At the end of November, filming will begin on the sequel to Devil Wears Pradasuccess of the year 2006. Good news, all the protagonists of the first film will be back. Nearly 20 years later will be reunited like good old times Meryl Streep (the formidable Miranda Priestley), Anne Hathaway (the docile Andrea “Andy” Sach), Emily Blunt (Emily, Miranda’s assistant who we love to hate) and even Stanley Tucci (Nigel). It will also be the return of David Frankel behind the camera and Aline Brosh McKenna writing the screenplay.
Anne Hathaway, the last choice…
Cult comedy of an entire generation, The Devil Wears Prada is one of the most notable films in the career of Anne Hathaway who was not yet 24 years old when the film was released. And she had to fight hard to land the role of Andy. In 2021, she confided, amused, during her appearance on the show RuPaul’s Drag Race : “I was the ninth pick. But I got it. Hang in there, never give up!” Before her, many actresses were approached to play the role of Meryl Streep. Among them? Claire Danes, Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman, Kate Hudson and Kirsten Dunst but above all Rachel McAdams. Who has long been the “favorite” to play Andy. A role that she refused… three times! “The studio was determined to have her, and she was determined not to”David Frankel told EW in 2021. Otherwise, she sent them to hell.
And it’s not the only hit film that Rachel McAdams turned down during this time. The star of Lolita in spite of myself et Never forget also said no to Casino Royale, Mission: Impossible 3, Iron Man et Max threatens him. For the latter, it was again Anne Hathaway who “replaced” her. “There are definitely things where I think, ‘I wish I had done that.’ But I step back and say, ‘He was the right person for this role.’recognized the actress in 2023 in an interview with Bustle. In fact, Rachel made a break in his career. Which lasted two years. She needed to spend time with family, to breathe, to refocus. “I felt guilty for not taking advantage of the opportunities given to me, because I knew I was very lucky. But I also knew that it didn’t really fit my personality and what I needed to stay sane.”
photo credit: Shutterstock Rachel McAdams in 2005, when she said no three times to Devil wears Prada
The chance of a lifetime for Anne Hathaway
Pour The Devil wears Prada, It was therefore Anne Hathaway to be chosen. And it’s an understatement to say that she fought like a devil for this role. “I remember her sitting on my couch in my office, explaining why she wanted to do this, why she had to play this role, and adding script notes on the third actexplained producer Elizabeth Gabler to EW. Looking back, it wasn’t exactly what we ended up doing, but his sensibilities were completely in tune with what we ultimately achieved… Annie never gave up. She never stopped campaigning, she never stopped calling, she walked into Carla Hacken’s office [responsable chez Fox] and wrote in his Zen garden: ‘Hire me.'”
And it was Meryl Streep who changed the situation. After seeing Anne in Brokeback Mountainshe asked to meet her and she personally called the boss of Fox to impose, “this girl is great, and I think we will work well together.” When the actress finally received the long-awaited phone call, “I ran screaming into my apartment. I had friends over at my house at the time, and I jumped into the living room and screamed, ‘I’m going to be in The Devil Wears Prada!’
