Anne Hathaway would give up a second Oscar for one thing — and it has nothing to do with films
On Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show, Anne Hathaway snubbed a second-Oscar hypothetical in an either-or game, choosing the other option — and some fans will be thrilled.
Here’s one for anyone who ever suspected Anne Hathaway was a bit of a diehard sports fan on the side. She turned up on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon recently, not just to plug her new film but to declare, quite publicly, her New York basketball loyalties – and to cheerfully bin off the idea of a second Oscar in the process. If you think celebs never let their guard down on talk shows, well, here’s an exception.
Hathaway was faced with a choice between winning another Academy Award or seeing the New York Knicks lift another championship trophy. She barely hesitated, ditching the Oscar chase in favour of a Knicks victory.
The moment came during one of Fallon’s standard “either/or” games – you know the sort, boxers or briefs, Beatles or Stones, and so on. This one, though, was properly agonising for Hathaway. She got so desperate she apparently tried to wriggle out of it by sacrificing a third option she’d picked earlier ("The Great British Baking Show", for the record), but Fallon was having none of it. As soon as she realised she was cornered, out went the hypothetical Oscar poster. Knicks title over another golden statuette. That’s dedication.
Fallon, never one to miss an opportunity for TV gold, then whips out a signed Knicks jersey from OG Anunoby – yes, the same chap who’s become something of a hero for New York fans recently. Hathaway looked completely gobsmacked and squealed an “Are you serious? Oh my god!”. To top it off, the Knicks themselves had sent a baby hamper and a card, both from Anunoby. A bit over-the-top? Maybe, but who’s going to complain.
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The Film and Basketball Connection
For context, this Knicks business didn’t just come out of nowhere. Apparently Hathaway made a cameo in a scene with Karl-Anthony Towns at a glitzy Hamptons party in "The Devil Wears Prada 2" (yes, that’s happening, apparently), just before the Knicks went on a proper run. Hathaway’s been taking some playful credit for their wins ever since – though, just for balance, the Knicks did stumble in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on 9 June.
The Knicks suffered a loss in the NBA Finals Game 3 on 9 June 2026.
Promoting ‘Verity’
Hathaway’s talk show visit wasn’t all basketball banter, mind you. The actual promo was for her upcoming psychological thriller, Verity. The story centres on a struggling writer pulled into finishing a best-selling book series on behalf of the original author, whose husband (Jeremy Crawford) does the summoning. While digging through the author’s past work, Hathaway’s character finds a secret manuscript, leading to a spiral of dark discoveries and serious questions over the state of Verity’s mental health. If twisty thrillers are your cup of tea, you’ll want to note the release date: 2 October 2026.
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