The Princess Diaries (film)

The Princess Diaries is based on the young adult novel of the same name by author Meg Cabot.[3][9] Cabot's agent believed that the first Princess Diaries book had strong film potential,[10] and pursued film producer Debra Martin Chase, who had recently co-produced the television film Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997), about adapting the book into a film due to their similar "rags-to-riches" and "Cinderella-type" themes.[11] Chase highly enjoyed the book and convinced Disney to adapt the novel into a feature-length production.[11] Disney chairman Peter Schneider optioned the project in an "effort to re-establish the Disney brand for live-action family films".[12] Cabot was thrilled to learn that Disney was interested in her book,[13] the film rights for which the studio paid her $4,000,[10] although some media outlets reported that Cabot had been offered "mid- to low-six figures".[10][14][15] Cabot recalled that Disney's decision to adapt The Princess Diaries resulted in her getting promoted at her own job, prior to which she had struggled to convince publishers to publish her novel, the content of which some found inappropriate for young readers.[16] Several publishers had rejected Cabot's manuscript before HarperCollins showed interest in 1999, followed by Disney shortly afterward.[17]

Garry Marshall served as the film's director. He changed the film's setting from New York to San Francisco in honor of his grandchildren.

By August 1999, the film was greenlit by Disney, who agreed to produce it with singer Whitney Houston's BrownHouse Productions,[15] and Cabot's manuscript was forwarded to potential screenwriters.[14] The Princess Diaries was Houston's first feature film production venture,[18] and her studio's second film after Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella.[19] Chase developed the script with screenwriter Gina Wendkos.[20] Although Cabot did not write the screenplay herself, she worked closely with Chase to discuss changes deemed necessary to translate the story from page to screen,[17] maintaining that "The essence of the story, or the message, of staying true to yourself ... still comes through".[21] Garry Marshall was enlisted as director, with Houston and Chase producing alongside Mario Iscovich.[20] Marshall was invited to direct the project while he himself had been pitching ideas to Disney executive Nina Jacobson.[20] Connecting with the material, Marshall found the story enjoyable for entire families, and was particularly drawn towards the idea of "a young girl turning into a woman and realizing that she can have a positive effect on the world".[20] Marshall elaborated, "I wanted to do a fairy tale for the fairy tale crowd, which are the young girls and boys", hoping that the project to crossover to adult audiences as well.[22] Furthermore, the director admitted to being fond of "female wish-fulfillment and empowerment movies".[23] However, Marshall nearly declined to work on the film due to a typo in the original treatment that read "The Princess Dairies",[24] joking, "I thought it was a movie about privileged cows!"[20][23] Houston and Chase hoped that The Princess Diaries would be BrownHouse Productions' first in a series of female-led wish-fulfillment films,[25] originally planning to remake the musical film Sparkle (1976) as a follow up.[26] Chase recalled that, at the time, Hollywood believed that while girls would willingly see a film intended for boys, it was difficult to convince boys to see a female-oriented film, but were encouraged by the success of Disney's The Parent Trap (1998).[27]

The Princess Diaries was optioned to challenge the belief that children were losing interest in live-action films targeted towards girls, and Marshall was hired specifically to make a G-rated film "edgy and crazy and maybe something the adults will like".[12] The film differs considerably from the novel. Initially intended to be set in New York like Cabot's book, the film was originally called The Princess of Tribeca.[28] The title was reverted once the setting was changed to San Francisco, California,[29] a decision Marshall made because the latter is home to both himself and his granddaughters, to whom the film is dedicated.[10] Although Mia and Lilly remain environmentally and politically conscious, the filmmakers softened some of the more political aspects of their personalities to prevent the film from resembling "a political diatribe".[25] Some aspects of the script were inspired by Cabot's own childhood, particularly when her mother began dating one of her teachers shortly after her father's death.[30] Despite being consulted about such changes, Cabot preferred to distance herself from the creative process to preserve her own mental health in fear of compromising her vision for future novels,[16] insisting that the book and film exist in separate universes.[10] Cabot maintains that she had little creative input in the film,[31] elaborating, "I don't think Garry Marshall needs 'help' to make a movie… from a novelist who has absolutely no experience in film-making."[10][32] Although Cabot admitted that Disney consulted with her before making changes, she described their conversations as more informative than collaborative.[10] Cabot acknowledged the challenge of adapting a 300-page novel, which she had written in the form of a diary, into a 90-page screenplay but was ultimately satisfied with the final results and Marshall's direction.[13][33][16]

