Ah, the making of “The Devil Wears Prada“! A tale as intriguing as Miranda Priestly herself, and just as fashionable.
Emily Blunt wouldn’t mind returning to the world of Runway.
18 years following the release of the renowned “The Devil Wears Prada” movie, its star has expressed her thoughts on the prospect of a sequel for this unforgettable mid-2000s box office smash.
She remarked during her talk at the Red Sea International Film Festival on December 5th, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, “There are signs of change and uncertainty swirling about.” However, she cautioned that she couldn’t verify any specific information. Yet, if something were to materialize, everyone involved would be thrilled.
As a die-hard admirer, I can’t help but feel a flutter of excitement when I hear that our beloved 41-year-old star hasn’t ruled out a return to the classic movie scene we all cherish so much. Although no specifics have been shared yet about this potential comeback – a film that boasts the brilliant performances of Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Stanley Tucci – the whispers from other cast members have certainly kindled the hope within us fans.
As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but say that if given the chance, I would dive back into it without hesitation. Stanley, the talented artist from the initial production, hinted at this possibility when he spoke to TopMob News in October. With a grin, he playfully suggested, “Perhaps.
Just as Emily, he felt assured that others would eagerly seize the chance to return to the realm of Runway Magazine and high-profile fashion personalities too.
Stanley went on, “I must say, it was a fantastic adventure,” he added. “Should it occur – and we’d need to sort out all the details, of course – I believe everyone would find it enjoyable.
It’s common knowledge that there are many details about the upcoming sequel being circulated, including significant plot points. As reported by Puck News, it seems the sequel will be produced by the same person who made the original movie.
In this story, it’s mentioned that Andy Sachs, portrayed by Anne, is said to be a junior assistant to Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl. As the print industry declines, Andy finds herself in need of assistance and turns to her ex-assistant Emily Charlton, who has since risen to become a powerful executive at a fashion house that regularly advertises with their publication, Emily Blunt playing the role.
As for the prospect of a sequel reuniting the film’s primary character, Anne had expressed uncertainty in the past whether such an event would transpire.
In October 2022, she clarified to TopMob that if such a thing is happening, she hasn’t been informed. However, she speculated that if they are planning a new series based on popular films, it might involve a different group of people. She suggested it could be headed in that direction, but she wasn’t certain if our current team would be part of it.
She did, however, share some insight into where she thinks her character would have ended up.
She went on to say, “I believe Andy is currently in Paris and I suspect she’s contributing to an exceptional French women’s publication. I have a feeling she’s a staff writer there and her command of French is excellent. From what I can gather, she might not be married, but she could possibly have one or two kids. All in all, she seems quite impressive.
To plunge back into the world of high-fashion moguls, continue for an exciting reveal of hidden truths about the 2006 movie.
The movie adaptation of “The Devil Wears Prada” was already being developed before the book was even published. Just the initial 100 pages and an outline were enough to convince Fox executives, who found the roman-à-clef based on author Lauren Weisberger’s short-lived role as Anna Wintour’s assistant at Vogue intriguing. In 2016, Carla Hacken, a former executive vice president at Fox 2000, shared with Variety that she was the first to read it and found Miranda Priestly to be one of the most captivating villains ever. She recalled that they quickly moved to secure the rights for the production.
The adaptation process for the screenplay, based on the 2003 bestselling book by The New York Times, started early on. However, after four different authors attempted to write a linear narrative, it was Aline Brosh McKenna who received the assignment to pen a revised script that delved into the sacrifices women must make in order to climb the ladder at fashion magazine editorials. “I drafted it relatively quickly – roughly within a month,” McKenna shared with the publication. “Subsequently, I rewrote it based on everyone’s feedback.
