THE Dark Knight Rises star Anne Hathaway has said she felt a responsibility to "become strong" in order to play Catwoman. Hathaway explained that the hours she spent in the gym toning her body were important to physically embody the role of Selina Kyle in Christopher Nolan's final Batman film."It wasn't just about looking a certain way. I had to learn how to fight. I had to become strong," the actress said, reports Parade. Hathaway also addressed the expectations that come with taking on an iconic role like Catwoman.

"I feel in situations like this - I don't know what other actresses have gone through - but sometimes there's a mandate that comes to you and deals with how you have to look," she explained. "The way I was treated on this movie was, 'Learn how to do what you need to do and then however you look, that's the way the character looks'. And I felt, as a woman, very protected in that way."Hathaway previously suggested that landing a role in The Dark Knight Rises was a dream come true. "I couldn't believe that this was even an opportunity made available to me and then when I actually got it I, I mean it… it's a little bit too good to be true," the star admitted.                –DS
The Dark Knight Rises is released in cinemas on July 20. DS