Liv Tyler (pictured) was one of several actresses originally considered for the role of Mia until newcomer Anne Hathaway auditioned.[34]

Chase decided that, in terms of ethnicity, the film's cast would remain faithful to the novel due to Mia and Clarisse ruling a European country, and Chase preferring to "make good movies" as opposed to limiting herself to African-American films.[25] Anne Hathaway was cast in the lead role of Mia Thermopolis after Juliette Lewis, to whom the part had originally been offered, turned it down.[29] Aged eighteen at the time, The Princess Diaries was Hathaway's first major film role, for which she auditioned during a 26-hour layover in Los Angeles, California while traveling to New Zealand to film The Other Side of Heaven (2001).[28] Her only prior acting credit had been in the short-lived television series Get Real.[35] Hathaway was very nervous during her audition, to the point at which she fell out of her chair; her inherent clumsiness is credited with impressing Marshall.[28][36] Several established young actresses had been considered for the role, including Reese Witherspoon, Kirsten Dunst,[37] Alicia Silverstone, Jessica Biel, Claire Danes,[29] Kate Hudson, Cameron Diaz,[38] Drew Barrymore,[31] Sarah Michelle Gellar, Brittany Murphy, Katie Holmes, Christina Applegate, Kate Beckinsale and Eva Mendes,[39] while Liv Tyler was deemed a front-runner.[34] Christy Carlson Romano was unable to audition due to scheduling conflicts while filming the Disney Channel series Even Stevens.[40][41] Marshall's granddaughters ultimately convinced the director to cast Hathaway over Tyler because they felt that she possessed the more "princess-like hair".[30]

The actress was cast based on her sole audition without performing a screen test.[29] Although Marshall believed that several other actresses seemed capable of embodying Mia's comedic aspects, he determined that only Hathaway possessed "the grace and authority" to deliver the character's final speech.[42] Hathaway identified with her character's struggles and personality, explaining, "Mia was very similar to the person I was in high school", describing herself as a wallflower to whom few paid attention and appreciating the opportunity to be herself in a film.[43][44] For Marshall, Hathaway's appearance and performance were reminiscent of Julia Roberts, whom he had directed to great success in the romantic comedy Pretty Woman (1990),[36] describing her as a fusion of Roberts and comedian Harpo Marx due to her combination of glamour and physical comedy, which he also likened to his own sister Penny Marshall.[20] Hathaway gained weight for the role to closer resemble "a regular teen".[37] The actress credits Marshall with teaching her the most important lesson of her career: "You never know what's going to be a hit, so you might as well have fun making it."[20]

A semi-retired Julie Andrews was cast as Queen Clarisse Renaldi,[45] the actress' first Disney role since Mary Poppins (1964).[30] The character of Mia's grandmother was expanded specifically with Andrews in mind.[46]