2. The legends surrounding Anna Wintour posed numerous challenges for the film’s production. As McKenna shared with Entertainment Weekly during her research, “I encountered immense difficulty finding anyone in the fashion industry willing to speak with me, as people were fearful of Anna and Vogue, concerned about being ostracized.” The only individual who spoke to her, whose identity she will never reveal, read the script and stated, “The characters in this film are overly kind. No one in that world is overly kind. They don’t have to be, and they don’t have time to be.” Consequently, McKenna made revisions to make the characters a bit more occupied and harsh.
David Frankel, the director, confessed to Entertainment Weekly that it was challenging to find suitable locations due to Wintour’s extensive influence. He explained, “The Met Ball caused the Metropolitan Museum to avoid us.” Bryant Park, which was then the long-standing venue for New York Fashion Week, was also off the table.
He mentioned that despite considering those famous apartment buildings as potential options for Miranda’s apartment, the co-op boards refused our application. In the end, they were fortunate enough to borrow a five-story townhouse on the Upper East Side from a friend of producer Wendy Finerman.
3. However, they managed to excel in one area: “Our only connection with Vogue was Jess Gonchor, the production designer, who secretly visited their offices to peek at Anna’s workspace,” Frankel shared with Entertainment Weekly. “He skillfully recreated the office so accurately that I was informed Anna redecorated her own right after the movie release.
4. The wardrobe posed an unusual hurdle too. To begin with, Frankel mentioned to EW, they found it difficult to persuade any renowned designers to provide garments for the movie: “They were reluctant to face Anna’s displeasure.
Legendary costume designer Patricia Field made an entrance, skillfully coordinating a collection of approximately 150 items from designers like Donna Karan, Zac Posen, Rick Owens, and Prada. She ensured each piece was distinctly different for Meryl Streep’s character Miranda Priestly, as well as Anna Wintour. “She took everything we had,” commented Meryl Streep, “We had to be extra cautious not to spill spaghetti at lunch, because it couldn’t be returned!
5. And Wintour has a bit of a playful attitude towards the situation. Streep had a chat with the editor-in-chief of Vogue for their 125th anniversary issue, discussing her role as Wintour’s late friend Katherine Graham in The Post from 2017. When asked about the most difficult character she’s ever portrayed, Streep hesitated before saying something, only for Wintour to interrupt with a chuckle, “No, no! We’re not going there, Meryl.
7. As a lifestyle expert, I too found myself at the very same screening, just like my previous assistant Weisberger. Later on, when asked about the movie by 60 Minutes, I candidly shared that it was purely for entertainment purposes. It was far from an accurate portrayal of the inner workings of this renowned magazine.
7. Meryl Streep was the sole contender for the role of Miranda, as studio VP Hacken confessed to Variety that no other actresses were seriously considered. In her words, “All I can remember is praying, ‘Please let it be Meryl.'” Upon hearing that the Academy Award winner’s agent had read the script and agreed to meet with the director, Hacken momentarily paused to rejoice. “I was ecstatic in my office.
Meryl Streep expressed her admiration for the character’s unyielding resilience and refusal to compromise, stating, “I was drawn to the fact that she didn’t shy away from her harsher aspects, and it was her unwillingness to compromise or try to win over others that made her truly formidable. My friend Carrie Fisher would often refer to this as ‘the squeezy and tilty’ tactic used by women in power-plays. [Miranda] did not employ such tactics.
8. In a manner reminiscent of Miranda Priestly, Streep chose to negotiate the terms before accepting the role. Although she had already garnered two Oscars and additional nominations numbering 11 by then, she wasn’t yet accustomed to demanding higher compensation. However, on this occasion, she made her request heard.
She clarified to Variety that the initial offer seemed, in her opinion, somewhat inadequate, if not outright disrespectful, maybe not accurately representing her true worth for the project. She described it as her “goodbye moment,” only for them to subsequently double the offer. At the age of 55, she had recently learned how to negotiate on her own behalf after a long time.
