There’s A Reason Meryl Streep Wasn't The Same After Starring In 'The Devil Wears Prada'

What’s Meryl Streep’s most iconic role? Joanna in Kramer vs. Kramer? The desperate mom in Sophie’s Choice? Maybe, but we think it’s Miranda Priestley in The Devil Wears Prada! Disagree if you like, but you should know that this one performance took a lot out of her. Playing Priestley was so bad, in fact, that Streep decided to change the whole way she approached her career. Who knew?

Welcome To The Dark Side

Miranda Priestly was a rare antihero role for Streep. And while she’s a fascinating – even hilarious – character to watch, you wouldn’t want to cross paths with her. Remember how she makes Andy utterly miserable throughout the entire movie? She has a real-life inspiration, too.

Meet Anna

Yes, the actual Priestley is said to be one of the most powerful women in fashion: Vogue editor Anna Wintour. When Lauren Weisberger wrote the book the movie is based on, she was inspired by her past experiences working as Wintour’s assistant. But Streep took the character in a whole new direction.

Going Off Course

During a 2021 cast reunion for Entertainment Weekly, Streep went into details. She remembered, “I wasn’t interested in doing a biopic on Anna. I was interested in her position in her company. I wanted to take on the burdens she had to carry, along with having to look nice every day.”

Don't Poke The Beast

Oh, and the filmmakers were also worried about incurring the wrath of Wintour. As soon as news got around about The Devil Wears Prada’s plot, folks in the editor’s circle backed away from the film. Screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna told Entertainment Weekly, “I had enormous trouble finding anyone in the fashion world who’d talk to me. [That’s] because people were afraid of Anna and Vogue – not wanting to be blackballed.”