Julie Andrews, who had been semi-retired from acting at the time,[45] was cast as Clarisse Renaldi, Mia's grandmother and Queen of Genovia.[47] Marshall personally invited Andrews to discuss the film with him; Andrews identified the director as "the hook" that convinced her to accept the role, having been a long-time fan of his work.[48] She accepted the role based solely on her conversations with Marshall without reading Wendkos' script.[49] Although Sophia Loren is rumored to have been offered the role,[50] Marshall insists that Andrews is the first and only actress he considered,[20][51] having been a fan of hers since Broadway's My Fair Lady (1956).[52] Known for portraying princesses and nobility throughout her career,[49][53] Andrews incorporated knowledge she had acquired about European royalty and mannerisms of Britain's royal family into her performance as Mia's regal mentor;[54][50] Queen Elizabeth II herself had knighted Andrews one year prior, making her a Dame of the British Empire.[52] Marshall allowed Andrews significant freedom to determine Clarisse's portrayal.[49] Cabot was initially hesitant about Andrews' casting, fearing that the actress was too kind to play such a stern character, but ultimately relented upon seeing her interpretation, explaining that Andrews possessed "just the right amount of regalness mixed with grandmotherly warmth".[13] Andrews also used the opportunity to mentor Hathaway,[55] although she maintains that the younger actress required very little training: "She has great instincts, good talent ... She has this ability to do humor, comedy, very well. So other than actually honing her craft and learning from the doing, she has it all.”[42] The Princess Diaries was Andrews' first Disney film since Mary Poppins (1964), the role for which she had won an Academy Award for Best Actress 37 years prior,[30][56] and her first feature film in 15 years.[57]

Marshall cast Heather Matarazzo as Mia's best friend Lilly Moscovitz after casting director Marcia Ross introduced them to each other, insisting that Matarazzo is different from other actresses.[58] Matarazzo attended a chemistry reading with Hathaway after auditioning for Marshall; Hathaway believes that the two actresses had met each other several times prior, none of which Matarazzo remembers, expounding, "I was such a sarcastic, little punk-ass kid that couldn't be bothered by cheerfulness" while "She's such a warmhearted, beautiful, sweet, soulful woman".[58] Matarazzo insists that they got along well despite their differences, likening their on-screen chemistry to Richard Gere and Roberts' in Pretty Woman.[58] Furthermore, the actress cites Marshall as her favourite director, whose positive energy she described as unrivaled by other directors.[58] Matarazzo was also starstruck by the opportunity to work with Andrews, whose films she had idolized as a child, and often asked for the actress' autograph.[58]

Héctor Elizondo was cast as Joe, Mia's limousine driver and Clarisse's head of security.[59] Elizondo is known for appearing in all 18 films Marshall directed.[55] Singer Mandy Moore was cast as Mia's school rival Lana Thomas, her first credited film role.[60][61] Marshall was the first film director with whom Moore, sixteen years old at the time, ever worked; she recalled that the director "had no business casting me ... I didn't know what I was doing. So I think the highlight of the film was working with him."[61] Moore also appreciated the fact that most of her co-stars were similar to her in age, crediting the overall experience with setting her acting career "in motion".[61] Robert Schwartzman was cast as Michael, Mia's love interest and Lilly's brother. His real-life band Rooney has a cameo appearance as garage band Flypaper,[30] with Schwartzman playing their lead singer.[29] The musicians perform "Blueside", one of Rooney's original songs.[29] Schwartzman wanted to change his last name in the credits to Cage in honor of his cousin Nicolas Cage, but the film's promotional material had already been finalized.[31] The Princess Diaries remains Schwartzman's only major film role.[31]

Marshall cast several of his own family members in supporting and minor roles.[62] Kathleen Marshall, Marshall's daughter, plays Clarisse's secretary Charlotte Kutaway. Charlotte's surname is finally revealed during the closing credits; Marshall explained that the character was named after how often she is used in cutaway shots, and her role references the filmmaking technique in which "whenever anything goes wrong in the film, you cut away to someone".[63] Marshall's wife appears as a ball guest, while his twin granddaughters Lily and Charlotte, the same granddaughters who inspired him to cast Hathaway,[29] appear as a pair of schoolgirls asking for Mia's autograph.[62] Marshall himself has a brief cameo during the Genovian Independence Day Ball,[29] alongside sister Penny.[31] San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown portrayed himself in a cameo appearance, during which he is briefly interviewed upon arriving at the same ball.[20]

