Reflecting upon the intriguing tales of these captivating actors and actresses, I find myself utterly enchanted by their experiences during the filming of “The Devil Wears Prada.” Each of them, from Meryl Streep to Tracie Thoms, embodied their characters with a depth and passion that truly brought the story to life.
Stanley Tucci doesn’t love the aftertaste of his past roles.
Indeed, I’ve recently opened up about the challenging road I navigated following my role alongside screen legends Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt in the 2006 movie “The Devil Wears Prada.” It was a unique experience that left an indelible mark on me.
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair (published October 22), Stanley explained that he struggled to find employment and admitted that he didn’t fully comprehend the situation at the time. He then shared that as a result, he took on tasks that weren’t necessarily his first choice but went ahead and completed them anyway.
As a dedicated follower, I embarked on various small-screen appearances post my success in “The Hunger Games,” gracing shows such as “Monk” and “ER.” However, I found myself in fewer roles, an experience common among actors, and this was further influenced by the challenges posed by my oral cancer battle in 2017. This setback undeniably impacted my career trajectory.
Stanley added, “My professional journey has consistently experienced ups and downs, often due to factors beyond my control such as the nature of business or personal circumstances. For instance, being unwell for six years significantly impacted my work, but eventually, I had to get back on track and resume my activities.
Moreover, the cookbook author, having successfully overcome cancer, underscored his strong desire to resume work after completing his treatments.
Stanley clarified, “Since I required funds, I had to find a job. Looking back, maybe I began working a bit prematurely. My energy levels weren’t great following the treatments, but there was no choice – one had to keep going. Over time, you regain your strength.
Although the Easy A actor didn’t mention any particular roles he dislikes, he has expressed his affection for being part of the 2009 film Julie & Julia, which starred his friend Meryl.
Stanley shared with TopMob News during an interview on October 10th that they had a casual acquaintance. They had both worked together on the “Devil Wears Prada,” but it was at a mutual friend’s Christmas party where she asked him, “Would you like to portray my husband in this upcoming film about Julia Child?” To which he replied, “Yes.” He felt incredibly privileged to be given that opportunity.
That invitation turned out to be a key ingredient for success, as Stanley noted, “It was one of the most wonderful experiences I’ve ever had, and from then on, our bond grew incredibly strong.
Could it be that Stanley and Meryl may join forces once more in a follow-up of “The Devil Wears Prada“? While he didn’t give a firm answer, it seems he’s certainly considering the possibility.
He told TopMob News, “I’d go back there in a heartbeat! Let me tell you, it was an incredible experience. If the opportunity arises again, assuming we can sort out all the details, it would be something enjoyable for everyone.
Although the sequel’s confirmation is still uncertain, continue reading for fascinating backstage details about “The Devil Wears Prada”.
The film adaptation of “The Devil Wears Prada” was already being planned before the book was even published. A mere first 100 pages and an outline were sufficient to convince Fox executives, based on author Lauren Weisberger‘s brief tenure as assistant to editor-in-chief Anna Wintour at Vogue. In a 2016 interview with Variety, former executive vice president of Fox 2000, Carla Hacken, recounted that she was the first to read it. She found Miranda Priestly to be one of the most compelling villains and recalled their swift move to secure the rights for the production.
The adaptation started before the 2003 publication of the New York Times bestseller, but following attempts by four writers to develop a coherent storyline, Aline Brosh McKenna was assigned to write a fresh script centered around the personal sacrifices women make in their pursuit for higher positions at fashion magazines. According to her statement to the outlet, she completed a draft within approximately a month, and then revised it based on everyone’s feedback.
2. The legend surrounding Anna Wintour brought about numerous challenges during the filming process. As McKenna explained to Entertainment Weekly during her research, “I faced immense difficulties finding anyone in the fashion industry willing to talk to me because they were intimidated by Anna and Vogue, fearing being shunned.” There was one individual who shared information with me, whose identity I will never reveal, who commented, ‘The characters in this movie are too kind. No one in that world is too kind. They don’t have to be, and they don’t have the time to be.’ Consequently, I made a revision to make everyone seem more rushed and less amiable.
