It's been a decade since we first saw Meryl Streep transform into the the designer-clad, villainous boss of our nightmares in The Devil Wears Prada. For many young women, the film personified one of the most relatable aspects of working in fashion, media, or any other demanding career.
In the words of Stanley Tucci, who played Nigel, an editor at the fictional Runway, in the film — “Everybody has had an experience like this. It’s a fucking brilliant movie.
In honor of the movie's 10-year-anniversary, Variety talked to the cast about the ins-and-outs of the movie. And, according to the interview, Streep herself is responsible for a few of the most iconic scenes that would not have made the cut without her.
Check it out!
Cerulean Blue
Remember that scene where Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) shows up to work in a dumpy blue sweater, and Miranda Priestly swiftly explains just how much the fashion industry influenced her? That was all Streep. The actress was intent on portraying “the business of fashion scene in the movie,” she told Variety. Miranda's Voice
As the OG girl, nay, woman boss, Streep also changed the way her character spoke. She said Miranda's quiet and intense manner of speaking was inspired by powerful men like Clint Eastwood and Mike Nichols. Hathaway also explained, “I think we all had an idea of what Miranda would sound like. It was a strident, bossy, barking voice. So when Meryl opened her mouth and basically whispered, everybody in the room drew a collective gasp. It was so unexpected and brilliant.”
Remember that scene where Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) shows up to work in a dumpy blue sweater, and Miranda Priestly swiftly explains just how much the fashion industry influenced her? That was all Streep. The actress was intent on portraying “the business of fashion scene in the movie,” she told Variety. Miranda's Voice
As the OG girl, nay, woman boss, Streep also changed the way her character spoke. She said Miranda's quiet and intense manner of speaking was inspired by powerful men like Clint Eastwood and Mike Nichols. Hathaway also explained, “I think we all had an idea of what Miranda would sound like. It was a strident, bossy, barking voice. So when Meryl opened her mouth and basically whispered, everybody in the room drew a collective gasp. It was so unexpected and brilliant.”
Miranda's Vulnerable Side
And guess who also demanded that there be a scene where the audience sees behind her character's icy exterior? “I also wanted a scene where she is without her armor," Streep said. "[T]he unpeeled scene in the hotel room — just to see that face without [it's] protective glaze, to glimpse the woman in the businesswoman.” "Everyone Wants To Be Us"
A single word adjustment from Streep also shaped the entire ending of the movie. She changed Miranda’s last line — where she’s sitting in a car with Andy in Paris — from “Everybody wants to be me” to “Everybody wants to be us." It instantly added a superhero and sidekick dynamic to the infamous quote. A decade after the release of The Devil Wears Prada, and I can honestly say it changed the course of my life. I now work at a digital publication in the heart of Manhattan, but luckily, there aren't any Mirandas running around Refinery29.