Meryl Streep’s Devil Wears Prada Casting Backlash Recalled By Producer

The Devil Wears Prada producer Wendy Finerman recalls the backlash to Meryl Streep’s casting. Released in 2006, the film is directed by David Frankel, with Anne Hathaway starring as Andy Sachs, the assistant to the demanding editor-in-chief of a top fashion magazine. The Devil Wears Prada cast memorably features Streep as Miranda Priestly, with Emily Blunt, Adrian Grenier, and Stanley Tucci appearing in supporting roles.

During a recent appearance on the Hollywood Gold podcast (via THR) Finerman recalls that Streep’s The Devil Wears Prada casting ended up resulting in some pushback from people close to the production. The central concern, the producer recalls, was that the actor was perceived to have no comedic talents. Check out Finerman’s full comment below:

“And Meryl, people thought we were crazy. I mean, I had people call me up and say, ‘Are you out of your mind? She’s never been funny a day in her life.’

“She has been funny and they were wrong. But this was clearly a different kind of world for her.”

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Meryl Streep Was Perfect For The Devil Wears Prada

Although Streep is one of Hollywood’s most beloved and acclaimed actors with countless memorable roles under her belt, The Devil Wears Prada remains one of her most beloved. Streep is, as Finerman’s comments suggest, primarily kown for her dramatic work, but perhaps this is why she’s so perfect for the role of Miranda Priestly.

In the film, Miranda is this tyrannical and revered figure, and Streep’s penchant for the intensely dramatic gives the character a certain weight that ultimately helps the story. If a more traditionally comedic actor had gotten the role and played it more for laughs, Miranda may not have worked as effectively. Miranda is a larger-than-life figure, but Streep plays the character in a grounded kind of way that actually makes the whole thing even more ridiculous.

Streep’s performance itself is part of what makes Miranda such a great character, but her status in Hollywood adds an entirely new, meta-textual layer that another actor may not have been able to bring. As one of the world’s most revered and celebrated actors, there’s an unconscious level of respect that Streep brings to just about every movie she’s in, and this is perfect for Miranda’s function in the story. Almost 20 years layer, The Devil Wears Prada remains a classic, and Streep’s involvement is a major reason why the film has remained so beloved all these years later.