David Frankel, the director, openly confessed to Entertainment Weekly about the challenge in securing locations due to Wintour’s wide influence. He expressed that the Met Ball made the Metropolitan Museum unwilling to collaborate with them. Moreover, Bryant Park, which was then the long-standing venue for New York Fashion Week, also declined their request.
He mentioned that despite some notable apartment buildings being considered for Miranda’s apartment, the co-op boards wouldn’t allow us access to them. In the end, they secured a five-story Upper East Side townhouse from a friend of producer Wendy Finerman on loan.
3. However, they managed to excel in one area: “Our only interaction with Vogue was through Jess Gonchor, the production designer, who secretly visited their offices to catch a glimpse of Anna’s office,” Frankel shared with Entertainment Weekly. “He recreated the office so accurately that I heard Anna immediately redecorated hers following the movie’s release.
4. The wardrobe posed an unusual hurdle too. At first, Frankel revealed to EW, they found it hard to persuade any well-known designers to provide garments for the movie, as they were reluctant to face Anna’s displeasure.
Legendary fashion expert Patricia Field gracefully walked in, meticulously arranging around 150 items from designers like Donna Karan, Zac Posen, Rick Owens, and Prada. She ensured that Meryl Streep’s character, Miranda Priestly, was distinctly different from Anna Wintour. “She took everything we had,” commented Streep, “We had to be extra cautious about eating spaghetti at lunch, as any accidental spills would ruin the pieces and they couldn’t be returned!
5. And Wintour has a bit of a chuckle about the situation. In an interview for Vogue’s 125th anniversary issue, Streep spoke with Wintour about her portrayal of Wintour’s late friend Katherine Graham in the 2017 film The Post. When asked about the most difficult character she had ever played, Streep hesitated before saying, “I suppose…” only for Wintour to interrupt with a laugh, “No, no! We’re not discussing that, Meryl.
6. Wintour indeed went to the same screening as her ex-assistant Weisberger, and she later explained to 60 Minutes that the movie was merely entertainment, stating it did not accurately depict the happenings within the magazine.
7. Meryl Streep was undoubtedly the ideal candidate for the role of Miranda, as studio VP Hacken confessed to Variety that no other actresses were seriously considered. In her words, “I only recall praying fervently—please let it be Meryl.” Upon hearing that the Academy Award-winning actress’s agent had read the script and agreed to meet with the director, Hacken momentarily paused his work to rejoice. “I was ecstatic in my office.
Meryl Streep expressed her appreciation for the character’s unyielding toughness and resilience, stating that she appreciated that the character refused to diminish herself: “I admired that there was no attempt to retreat from her harsh aspects, and what made her truly intimidating was her unwillingness to compromise or appease, which is often a tactic used by women in situations where they want their way—as my friend Carrie Fisher would put it, she avoided the ‘squeezy and tilty’ approach.” [Miranda] refused to employ this strategy.
8. In a move reminiscent of Miranda Priestly, Streep chose to negotiate her compensation for the role before finalizing her acceptance. Although she had already garnered two Oscars and 11 nominations prior, Streep hadn’t yet fully embraced the act of requesting higher pay. However, on this occasion, she made her voice heard.
She shared with Variety that the initial offer, while not exactly disrespectful, didn’t fully recognize her worth for the project. She felt it was her time to leave, but then they increased the offer significantly. At 55 years old, she had recently learned how to advocate for herself effectively.
9. Apart from other requirements, Streep requested two specific scenes to avoid portraying Miranda as a stereotype: The first was about fashion, where the trendsetter instructed Andy on the significance of her blue sweater, and the second was a private moment, an unguarded scene in the hotel room where Miranda is without her defenses.
