Anne Hathaway Says She Was 'Surprised' by 'How Gentle' 'WeCrashed' Costar Jared Leto Can Be: 'So Sweet'

“Sometimes when you just know somebody’s work from the outside, you imagine there’s a level of intensity ... but he was so sweet, calm, and supportive of me,” Anne Hathaway tells PEOPLE

Photo: Rich Fury/Getty

Anne Hathaway was taken aback by her WeCrashed costar Jared Leto in the best way possible.

While chatting with PEOPLE at the red carpet premiere of the AppleTV+ series at the Paramount Theater at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, the actress, 39, opened up about working alongside the actor and musician, and how he defied all expectations she previously had of him.

Noting that she "learned so much" from Leto, 50, during their time starring together, Hathaway also explained, "I think how gentle he is, that was a surprise."

"I think sometimes when you just know somebody's work from the outside, you imagine, there's a level of intensity to him," she continued. "But he was so sweet, calm, and supportive of me throughout this whole process."

Added The Devil Wears Prada star: "So I don't know why I wasn't expecting that, but it was a delightful surprise."

WeCrashed follows the story of Adam and Rebekah Neumann, the couple who started WeWork. The show is an upcoming eight-part drama "inspired by actual events," according to the series' trailer, which was released in February.

Leto stars as Adam, the charismatic Israeli businessman who co-founded the shared workspace startup in 2010, while Hathaway portrays Rebekah, WeWork's chief brand officer and Adam's wife. Alongside the couple were WeWork co-founder Miguel McKelvey (Kyle Marvin) and Cameron Lautner (O-T Fagbenle), an investment firm partner.

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WeWork grew from a single coworking space into a global brand valued at $47 billion in under a decade. Then, in less than a year, the company's value plummeted — and so did the dynamics of those running WeWork.

The new series, which is inspired by the Wondrey podcast WeCrashed: The Rise and Fall of WeWork, was created by Lee Eisenberg and Drew Crevello. Oscar winners Leto and Hathaway serve as executive producers.

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Leto also chatted with PEOPLE at SXSW, where he opened up about getting into the character of Adam in his first television role since the 1990s teen drama, My So-Called Life.

"Well, I think the world, the world's changed," he explained to PEOPLE. "I didn't notice a single difference between this, process-wise, and between the [film], House of Gucci."

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"We worked a little longer, but honestly, it's no different to me," the Thirty Seconds to Mars musician continued.

"But it's great that the stigma that used to be between television and film is diminished, and people can kind of do what they're passionate about," Leto added. "And when you have ... a real-life story like this, you spend a little longer on things, longer on character and you just have a little more freedom. I think it's pretty cool."

WeCrashed's first three episodes premiere March 18 on Apple TV+. The following five episodes will be released in weekly installments each Friday through April 22.