The Devil Wears Prada 2: Meryl Streep famously brought the formidable Miranda Priestly to life in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada. As the icy and exacting Editor-in-Chief of Runway magazine, Miranda ruled the fashion world with quiet authority and razor-sharp wit. While the character is often seen as loosely inspired by Anna Wintour, the influential editor of Vogue, the story itself draws largely from the 2003 novel by Lauren Weisberger.
Now, nearly two decades later, the beloved fashion drama is returning to the big screen with The Devil Wears Prada 2, set to release on May 1. Speaking about the long-awaited sequel, Streep recently appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where she reflected on the film’s enduring legacy.
Host Stephen Colbert noted how the original movie continues to hold “an absolute grip on the cultural zeitgeist,” highlighting just how deeply the story and its characters have stayed with audiences over the years.
Devil Wears Prada character Miranda Priestly not based on Anna Wintour?
While there has been no official confirmation and only fan theories, Anna Wintour, the former Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, recently created a viral social media moment, months ahead of The Devil Wears Prada 2 release. Sitting beside Streep in the front row of Paris Fashion Week, they went viral for this not-so-subtle nod to the upcoming film.
However, Streep’s performance may not be inspired by her at all. Revealing on Colbert’s late-night show, she said, “I was imitating Mike Nichols the whole time,” leaving the audience puzzled because “everybody thinks you did Anna Wintour,” exclaimed Colbert.
Meryl Streep reveals her inspiration behind Miranda Priestly
Elaborating further, Streep explained that her performance is largely based on the assumption “If Mike Nichols and Clint Eastwood had a baby,” as the audience erupted in laughter. She further explained that Nichols, the late American director and comedian, had a command on the set like no other and “Mike would do it with a sly humour.”
Talking about her character, Miranda Priestley on The Devil Wears Prada 2, Streep shared, “Miranda knows that what she’s saying is sort of snide, but she knows it’s kind of funny, too,” sharing how her trait comes from Nichols.
Coming to Clint, both Colbert and Streep agreed on his polite demeanour. “Clint would never raise his voice. When he would direct, people would have to lean forward to hear what he was saying,” recalled Meryl Streep. It was another one of the character traits she incorporated into a character like Miranda and brought her to life.