The snowy-white tresses were also Meryl Streep’s idea, as she arrived with her frosty locks for a private discussion with the studio head. As director Frankel reminisced to Entertainment Weekly, “Meryl embodied Miranda during that meeting, and there was no need for words about the hair; they simply looked into Meryl’s eyes.
10. Anne Hathaway worked harder to get her role compared to Andy’s, although not incredibly so. As she shared during an episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, “I was actually the ninth pick for The Devil Wears Prada.
Despite not needing to audition as stated by Hathaway to Variety, she had to exercise patience. Moreover, she embarked on a determined effort, which involved carving the phrase “hire me” in the serene sand of Hacken’s zen garden. Upon receiving the news, she was in her bedroom getting dressed and recalled excitedly running out half-dressed into her living room to announce, “I got The Devil Wears Prada! I got The Devil Wears Prada!” to her friends gathered there.
11. In a fortunate turn of events for Hathaway, the executives’ preferred choice refused the role multiple times. As director Frankel explained to Entertainment Weekly, they approached Rachel McAdams three times for the part. At that time, McAdams was engrossed in filming Fox’s “The Family Stone,” and having just completed “Mean Girls” and “The Notebook,” she decided against taking on another mainstream production. Frankel added, “The studio persisted in wanting her, but she was firm about not being involved.
Meryl Streep’s performance in the 2005 Oscar-winning film, “Brokeback Mountain,” along with Anne Hathaway’s role, played a significant part in securing her collaboration for “The Princess Diaries.” As Frankel remembered, Streep watched that specific scene and then met with her. She later phoned Tom Rothman at Fox, expressing her belief that Hathaway was excellent and they would make a good pair.
12. Finding the right actress for Emily proved to be quite challenging. Frankel had seen over a hundred women audition for Miranda’s stern personal assistant (including Tracie Thoms, who later returned to read for the part of Lily, Andy’s best friend), but it was the modestly dressed Emily Blunt who stood out to him.
While on the Fox studio lot auditioning for a role in the 2006 fantasy film Eragon, a casting agent proposed that she try out for The Devil Wears Prada. However, during this time, Blunt was hurrying to catch her flight, and she admitted on The Late Late Show in May 2021 that she was quite flustered. So, she read the script, but she was dressed in sweatpants, which certainly didn’t fit the part at all.
A few days later, Blunt was still mourning about not getting the role in Eragon, when Frankel called her. As she explained to Variety, this call came from a seedy club in London. She returned his call from the restroom. He said, “I had planned to cast you based on the audition tape, but the studio wants to see you one more time. Could you redo it, but try to fit the character’s wardrobe better?
13. She perfectly fit the role. Initially, Emily was supposed to be American, but when screenwriter McKenna listened to Blunt deliver her sharp wit with a British accent, they decided to adjust the script, adding more British expressions to it, as McKenna explained to Entertainment Weekly.
In another instance, Blunt acknowledges taking inspiration from a harried mom for a line in the film. She shared on The Howard Stern Show, “I guess I borrow from people I encounter,” she said. “While shooting that movie, I saw a mother scolding her child in a supermarket. The line she used, ‘Yeah, I’m listening to this, and I want to hear this,’ resonated with me so much that I included it in the film.
14. Apart from his acting role, Stanley Tucci was instrumental in creating memorable lines for the series. When producers were struggling to find the perfect actor for the art director Nigel in “Runway,” Tucci stepped in at the last minute and accepted the part as told to Entertainment Weekly. He then brilliantly portrayed Nigel’s dry wit, even improvising some of the character’s most famous quotes.
In an interview with Buzzfeed, Tucci mentioned his fondness for the moment when Miranda enters the office and causes a commotion. He recollected how everyone couldn’t stop laughing, and David kept suggesting lines for him to say, ultimately choosing “Gird your loins”. Among the lines that didn’t make it were one of Tucci’s own creation, “‘Tits in!'”, which he shared with Entertainment Weekly. He added that this was a line he came up with on the spot whenever they laughed.
