Rachel McAdams refused to star in the hit 2000s film: her director insisted three times, but the actress refused each time, before wondering if she had made the right decision…
No matter how much time passes, the legacy of films from the 2000s remains more alive than ever among Millennials (or Generation Y), who will always have a special affection for films from this era. And without a doubt, one of the most memorable titles is The Devil Wears Prada, which, 18 years after its release, continues to impact an entire generation. However, the feature film starring Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt could have been very different, since the film crew tried up to three times to convince Rachel McAdams to play the lead role.
The adaptation of Lauren Wisberger's best-seller tells the story of Andrea “Andy” Sachs, a young journalist who, almost without really looking for it, lands a job as personal assistant to formidable fashion editor Miranda Priestly. At the time, 20th Century Fox wanted Rachel McAdams to play Andy, so the production team insisted on hiring her due to her growing popularity thanks to hits like Lolita Despite Me and Never Forget – to no avail , Rachel McAdams was determined to change careers and seek less commercial roles. The studio did not fail to insist, but the actress rejected the offer three consecutive times.
At the film's 15th anniversary celebration, director David Frankel explained to Entertainment Weekly that they didn't throw in the towel so easily: “We started negotiating with Annie to make a deal, but it didn't work out with the studio. We proposed [le rôle] to Rachel McAdams three times. The studio was determined to have her, and she was determined not to.“
Faced with this refusal, the studio had to evaluate other possibilities such as Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman, Kate Hudson and Kirsten Dunst, among others. Ultimately, Anne Hathaway was the one who pushed the most to get the role, to the point that, despite being the ninth choice, she managed to capture the team's attention and ended up playing one of the most famous people of his career.
A decision that made him doubt
Over time, Rachel McAdams shared her thoughts on the decision she made at the time, stating that although it caused her anxiety, it was a personal choice. In an interview with Bustle in April 2023, the actress admitted to feeling “guilty of not taking advantage of the opportunity” which was offered to her at a time when she was at the top of her form.
“I felt guilty for not having taken advantage of the opportunity given to me, because I knew I was in a very lucky situation. But I also knew it didn't quite fit my personality and what I needed to stay sane. There were moments of anxiety when I wondered if I was throwing everything away and why I was doing that. It took me years to understand what I was doing intuitively.“
All these doubts pushed Rachel McAdams to take a break to return to Canada with her family. After rejecting this project, the actress went some time away from acting and, years later, returned to the big screen, rising to fame again with projects such as Sherlock Holmes, Midnight in Paris and Spotlight, the latter of which earned her an Oscar nomination. Her career has taken off again but the question still remains as to what might have happened if she had agreed to star in The Devil Wears Prada.
On the other hand, for Anne Hathaway, the film changed her career, leading her to increasingly notable roles and, ultimately, to her Oscar for Les Misérables in 2013.
The Devil Wears Prada can be seen streaming again on Disney+.
