Meryl Streep’s portrayal of Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada is so iconic, that it’s hard to picture anyone else delivering those cutting lines. But, believe it or not, there was some serious eyebrow-raising when the casting news broke.
Producer Wendy Finerman, on a recent podcast, revealed that some people thought Streep was downright incapable of humor. Can you imagine? However, despite this resistance, Streep ultimately proved any skeptics wrong with her brilliant and nuanced performance, leaving an indelible mark on the 2006 classic.
Meryl Streep Was Almost Not Cast in The Devil Wears Prada
Picture a parallel reality in which Meryl Streep did not secure the role of the legendary Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada.
Although it might seem startling to contemplate, this almost became a factual scenario, as revealed by one of the producers of the timeless 2006 film.
Producer Wendy Finerman told Hollywood Gold podcast host Daniela Taplin Lundberg that Streep was almost passed over for the role because someone involved in the production thought “she has never been funny a day in her life.”
“Meryl, people thought we were crazy,” Finerman said. “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,” the producer said, calling out Streep’s comedy work in films such as Death Becomes Her. “But this was clearly a different kind of world for her.”
The Devil Wears Prada landed Streep an Oscar nomination for Best Actress, and she won a Golden Globe for her work in the film.
The Devil Wears Prada Left Meryl Streep Miserable on the Film Set
In a candid interview with Entertainment Weekly, the legendary actress revealed that method acting in the 2006 comedy-drama film The Devil Wears Prada left her miserable on the film set. She said,
“It was horrible, and I was [miserable] in my trailer. I could hear them all rocking and laughing. I was so depressed! I said, well, it’s the price you pay for being boss! That’s the last time I ever attempted a Method thing.”
Also Read: One Record of Meryl Streep at Oscars Will Probably Never be Broken
Meryl Streep’s portrayal of Miranda Priestly, a notorious movie villain, has earned her praise as one of cinema’s all-time greats. Many fans of The Devil Wears Prada don’t view Priestly as a standard villain, which is an interesting twist.
Watch The Devil Wears Panda on Disney Plus.
