Anne Hathaway Said “Inshallah” in an Interview, and People Can’t Figure out Why

Actor Anna Hathaway has officially thrown fans for a loop after saying “inshallah” during an April 2026 interview with People. Since it’s the first time Anne has done something truly out of character, folks are making a pretty big deal of it because, one, Anne was once tied to the Catholic Church, and two, her husband is Jewish, and they incorporated tons of Jewish traditions into their wedding.

So how does a phrase like “inshallah” end up in her vocabulary, and more importantly, get said during such a big interview? Here’s why she said it and what it actually means.

While speaking about aging and what it feels like to be 43, Anne Hathaway used the phrase “inshallah” during an interview with People. “I want to have a long, healthy life, inshallah. I hope so," she said.

Anne was initially asked how she embraces aging, to which she replied, “You have to be more serious about how you take care of yourself. But other than that, it’s just the same stuff, right?” And to an extent, most would agree. Our bodies get a little more tired a little quicker, and for some reason, we start developing intolerances to things or foods we once could eat with no issue. So far, we’re on the same page with Anne.

She then went on to explain, “You’re still you, and life is still life and music’s still good.” She added, “When you’re in your forties, you have had the opportunity to see how certain decisions bore fruit over time, and so you can kind of assess if you want to continue making those decisions or if you want to make new ones.”

She went on to explain that one thing she loves most about being in her forties is that she no longer gets “swept up in things anymore.” Rather than allowing herself to be consumed by moments where “every high was so high, every low was so low,” she now really “values the chill.” She also said, “You can fear aging, or you can fear dying young.”

And then came the phrase that got the internet utterly confused. “I want to have a long, healthy life, inshallah. I hope so.”

While there’s no arguing with Anne wanting to live a long and healthy life (who doesn’t?), her saying “inshallah” just sounded off. “INSHALLAH TOOK ME OUT” was one of the top and most liked comments on the clip People shared on TikTok, while another user questioned, “I wonder how inshallah came into her vocab I’m so curious.”

First and foremost, “inshallah” is a widely used Arabic phrase among Muslim people. But Anne isn’t Muslim and was once affiliated with the Catholic Church, but left after her brother came out as gay (the church does not support that).

Now, her husband is Jewish, and apparently, “inshallah” is also commonly used in parts of Israel. Considering that she’s incorporated more Jewish traditions into her life since getting married, that could explain why she casually used the phrase during her People interview.

Now, what does “inshallah” actually mean?

It’s an Arabic saying that means “if God wills,” and is commonly used among Muslim people. It would be the equivalent of saying “God willing” or “hopefully.” So Anne was basically saying that she’s hopeful she will have a long and healthy life.

But perhaps the reason people are making a big deal about her using “inshallah” is because it carries a stronger cultural and religious context, since it’s more commonly used across Muslim communities.