Anne Hathaway (wife of Shakespeare) fallen into financial ruin, while Hathaway, from a family in good standing both socially and financially, would have been considered a catch. Furthermore, a "handfast" or probationary marriage and pregnancy were frequent precursors to legal marriage at the time. Examining the surviving records of Stratford-upon-Avon and nearby villages in the 1580s, Greer argues that two facts stand out quite prominently: first, that a large number of brides went to the altar already pregnant; and second, that autumn, not spring, was the most common time to get married. Shakespeare was bound to marry Hathaway, who had become pregnant by him, but
Anne Hathaway premiered at the 2008 Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals and Hathaway garnered widespread acclaim for her performance. Peter Travers called Hathaway "raw and riveting as Kym" and added that she "acts the hell out of it, achieving a state of sorrowful grace." Hathaway's performance garnered nominations for an Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Drama. Hathaway starred in "Bride Wars" (2009), which she described as "hideously commercial – gloriously so". The romantic comedy, in which she and Kate Hudson played two best friends who become rivals after their weddings are scheduled