Actress Anne Hathaway revealed she had to cancel a planned appearance on the YouTube interview series “Hot Ones” during her pregnancy after her doctor warned that consuming extreme spicy foods could trigger early labor. The disclosure emerged during a September 28, 2026, press junket report by TheWrap regarding her upcoming Colleen Hoover film adaptation, “Verity.”
Filming Fictional Talk Show Appearances for ‘Verity’
In “Verity,” which hits theaters on October 2, 2026, Hathaway plays Verity Crawford, a best-selling author unable to finish her final two books following an accident. Dakota Johnson co-stars as Lowen Ashleigh, a writer hired to complete the novels, while Josh Hartnett plays Verity’s husband, Jeremy Crawford. To establish Hathaway’s character as a prominent cultural figure, the production featured fictionalized appearances on popular interview programs, including Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” and an interview with Gayle King.
Hathaway pushed to include First We Feast’s “Hot Ones”—hosted by Sean Evans—as part of the fictional media gauntlet. The production shot a scene on the actual set where Verity appears opposite Evans. According to TheWrap, Hathaway consumed the first three spicy wings for real before switching to dummy wings for the remainder of the scene.
Doctor’s Orders Halt Real-Life Challenge
Hathaway told “Talk of the Townsends” that she initially intended to complete the full 10-wing challenge in real life to promote the film. However, her plans changed after she became pregnant. According to TheWrap’s reporting of her remarks, her doctor advised against participating in the fiery gauntlet because the intense heat might induce early labor. As a result, Hathaway postponed her real-life debut on the show.
“I still haven’t done the gauntlet yet. I’m not sure when that’s gonna happen. Maybe next year,” Hathaway said during the junket, as reported by TheWrap. She also noted that she preferred to save her first true encounter with the spicy wings for real life rather than mixing it with an acting performance, drawing a comparison to an actor experiencing an on-screen first kiss.
Project Background and Release Details
The film adaptation is based on Colleen Hoover’s 2018 thriller novel of the same name. Directed and distributed ahead of its wide theatrical release, the project pairs Hathaway and Johnson in high-profile roles. While the fictional promotion sequence successfully integrated real-world media brands into the narrative, Hathaway’s pregnancy precautions kept her off the actual menu for the show’s signature spice lineup.
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