Further adjustments were made to finesse the script once the cast was finalized. Marshall was constantly conceiving new ways to make the film funnier,[58] as Disney had challenged him to incorporate humor into the G-rated film.[12] Marshall's approach to the film's humor was reminiscent of his television contributions to shows such as Happy Days and The Odd Couple,[12] the original scripts for which he revisited to remind himself how to approach family-oriented comedies.[44] Matarazzo described the set as a collaborative environment, recalling that Marshall encouraged a family-like atmosphere abiding by his motto "Life is more important than show business."[58] Marshall would sometimes hold parades for the entire crew, particularly when it was a cast or crew members' birthday.[55] The director celebrated his own birthday while filming, during which Houston herself serenaded him with a rendition of "Happy Birthday".[31] The character of Mia's grandmother, nicknamed "Grandmere" in the novel, is depicted as considerably kinder in the film.[13] Disney's decision to have Mia's father be deceased in the film is among the most significant deviations from its source material, in which he is both alive and has an integral role.[46] The producers decided to kill off Mia's father in favor of expanding her grandmother's role, which they had been considering offering to Andrews from the beginning.[46] Upon learning that Disney was interested in casting a "big name" actress such as Andrews in the role, Cabot approved that Mia's father be eliminated, much of whose dialogue was re-written for Mia's grandmother.[46] Marshall wrote Hathaway's childhood struggles with speaking while wearing a retainer into the film; the actress filmed a scene wearing the same retainer she had worn as a child.[38] Elizondo and Andrews campaigned for a romantic relationship between their characters, an idea that originated during a table reading in which the actors uttered "you're cute" to each other.[59] The actors improvised their dance sequence.[31] Elizondo credits this with evolving his character into more than simply "a guy who drove a limo".[59]

Upon Marshall's request, Andrews suggested that the fictional country of Genovia be famous for its pears, after which point the set was decorated with artificial pears and pear-shaped statues.[30] Marshall worked with Larry Miller, who portrays Mia's hair stylist Paolo,[64] to improvise humour moments, such as shrieking upon seeing Mia for the first time and drawing his styling tools from his pockets as though they are pistols.[65] Wendkos wrote that Miller's Paolo was deliberately written as an "over-the-top" character.[65] "Not you, I don't even know you", one of Matarazzo's most oft-quoted lines which she utters to someone while running down the street, was entirely improvised at the suggestion of Chase.[58] Joe recites "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent" to Mia, a famous quote originally by former United States First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.[66] Mia recites one of Juliet's soliloquies from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, a deliberate reference to the fact that Hathaway shares her full name with Shakespeare's wife.[34] Houston conceived the scene in which Mia smears her ice cream cone on Lana's cheerleader uniform.[67] Wendkos spent more effort revising Mia's makeover sequence than any other scene in the filming, wanting to achieve a "clearer progression from the ugly duckling to the ingenue", as per Marshall's request.[65]

The film contains several references to Pretty Woman,[34][64] another film directed by Marshall to which The Princess Diaries has often been compared.[34][47][68] In addition to sharing a "Pygmalion-esque transformation story", both films share several cast members.[47] Both Elizondo and Miller had appeared in Pretty Woman.[69] Most notably, actor Alan Kent, portraying a waiter,[30] delivers the same line he once delivered to Julia Roberts' character in Pretty Woman during the scene in which Mia accidentally breaks a glass.[34]