9. Alongside other requirements, Streep requested the inclusion of two specific scenes: The first, which she referred to as “the fashion business,” showcased Miranda instructing Andy about her iconic cerulean sweater. The second was a heartfelt moment, set in a hotel room, where Miranda appeared vulnerable, stripping off her protective layers.
Meryl Streep’s white hair was part of her own design, as she arrived for her studio discussion with frozen locks, reminisced director Frankel to Entertainment Weekly. In his words, “Meryl embodied Miranda in that encounter, and there was no need for a hair-related conversation; they simply gazed into Meryl’s eyes without uttering a single word.
10. Anne Hathaway worked harder for her role compared to Andy, her assistant, in securing their respective parts, although she wasn’t as challenged as one might think; during an interview on RuPaul’s Drag Race, she humorously admitted that she was the ninth choice for The Devil Wears Prada.
Despite not needing to audition, Hathaway had to exercise patience. She even went as far as to write “hire me” in the sand of a zen garden belonging to the casting director, Hacken. When she eventually received the news, she was in her bedroom getting dressed. She recalled to the outlet that at the time, she had some friends over. Excitedly, she dashed out into the living room, only half-dressed, shouting, “I got The Devil Wears Prada! I got The Devil Wears Prada!
11. Luckily for Hathaway, the executives’ preferred choice rejected the offer multiple times. The director, Frankel, revealed that they approached Rachel McAdams three times. At that time, McAdams was busy filming Fox’s “The Family Stone”. Following her success in “Mean Girls” and “The Notebook”, McAdams declined another mainstream movie, stating she didn’t want to be a part of it. As Frankel put it, “The studio was adamant about having her, but she was resolute in not taking the role.
Meryl Streep’s performance in “Brokeback Mountain” (alongside Anne Hathaway) played a significant role in convincing the producer of The Princess Diaries. As Frankel remembered, “Meryl watched that scene from the movie,” she later met with her and contacted Tom Rothman at Fox, expressing her belief that they would work well together and that Hathaway was talented.
12. Finding the right actress for Emily proved to be quite a challenge. Frankel observed over 100 women trying out for Miranda’s strict personal assistant (including Tracie Thoms, who later returned to audition for the role of Lily, Andy’s best friend), but it was the casual-dressed Emily Blunt who stood out.
While Emily Blunt was already on the Fox studio lot auditioning for a role in the 2006 fantasy film ‘Eragon’, a casting agent asked her to try out for ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. However, Blunt shared on ‘The Late Late Show’ in May 2021 that she was rushing to the airport at that time and felt somewhat disorganized. As a result, she read the script but was wearing sweatpants, which didn’t fit the part’s image at all.
A few days had passed, and I was still grappling with my regret over missing out on the chance to play Eragon. Then, I received a call from Frankel. He shared with me that he’d been in a seedy club in London when he called me back from the restroom. His words were, “I would have cast you based on the tape, but the studio insists on seeing you one more time. Could you replicate your performance, but this time in costume?
13. She perfectly fit the role. Initially, Emily was meant to be American, but when screenwriter McKenna listened to Blunt deliver her sharp one-liners with her distinct British accent, they adjusted the script, adding more British elements to it, as McKenna later explained to Entertainment Weekly.
Blunt acknowledges taking inspiration from a mom she encountered for one of her lines in the film. As she described on The Howard Stern Show, she admitted to ‘borrowing’ from people she meets. While they were shooting the movie, she overheard a mother scolding her child in a supermarket. The line, which has since been frequently quoted back to her, is: ‘I’m hearing this, and I want to hear this.’ She incorporated it into the film herself.
14. Apart from his acting role, Stanley Tucci was instrumental in creating memorable lines for the series. After a long search by producers for the perfect fit as art director Nigel on “Runway”, Tucci took up the part at the last minute, as he shared with Entertainment Weekly. He then successfully portrayed Nigel’s dry wit and even improvised some of his most famous one-liners.