15. Without a doubt, his most cherished keepsake from the movie is his family. Tucci maintained such a strong bond with co-star Blunt that he received an invitation to her 2010 wedding to John Krasinski. It was at this event where he rekindled his relationship with Felicity Blunt, who is now his wife. They married in 2012 and since then have been blessed with children Matteo and Emilia.
However, as Tucci shared with People, it was at the film’s 2006 premiere where he encountered his future spouse. At that point, he was still married to his late wife, Kate Tucci, who had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. He further clarified, “So I completed the movie, and she underwent treatments, and then we had the premiere. She lived for four more years following that.” Interestingly, Felicity – Emily’s sister – his current wife, and Kate interacted at the premiere that night, as evidenced by a photograph of them together, which is quite unusual.
16. (As a die-hard fan) Just like Hathaway, the memory of the day I got the call that I’d be playing Lily is etched deeply into my mind, particularly because it happened on my 30th birthday in August 2005. The star of Rent felt fairly certain about my audition—”By then, my career had led me to this ‘best friend’ niche. So I was like, ‘Lily? That’s a breeze. Perfect for me!'”—but the excitement didn’t fade when I heard the good news.
She reminisced to TopMob News about being in Dartmouth where she attended a workshop for a fresh play by Alan Ball. It was during lunchtime in the cafeteria when she received the news. Essentially, they said, “‘By the way, you’ve landed the role in The Devil Wears Prada! Happy Birthday!'” She considered it a wonderful birthday memory.
17. Thomas also recalls seeing Adrian Grenier, who was popular during the Entourage era, being surrounded by fans and gracefully handling each autograph request by distributing copies of his alternative folk band, The Honey Brothers’ CDs, instead.
Thoms observed that Grenier, playing Nate, Andy’s boyfriend, took advantage of the opportunity to highlight his bandmates since he wasn’t the lead singer. He admired how Grenier handled everyone with specific care, acknowledging their backing, and in turn, aiming to return that support to his fellow musicians.
18. Though Thomas found the whole experience utterly marvelous—”It was as if we were filming our own version of ‘Sex and the City.’ However, we weren’t actually doing so, but it had that distinct New York, urban, and mature vibe”—she does harbor a single regret.
She had a definite plan for the Marc Jacobs bag that Lily (and Thoms) salivated over in one key scene. “I asked the prop department to not show me the purse before we were rolling, because I wanted the reaction to be genuine,” she said. “That, like, gasping and grabbing and ‘Gimme, gimme!’, that happened because that purse was gorgeous.”
As a lifestyle expert, I’d put it this way: “I had an entire plan cooked up for ensuring my purse stayed secure, but alas, the scene where I’d inadvertently leave it behind in my trailer didn’t make the final cut. Consequently, I never returned to set to fetch my purse, which was quite unfortunate.
19. Meryl Streep wasn’t the one planning to visit Paris. Initially, it seemed like no one would be heading to the City of Light to shoot final scenes for Miranda and Andy’s grand trip to Paris Fashion Week. Frankel shared his shock with Variety, but later managed to create a preview reel that persuaded the studio to release the movie during summer, boosting its budget in the process.
Hathaway and Simon Baker (playing the role of Christian, her other love interest as a writer) traveled to France for two days of filming, while Streep shot her scenes in New York City. The production team stated that it would have been excessively costly to arrange Streep’s travel instead.
20. In reality, Streep regretted missing out on the camaraderie as she immersed herself deeply into her Miranda character and avoided most of the set humor. Later, she confided to Entertainment Weekly that it was dreadful, “I could hear them all laughing and joking. I was so miserable! I said, ‘Well, that’s the cost of being in charge!’ That will be the last time I ever try a Method acting approach!
Prior to Meryl Streep freezing up, as Hathaway remembered telling People, she delivered a quick encouraging speech, saying, “I want you to understand that I believe you’re going to excel, and it’s a pleasure to collaborate with you…and that will be the last compliment I give you.
That’s all.
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2024-10-23 04:20