The Princess Diaries was filmed on a budget of $26 million.[70][71] Principal photography took place from September to December 2000, with filming beginning one month before Cabot's novel was published.[17] It was filmed on Stage 2 at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California,[34] the same sound stage on which Mary Poppins, which starred Andrews in the titular role,[30] had been filmed during the 1960s.[25][72] The stage was later renamed the "Julie Andrews Stage" in honor of the actress' contributions.[30][72] Andrews recalled having to constantly walk up and down the set's main staircase while struggling to remain regal and composed in appearance.[50] Additionally, Marshall resided in the same house that Andrews herself had rented while filming Mary Poppins,[29] having lived in the building since 1974.[25][52] Marshall joked that he and the actress had "amazing" karma due to sharing several similarities and coincidences.[25] The Washington Post contributor Kristal Brent Zook remarked that Marshall and Andrews have also "proved themselves masters of the modern fairy tale" due to both of their repertoires consisting largely of romantic, Cinderella-themed material.[25]

The film was shot on several locations throughout California, with Alverno High School serving as Mia's private school Grove High School.[20] A refurbished fire station named Engine Company No. 43 was used as Mia and Helen's home, located on Brazil Avenue.[73] In 2014, the building was listed for sale at $2.6 million.[74] Mount St. Mary's College, formerly the Doheny Mansion, was used as the location for The Genovian Consulate.[29] Unlike much of the film, which was filmed in San Francisco, the beach party sequence was filmed in Malibu.[75] The production designers decorated Malibu's Zuma Beach to resemble San Francisco's Baker Beach.[75]

To help Hathaway feel more comfortable on set, many of its props belonged to the actress' family.[37] Mia's photograph of her late father is a photograph of Hathaway's own father, Gerald Hathaway.[38][34] Gerald also briefly portrays the character during a flashback sequence in which he writes a letter to Mia.[38] Mia's pet cat Fat Louie was portrayed by four different cats, one of whom was owned by Hathaway herself.[34] Each cat served a different purpose: one was meant to be carried, another sat still for extended periods of time, a third was used for jumping and stunts, and the final (Hathaway's) is featured during the film's final scene.[29] During the state dinner in which a guest's arm catches fire, the fire was intended to be extinguished once the actor placed his arm in a nearby ice bucket. However, when the fire persisted, Hathaway panicked and doused it with a glass of water, an improvisation that was kept in the film.[76] Hathaway tripped and fell while filming a scene in which she is walking atop bleachers during the rain,[77] but continued to recite her lines as though nothing had happened.[30] Marshall found the unscripted incident funny and decided to retain it.[34] Matarazzo, who had been filming the scene with Hathaway, identified this moment as "a testament to the kind of person that she is, not just professionally but personally… You fall, you laugh, and you keep going".[77] She also identified this as her favorite moment while filming.[58] While filming the final dance sequence, the crew played Madonna's "Like a Prayer" (1989) for the cast to dance to; multiple takes were required because the cast kept instinctively lip syncing its lyrics.[29] The track was dubbed by a different song in the final edit.[29]

Costume designer Gary Jones, who had worked with Marshall prior, was drawn to the film due to the wide range of costumes required for its characters, describing the project as "a costume designer's dream come true".[20] Jones worked closely with Andrews while designing Clarisse's costumes, drawing inspiration from Chanel, Bill Blass, and Christian Dior.[20] The gown Andrews wears to the state dinner is an homage to her stage role as My Fair Lady's Eliza Doolittle, which was handmade in China.[20] Jones envisioned Mia as a character who is shy about her body at first, opting to dress her in layers consisting of long sleeves and loose-fitting clothing.[20] The actress' periwinkle state dinner gown was inspired by a dress worn by Princess Victoria of Sweden,[29] with Jones describing it as "a bow to the Renaissance and Romeo and Juliet," accessorizing it with an 18-carat diamond ring.[20]

