Entertainment Movies Horror & Thriller Movies Anne Hathaway Says Her Kids 'Can't See' Her in The Witches: When 'I Smile They're Going to Freak' The Oscar-winning actress tells PEOPLE she worries sons Jonathan, 4, and Jack, 11 months, will be scared of her evil character By Dana Rose Falcone Dana Rose Falcone Dana Rose Falcone is a Staff Writer covering TV at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE for seven years. Dana Rose's work has previously appeared in Entertainment Weekly, Men's Fitness and Us Weekly. People Editorial Guidelines Published on October 29, 2020 11:58AM EDT In her new film The Witches, Anne Hathaway plays the Grand High Witch, a magical and powerful woman intent on turning all children into mice. But as a kid herself, Hathaway didn't fear witches. "Witches always seemed like something you wanted to be. They’re powerful," the actress, 37, tells PEOPLE in this week's issue. "So I was always really into the idea of being one." For more on Anne Hathaway and Stanley Tucci, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribe here. But the mother of two acquired another fear at a young age. "When I was little, my parents didn’t realize I snuck into the living room one night while they were watching Poltergeist and I saw that movie way too young," Hathaway recalls. "And to this day I’m kind of afraid of being sucked into a closet, which is why I don’t want my children to see this movie. Everybody else’s children can see it but my kids can’t see this movie until they’re like 30 because every time I smile they’re just going to freak." Anne Hathaway in The Witches. HBO MAX RELATED VIDEO: Anne Hathaway Debuts Baby Bump in Fuchsia Pink Cut-Out Dress on Red Carpet at Broadway Opening Her Witches costar Stanley Tucci adds, "No one will sleep in the house. If they wake up with a nightmare, yes, that’s upsetting, but then they’re waking you up!" Hathaway might not want sons Jack, 11 months, and Jonathan, 4, watching the family horror movie, based on Roald Dahl's dark children's fantasy novel of the same name, but she still planned something fun for her kids to celebrate Halloween at home. Anne Hathaway and Stanley Tucci in The Witches. Courtesy Warner Bros. "We’re getting together with people in our little circle to do a candy scavenger hunt in the backyard," says the Oscar winner, who recently revealed she was pregnant with her second son while shooting The Witches. "Because my youngest, Jack, is 11 months old and crawling everywhere and climbing everything, I’m going to dress him up as a monkey and I’m going to be a tree." Catch People (the TV show!) Monday through Friday. Check your local listings for exact times or stream the show every day at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT at People.com and PeopleTV.com. The Witches, also starring Octavia Spencer, is available to stream now on HBO Max.