During an interview with Buzzfeed, Tucci mentioned his fondness for the moment when Miranda enters the office and causes a commotion. He explained that the entire cast erupted in laughter, and David gave him numerous lines to speak, with “Gird your loins” being the one that made it into the final cut. Among the lines that didn’t make it was a suggestion of his own: “Tits in!” Tucci revealed this tidbit to Entertainment Weekly. He admitted that he came up with that line on the spot, and every time they laughed, it was brought back up.
15. Without a doubt, his most cherished keepsake from the movie was his family. Tucci maintained such a strong bond with his co-star Blunt that he received an invitation to her 2010 wedding to John Krasinski. It was at this event where he rekindled a relationship with Felicity Blunt, whom he later married in 2012. Together, they have two children named Matteo and Emilia.
However, as Tucci shared with People, it was at the film’s 2006 premiere where he first met his future spouse. At that time, he was still married to his late wife, Kate Tucci, who had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. He stated, “I did the movie, and she underwent treatments, and then we had the premiere, and then she lived for four more years after that.” Strangely enough, Felicity – Emily’s sister – his future wife, and Kate engaged in a conversation at the premiere that night, and I even have a picture of them together, which is quite unusual.
16. Similar to Hathaway, Thoms recalls vividly the instant she heard she would portray Lily, as it happened on her 30th birthday in August 2005. The star of Rent felt rather assured about her audition—”By then, my career had led me into a best friend role. So I thought, ‘Lily? That’s within my comfort zone.'”—but she was equally delighted when the news came.
She reminisced to TopMob News about being in Dartmouth where she attended a workshop for a new play by Alan Ball. And it was during lunch in the cafeteria that she received the news. Essentially, someone said, ‘Hey, congratulations, you’ve been cast in The Devil Wears Prada! Happy birthday!’ It turned out to be a memorable birthday celebration for her.
17. Thomas also recalls seeing Adrian Grenier, who was extremely popular due to his role in Entourage, surrounded by fans and gracefully handling every autograph request by distributing CDs of his indie-folk group, The Honey Brothers, instead.
According to Thoms, Grenier (who played Nate, Andy’s boyfriend) used the opportunity to highlight his bandmates because he wasn’t the lead singer of the band. Thoms found it commendable how Grenier handled everyone with care and acknowledged their backing, then reciprocated that support towards his fellow band members.
18. Though Thoms found the entire event extraordinary, saying it was reminiscent of “Sex and the City,” she admitted to having one lingering disappointment.
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.”
Admittedly, she found herself concocting a plan to retain the beautiful handbag, she confessed to TopMob News. “Initially, there was a scene where I would inadvertently forget to take the bag from my trailer with me, but that part got removed,” she explained. “As a result, I never returned to set to claim the purse, it was quite disheartening.
19. Initially, no one was planning to go to Paris for the final scenes of Miranda and Andy’s trip to Paris Fashion Week, as Meryl Streep wasn’t going. However, during production, Frankel managed to create a compelling preview (sizzle reel) that persuaded the studio to release the movie in summer with an enhanced budget. “I was shocked,” Frankel told Variety.
Hathaway and Simon Baker (playing her other love interest, writer Christian) jet-off to France for a couple of days of filming, while Streep recorded her scenes in New York City. The production team stated that it would be excessively costly to arrange Streep’s travel.
20. In reality, Streep regretted not participating in much of the enjoyable camaraderie. Reflecting on her decision to immerse herself deeply into her Miranda character and avoid set chatter, she later told Entertainment Weekly that it was miserable. “I could hear everyone laughing and having a good time,” she lamented. “I was so downcast! I thought, ‘That’s the cost of being in charge!’ That was the last time I ever attempted Method acting again!
Before Meryl Streep turned icy, she offered a quick pep talk, as recalled by Anne Hathaway in an interview with People. She said, “‘I want you to know I think you’re going to be fantastic, and I’m so glad to work with you…and that will be the last nice thing I say to you.’
That’s all.
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2024-12-06 18:20