Both Hathaway and Andrews' tiaras were designed and custom-made specifically for their respective actresses, with the designers ensuring that both characters' crowns were appropriate for their age.[50] The tiara and jewelry Andrews wears during the final scene consists of half a million dollars’ worth of diamonds, loaned to the production by jeweler Harry Winston,[29] with whom Jones worked closely to obtain several unique jewels.[20] A security guard followed Andrews at all times to both protect her and ensure that all jewels were returned at the end of each day.[50][52] Andrews' peach taffeta ballgown was accessorized with a 100-carat necklace comprising four rows of diamonds.[20] Hathaway's tiara was considerably less expensive,[29] consisting of cubic zirconia as opposed to authentic jewels.[38][78] The crowns and tiaras worn by both actresses are preserved by the Walt Disney Archives, into which they were inducted in 2016 to commemorate the film's 15th anniversary.[79]

Hathaway donned false eyebrows and a wig to make her character's makeover more dramatic.[37] Hathaway's hair piece was nicknamed "The Beast", while her eyebrows required one hour to apply;[34] each strand of hair was glued to her brow individually.[29] At times Hathaway was required to leave the set in full costume, claiming that she "never felt so alone in [her] entire life".[80]

The Princess Diaries earned mixed reviews from film critics upon release.[81][115][116] Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 49% of 117 critics surveyed reviewed the film positively, with an average rating of 5.30/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "A charming, if familiar, makeover movie for young teenage girls."[117] Metacritic assigned the film a weighted score of 52 based on 27 reviews, indicating "Mixed or average reviews".[118] Ed Park, writing for The Village Voice, reviewed the film as "a modest, enjoyable fairy tale that easily outcharms its animated stablemates of the past decade", continuing, "The movie hits its timeworn marks with grace and wit, thanks to game gamine Hathaway and an effortlessly regal Andrews."[119] Calling The Princess Diaries "an ideal family film", Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times commended Marshall's ability to "mak[e] make-believe seem real" while describing Wendkos' screenplay as "skillfully adapted" and praising Andrews' performance.[120] Awarding the film a B+, Entertainment Weekly film critic Lisa Schwarzbaum wrote that Marshall "directs Gina Wendkos' girl-wise script ... with avuncular affection and, by his standards, a minimum of court jestering, and he encourages moments of appropriate delirium among his large cast", highlighting Andrews and Oh's contributions and dubbing it a "charming ... production" that "gets the duckling-to-swan ambivalence just right".[121]

Anne Hathaway's performance (her first film role) as Mia Thermopolis was acclaimed by film critics,[122] who cited her comic timing as an asset to the film.

Film critic Mick LaSalle, writing for SFGate, called the film superior to Marshall's Pretty Woman, going on to deem it "Marshall's best movie".[123] Dubbing Clarisse "Andrews' best showcase in years", LaSalle credited most of the film's humor with Andrews' performance, specifically her reaction to Hathaway's gimmicks.[123] The Washington Post film critic Michael O'Sullivan wrote that, despite the film's younger target demographic, "there's enough bile and phlegm souring up the sweet main story to appeal to even those of us with more mature tastes."[90] Although Christine Dolen of the Miami Herald believed Mia's clumsiness is "by far the most winning things about" the film, she felt that the script "leaves much to be desired -- like an intriguing storyline, any semblance of believability or choices beyond the obvious".[124] She ultimately credited Andrews and Hathaway's performances with saving the picture.[124] Robert Koehler of Variety felt Marshall and Wendkos "waste the charming comic tone and observations of Cabot's book, especially ... where the reformation of Mia is depicted almost off-handedly".[6] Koehler criticized the film for squandering comedic opportunities by focusing on Mia's school and romantic relationships as opposed to her grandmother's training.[6] However, he felt Andrews and Elizondo were perfectly cast, and commended Hathaway's comedic instincts.[6] The Globe and Mail's Liam Lacey agreed that "Surprisingly little time is spent mining the comic potential of Mia's education, with the comedy rationed in favour of a tiresome amount of attention lavished on her ongoing school problems", but concluded that Marshall deserves "credit for his keen sense of historical symmetry in the perfect casting of Julie Andrews".[83] Praising the cast's chemistry, Loren King, writing for the Chicago Tribune, credited Andrews' performance with "kick[ing] the film's class quotient up several notches".[125]

