Rabat – Anne Hathaway is set to star in and produce “Yesteryear,” an upcoming film adaptation of Caro Claire Burke’s novel about a conservative lifestyle influencer who is unexpectedly transported back to 1855.

A modern influencer in the 19th century

The story centers on Natalie Heller Mills, a successful “tradwife” influencer who has built a large online following by promoting an idealized version of traditional domestic life.

Natalie’s content presents a carefully curated image of family, homemaking, farming and self-sufficiency. 

Her online persona has turned that lifestyle into a successful business and attracted millions of followers.

Her life changes when she suddenly finds herself living in 1855, decades before the modern technology and conveniences that have shaped her life and career.

Without social media, modern appliances, or the infrastructure she is accustomed to, Natalie has to navigate the realities of 19th-century life in real time.

The premise creates a sharp contrast between the lifestyle Natalie promotes online and the reality of actually living in the historical period she has romanticized.

In the novel, Natalie initially struggles to understand what has happened to her. 

She questions whether she has travelled through time or whether there is another explanation for her sudden change in circumstances.

As she attempts to survive in the 19th century, the idealized image of traditional life she has promoted online comes into conflict with the physical demands and limitations of the period.

The story explores the difference between performing a lifestyle for an audience and experiencing it without modern conveniences.

Burke also uses Natalie’s experience to examine social media culture, gender roles, misinformation, and the popularity of the “tradwife” movement.

The novel was published by Knopf, an imprint of Penguin Random House, on April 7.

Anne Hathaway takes on the lead role

Hathaway will star to play Natalie and produce the film through her production company, Somewhere Pictures. 

Amazon MGM Studios is developing the adaptation, with Hannah Friedman writing the screenplay.

The film project was announced before the novel reached bookstores, after Amazon MGM acquired the rights to the book.

As of this month, the adaptation does not have an official release date. Further details about production and the rest of the cast have also not been announced.