Woman Who Inspired ‘Devil Wears Prada’ Emily Character Shares Her Meeting with Emily Blunt

Leslie Fremar, a former assistant at Vogue, has emerged as the real-life inspiration behind the character Emily Charlton in The Devil Wears Prada after two decades of speculation.

Fremar recently shared her experiences in an interview with The Run-Through podcast, stating, “I know I am. Yes. Correct,” when asked about the connection between herself and the iconic character portrayed by Emily Blunt in the 2006 film.

Recalling her chance encounter with Blunt, Fremar described a moment at the Greenwich Hotel spa, where she hesitated to approach the actress. She later found herself at a dinner with a mutual friend, which led her finally to introduce herself: “I just need to let you know I’m Emily.” Her revelation, however, seemingly fell flat; she noted that Blunt was “not that interested” and expected a more enthusiastic response.

Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, and Emily Blunt in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ (2006)

Fremar’s connection to the film extends back to her time at Vogue, where she employed Lauren Weisberger as a junior assistant to editor Anna Wintour. Weisberger later adapted her experiences into the 2003 novel that inspired the movie.

Following the long-awaited reveal, Blunt is set to reprise her role in The Devil Wears Prada 2, which premieres Friday. The sequel will also feature Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, Anne Hathaway as Andi, and Stanley Tucci as Nigel Kipling.

Returning cast members Tracie Thoms and Tibor Feldman will join new additions Kenneth Branagh, Simone Ashley, Lucy Liu, Justin Theroux, B.J. Novak, Pauline Chalamet, Rachel Bloom, Patrick Brammall, Conrad Ricamora, and Lady Gaga.