Hathaway's performance was widely praised by film critics,[122] as was her chemistry with Andrews.[126] LaSalle wrote, "Hathaway is not a natural comic, but her acting has a truthfulness that gives The Princess Diaries its emotional core. She is also a chameleon, who, from the most unpromising of beginnings, blossoms before our eyes into near- Audrey Hepburn-level loveliness", additionally commending her chemistry with Matarazzo.[123] Elvis Mitchell, film critic for The New York Times, found the film to be merely "a blandly reassuring comedy" but described it as perfectly cast, hailing Hathaway as "royalty in the making, a young comic talent with a scramble of features".[127] However, Mitchell felt that her character becomes less interesting once she undergoes her makeover and predicted that some viewers will find the sequence problematic.[127] Similarly, The Seattle Times' Moira Macdonald felt that the film could have done without Mia's "teen-queen makeover, which made her look alarmingly like a junior Julia Roberts", but wrote that Andrews "tucks the film into her carpet bag and walks away with it", crowning her "pure screen royalty".[89]

Even the film's most staunch detractors enjoyed Hathaway's efforts,[21] with several critics comparing Hathaway to a "young" Julia Roberts.[68][128] Lacey felt Mia "does a reasonable impression of a fashion model going through a geek-chic phase", comparing her to Roberts and predicting her successful film career.[83] Asher Price, reviewing for The Denver Post, lauded Andrews' contribution while identifying Hathaway as "a good match for" the veteran actress.[129] Branding the film "a surprisingly sophisticated comedy" that avoids common teen tropes, Price enjoyed the training sequences but felt Mia's confidence is drawn solely from her physical transformation, describing the latter as "The only disturbing part of the film".[129] Despite being unimpressed with his direction, the New York Post film critic Lou Lumenick commended Marshall for "showcas[ing] Hathaway’s star quality in a way that’s more than a little reminiscent of his most famous film, Pretty Woman" and praised Elizondo's contribution.[57] ReelViews' James Berardinelli panned the film, accusing Marshall of exploring a predictable plot "in a thoroughly uninteresting way" by "reducing characters to types and heaping mounds of saccharine and false sentiment on top".[130] Film critic Roger Ebert dismissed the film as a "swamp of recycled ugly duckling stories, with occasional pauses in the marsh of sitcom cliches and the bog of Idiot Plots", finding it predictable, poorly edited and Hathaway too physically attractive to offer a convincing transformation.[131] Salon film critic Stephanie Zacharek reviewed the film as "so aggressively bland and inoffensive that it practically recedes from the screen".[132] Zacharek is also one of the few film critics to deride the leads' performances, dismissing Andrews as "so shellacked and precise ... that it makes you want to run out of the theater and roll around in the dirt".[132]

The Princess Diaries won the Young Artist Award for Best Family Feature Film - Comedy.[133][134] Debney's score won the ASCAP Award for Top Box Office Film, one of three awards the composer received at the 17th Film and Television Music Awards ceremony.[135] Myra's song "Miracles Happen (When You Believe)" received an ALMA Award nomination for Outstanding Song in a Motion Picture Soundtrack.[136][137] Casting directors Marcia Ross, Donna Morong and Gail Goldberg were nominated for an Artios Award for Feature Film Casting – Comedy.[138]

At the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards, The Princess Diaries was nominated for Best Family Film - Live Action.[139][140] The film's trailer was nominated for a Golden Trailer Award for Best Animation/Family.[141] Makeup artists Hallie D'Amore and Leonard Engelma were nominated for a Hollywood Makeup Artist Hair Stylist Guild Award for Best Contemporary Makeup - Feature.[142][143] Hathaway received an MTV Movie Award nomination for Breakthrough Female Performance.[144][145] The Princess Diaries was nominated for two Teen Choice Awards: Choice Movie: Actress, Comedy for Hathaway and Choice Movie: Comedy.[146][147]