As a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Newport Beach, with more than 20 years focused on facial rejuvenation and over 5,000 facelift procedures performed, I’m often asked to weigh in whenever a celebrity appears with a noticeably different look. My background in both surgery and art has given me a deep appreciation for facial structure, balance, and the subtle details that shape natural-looking results.
At the 2026 Oscars, Anne Hathaway stunning at 43 in her Valentino embroidered dress barely got any comments about her outfit. Instead, the internet was buzzing for days with just one question: what changed about Anne?
In recent months, I've had several patients ask the same questions, so I thought I should weigh in on that debate with my professional opinion – both as a surgeon and an art aficionado.
What People Noticed at the Oscars
At the Oscar Awards 2026, Anne Hathaway looked freshened, rejuvenated and contoured. Her cheeks looked more prominent, eyes more open and bright, jawline defined and clean, without that softness most ladies get in their 40s. Generally, the effect was natural-looking and harmonious.
In fact, this discussion had already started much earlier, after Hathaway appeared at the fashion show by Ralph Lauren Fall 2025 season, wearing a neat ponytail. At that time, people started wondering about her new look and whether she got herself a quiet or non-invasive facelift.
As one of the surgeons developing minimally invasive methods and striving to achieve as natural-looking results as possible, I understand why people may have different opinions on this question.
Is Anne Hathaway's look from surgery or just her hairstyle?
After the Oscar ceremony, Anne Hathaway uploaded an Instagram video where she shared her secret trick with us – literally. Her stylist, Orlando Pita, showed how he braids two thin strands of her hair just above the temples, pulls them back, and pins them near the neck.
This simple hairstyle technique makes her cheeks and brows look lifted and gives some definition to her cheekbones.
"Which helps you look more awake," Anne says, laughing in the clip.
Of course, the technique worked, and women all over the web tried this hairstyle themselves. And technically, yes, this hairstyle will lift her cheeks. This technique relies on the same mechanism used to achieve a facial lift with the help of a tight ponytail.
However, the question is: does it solve the problem of Anne's beautiful look?
My final thought about Anna Hathaway's facelift, I haven't seen Anna lately and don’t have access to her medical records, so I am not saying she has undergone any procedure, nor am I claiming it’s not a procedure.
What I am sharing is purely my professional clinical experience as a facial surgeon.
By taking a look through Anna’s previous appearances, especially when comparing them to her look in 2025 and 2026, a few important details stand out:
She has gained some volume in mid-face, as if her cheeks became lifted and repositioned. As a surgeon, I can say it may happen after some deep plane facelift or endoscopic procedures involving the deeper facial layers.
Her jawline looks very defined, and there is no sign of any jowls, which are typical for a woman her age.
And, finally, the most important thing is that her facial expressions remain very natural. As far as I remember, traditional facelifts in the old days tended to leave a patient with a pulled appearance, as only the skin layer was addressed in those procedures.
Nowadays, when deep plane facelift and preservation facelift techniques come into use, facial tissues can be repositioned with minimal impact on their mobility. So, from the anatomical point of view, it makes sense.
So, do I believe her look can be explained solely by hairstyle and makeup technique by Hung Vanngo? Definitely not! Genetics and good skin care can be taken into consideration, too, but generally speaking, everything else remains unclear.