Meryl Streep Shares Why She Was Herself in Devil Wears Prada 2 After Her Tough Experience with the First Film

Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway in "The Devil Wears Prada 2".
Credit:

Macall Polay/20th Century Studios

NEED TO KNOW

• Anne Hathaway expressed relief that Meryl Streep did not stay in character during the filming of Devil Wears Prada 2.
• Streep previously attempted Method acting for the original 2006 film, a performance that garnered her an Oscar nomination.
• However, Streep has described that experience as "horrible," stating, "That’s the last time I ever attempted a Method thing."

In a recent interview, Anne Hathaway shared her appreciation for Meryl Streep’s relaxed approach on the set of Devil Wears Prada 2, highlighting how it differed from their experience while filming the original movie.

The sequel, set for release in May, comes two decades after the debut of the first film. In an interview with Vogue, Hathaway revealed that during this latest production, Streep, now 76, did not maintain her character between takes.

Reflecting on a memorable moment during a camera test, Hathaway recalled hearing over the radio that "Miranda Priestly is walking." As Streep, embodying her iconic character, walked ahead of Hathaway, she described the sight as “practically psychedelic.” “I just felt so many portals open up at that moment. I was 22 again, but it was still now,” she added.

Hathaway humorously noted, "Thankfully, this time she didn’t stay in character the entire time, so we had a lot of laughs."

Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway in "The Devil Wears Prada" (2006).

Barry Wetcher/Fox

Streep, who received a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her role as the formidable Miranda Priestly in the original film, was joined by Hathaway, who portrayed the ambitious Andy Sachs.

In 2021, Streep recounted to Entertainment Weekly that her initial foray into Method acting during the first film left her feeling miserable and disconnected from her castmates. "It was horrible!" she reflected. "I was [miserable] in my trailer. I could hear them all rocking and laughing. I was so depressed! I said, ‘Well, it’s the price you pay for being boss!’"

Emily Blunt, returning as Emily in the sequel, echoed similar sentiments regarding Streep’s intense approach, describing her as “amazing and slightly terrifying.” Streep’s Method acting experience, as Blunt noted, was challenging and contributed to her discomfort during the first film.

In an earlier interview with Vogue, published on February 1, Streep described the excitement of revisiting the role two decades later in New York City. “It felt jubilant when I first got out on Sixth Avenue — where we filmed 20 years ago and nobody was interested,” she said. “I got changed, got out of my camper, and just heard this roar! When we shot the wannabe Met Ball, it was even crazier. People were dressed up as Miranda. Honestly, it really threw me.”

Devil Wears Prada 2 is set to hit theaters on May 1.