The Beyoncé Tip That Transformed Anne Hathaway’s Mother Mary Performance

If you've ever watched Anne Hathaway and thought, 'Yeah, but what would she be like as a pop star?,' well, you'll get your answer soon enough. She's starring in Mother Mary, where she plays – you guessed it – a pop icon. And apparently, getting into character meant some serious time spent with one very familiar voice: Beyoncé.

Turning to Beyoncé for Pop Star Homework

Turns out, Hathaway more or less used Beyoncé as a crash course in how to 'pop star.' She shared at a recent Q&A that she practically wore out the repeat button on Beyoncé's American Requiem while prepping for the film. Why that track? Because of the sheer level of detail in Beyoncé’s performance.

'Her technique in that song is so mesmerizing and astonishing... listening to her phraseology, her musicianship, understanding the history of her voice that had led her to be able to make that sound that is so still, so present.'

Not just about the power notes, either. Hathaway said what really blew her away was how Beyoncé can bring major energy to a song, but also knows when to just let the vocals breathe and keep things still. That subtlety is something Hathaway wanted to try and bring to her own performance – not a bad person to take cues from.

Learning Pop from Charli XCX

Beyoncé wasn't her only resource. Hathaway also reached out to Charli XCX, who actually provided a song for Mother Mary. Apparently, Hathaway went straight to the source for some insight on both the music and the real-life experience of being a pop star. She chatted with Charli about everything from the songwriting itself to the day-to-day reality of living life as a chart-topping artist – you know, just casual research.

• Beyoncé's 'American Requiem' was Hathaway's repeat jam for understanding vocal presence and nuance
• Hathaway says learning pop phrasing was like picking up a brand new language – much trickier than you’d think
• Charli XCX offered inside info on pop stardom, plus provided one of the songs Hathaway will perform in the movie

One extra tidbit: Hathaway described learning pop vocal styles as a huge challenge – almost like reprogramming her entire musical brain. 'Learning pop phrasing was a really big deal – that was like learning a new language.' Frankly, that sounds a lot harder than it looks on paper... or on stage.

Bottom line: For Mother Mary, Hathaway went for the real deal when it came time to craft her pop star persona. If the final product is half as intense as her research, this movie could get interesting.