As Cameron Tucker once noted, Meryl Streep could play Batman and be the right choice. From heartripping dramas like Sophie’s Choice to whimsical murder mysteries like Only Murders in the Building, Streep has done it. And an early noughties sensation starring her and Anne Hathaway has now strutted its stuff to the ninth spot on Netflix’s global top ten list.
Directed by David Frankel and adapted from Lauren Weisberger’s bestselling novel, The Devil Wears Prada boasts a killer ensemble cast from Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci to Simon Baker and Adrian Grenier. It has garnered a whopping 7.8 million hours devoured by viewers worldwide in one week alone.
The incomparable Streep leads the pack, serving up some serious ‘gaslight, gatekeep, girl boss’ vibes as the iconic Miranda Priestly, editor-in-chief of the fictional Runway magazine, inspired heavily by US Vogue editor Anna Wintour.
Alongside her is Hathaway, bringing sass and style to the role of Andy Sachs, a wide-eyed assistant with aspirations of being a “serious” journalist, but thrust into the glamorous and cutthroat world of high fashion. Set against the backdrop of New York City’s elite fashion scene, the film follows Andy’s journey as she navigates the treacherous waters of couture and ambition.
The film became a touchstone of the early noughties pop culture scene, but it wasn’t smooth sailing for Streep on the sets. On the 15th anniversary of The Devil Wears Prada, Meryl Streep reflected on her time embodying the iconic Miranda Priestly. She didn’t mince words when she described the experience to Entertainment Weekly.
“It was horrible! I was [miserable] in my trailer. I could hear them [the rest of the cast] all rocking and laughing,” Streep confessed. “I was so depressed!” She candidly swore off method acting after The Devil Wears Prada. She went on, “I said, ‘Well, it’s the price you pay for being boss!’ That’s the last time I ever attempted a Method thing!”
Despite the behind-the-scenes pain, The Devil Wears Prada continues to reign supreme as a cult classic among the champions of cinema that was condescendingly dubbed ‘chick flick’ in the media.
You can watch The Devil Wears Prada on Netflix because, in a world where trends fade faster than yesterday’s news, some films are just too fabulous to forget.
