Harvey Weinstein: Anne Hathaway pulled out of 'Silver Linings Playbook'

Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Anne Hathaway didn't come away from last year's Oscar season empty handed -- she won a supporting actress award for her emotional Les Miserables performance -- but she could have had another juicy film role under her belt.

Hollywood heavyweight Harvey Weinstein told Howard Stern on Wednesday that Hathaway was his first choice for Silver Linings' female lead.

"Silver Linings Playbook was originally going to be with Anne Hathaway and Mark Wahlberg," he said. "And then Anne wasn't doing it. And she's marvelous, and wonderful and she was my choice, I love her."

"We had Annie and then we had Mark . . . then whatever happened, happened," Weinstein said, explaining that Hathaway pulled out over "creative differences" with notoriously difficult director David O. Russell, who is likely to get a best director Oscar nod for this year's American Hustle.

When Stern suggested that Hathaway was "kicking herself in the head," the executive said "I don't think so. She went on to win the Academy Award for Les Miserables -- maybe we're kicking [ourselves] in the head."

But it all worked out in the end.

"I said, 'How the hell are we gonna replace Annie?' And then this amazing creature walked in who is a brilliant actress, and so much fun, and she won an Oscar," Weinstein added.

For those interested in the mechanics of show business, the whole interview is worth a listen. Weinstein discusses an upcoming Judy Garland biopic starring Hathaway, as well as a National Rifle Association project with Meryl Streep.

Weinstein said he hates guns and hopes that an anti-NRA film will contribute to the downfall of the organization.

"I'm gonna make a movie with Meryl Streep and we're gonna take this issue head on," he said. "They're gonna wish they weren't alive after I'm done with them."

[Us Weekly, MTV News]