grandmother and granddaughter really helps their scenes to be very memorable and even moving at times.
While classic teen movies generally focus on landing a potential love interest, audiences
appreciated that Mia’s main story arc centered on building inner confidence, taking responsibility, and learning to love herself. Mia’s journey also taught an entire generation that anyone can be royalty by confronting their problems, respecting their own boundaries, and staying true to who they are on the inside.
“The Princess Diaries” also delivers quite a few fun moments that Disney fans will always enjoy. There’s a small scene with Mia walking with her friend and Mia ends up slipping on wet bleachers. This clumsy mishap is actually memorable due to the fact that it was a real unscripted accident by Anne Hathaway that director Garry Marshall kept to showcase Mia’s awkward charm.
There’s also plenty of fun moments, such as her royal makeover (that also features the hair stylist attempting to brush Mia’s untamed hair, only for the brush to snap), and the entire dinner party scene that can still bring plenty of laughs.
The 2001 movie “The Princess Diaries” is widely celebrated as a charming, feel-good classic. While it received mixed to positive reviews upon release for being formulaic, it has endured as a beloved coming of age staple. It has also been praised for Anne Hathaway's breakout debut, and her undeniable, warm chemistry with the legendary Julie Andrews.
MPA: Rated G (runtime 115 minutes)
Initial release date: July 29, 2001
Streaming services: Hulu/Disney Plus/various PVOD services (as of this review)
The scene where Mia slips and falls in the bleachers was real. Anne Hathaway had slipped on a puddle while doing the scene, and director Garry Marshall thought it was so funny, he inserted it in the final cut.
During auditions, Anne Hathaway fell out of her chair, and was immediately given the part as clumsy Mia Thermopolis.
When Mia accidentally sets the man's arm on fire, the flames were supposed to go out when he puts his arm in the ice bucket, but they didn't. Anne Hathaway panicked and threw the glass of water on it, which was not scripted.
It was Anne Hathaway's idea that the brush should break in her hair at the start of her makeover.
Theatrical movie debut of Anne Hathaway (Mia Thermopolis).
One of the waiters in the dinner scene when Mia breaks the water glass says, "It happens all the time." The same actor played a waiter in Pretty Woman (1990), and said the same line when Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) flings the snail and the waiter catches it. Both movies were directed by Garry Marshall, as well as featured Hector Elizondo and Larry Miller.
This movie was filmed on Stage 2 in Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, the same stage on which Mary Poppins (1964) was shot. The stage has since been named in honor of Dame Julie Andrews, who starred in both movies. The rental house in which Andrews lived while filming Mary Poppins (1964) was lived in by Garry Marshall while filming this movie.
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