The Devil Wears Prada still remains one of the greatest cultural phenomena. The movie not only shaped one entire generation but made the careers of some of the most beloved actresses including Anne Hathaway. Obviously, working with Meryl Streep was a dream come true for her, but due to the relationship that the two characters donned in the movie, Streep made sure working with her was hell for Hathaway. So much so, that The Princess Diaries actress started to contemplate whether taking up this job was at all the right decision or not.
Furthermore, turns out Anne Hathaway wasn’t even considered for the role at the time, the movie which most certainly changed her career would have slipped from her hands if Rachel McAdams had said yes.
Anne Hathaway was shunned by Meryl Streep on set
To perfectly get in the character, and bring out the snobby Miranda Priestly to life, Meryl Streep had to go down this path. The actress, Anne Hathaway was deliberately ignored by Streep on set just to get the dynamic right. Although Hathaway was welcomed with open arms when she came on board but soon was subjected to some cruel methods that made her think of her place in the hierarchy. While the actress was recalling her days on the set of The Devil Wears Prada on The Graham Norton Show she said,
“When I met her she gave me a huge hug,–I’m like, ‘Oh my God, we are going to have the best time on this movie.’ And then she’s like, ‘Ah sweetie, that’s the last time I’m nice to you.’”
She then further explained how her dynamic with Streep changed in just a matter of moments. The actress said,
“She then went into her trailer and came out the ice queen and that was really the last I saw of Meryl for months, until we promoted the film,”
This got to her, and although she was warned she could not fathom the drastic change in the behavior. And thus, it was terrifying for the actress who was relatively very new at the time and it made her think whether she at all belongs amidst such talents.
Anne Hathaway wasn’t the first choice for the role
After such an amazing performance by Anne Hathaway, it is very difficult for people to imagine any other star in the film except her. But turns out, this wouldn’t have been the case if Rachel McAdams had said yes. But lucky for her, McAdams rejected the movie thrice, which she would now regret for sure! In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the director of the movie, David Frankel revealed,
“We started negotiating with Annie to make a deal, and that didn’t go well with the studio.… We offered it to Rachel McAdams three times. The studio was determined to have her, and she was determined not to do it,”
Meryl Streep also had a vital role in casting her and just after meeting a single time decided her to be the one. Thus, Hathaway was also eager to act upon the one-in-a-lifetime opportunity handed to her and the rest is history!
Source: Glamour
