The Devil Wears Prada Celebrates 20 Years: 25 Surprising Facts You Might Not Know
Brace yourselves! It’s been two fulfilling decades since The Devil Wears Prada made its debut in theaters.
On June 30, 2006, audiences were introduced to Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly and Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, forever changing the landscape of fashion in film.
From the unforgettable cerulean monologue to Hathaway’s unique approach in winning the role of Andy, and the eagerly awaited sequel, we’ve rounded up 25 intriguing behind-the-scenes facts to commemorate this landmark anniversary.
Keep scrolling for 25 Fascinating Insights About The Devil Wears Prada, as featured in the latest issue of Us Weekly, available now:
1. Based on Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel, The Devil Wears Prada graced theaters on June 30, 2006.
2. Regarded as a roman à clef, the novel depicts a young woman working as a personal assistant for a powerful fashion magazine editor, closely reflecting Weisberger’s own experiences with Vogue editor Anna Wintour.
3. Although hesitant at first, Streep accepted the role of the villainous Miranda Priestly, who is believed to be inspired by Wintour.
4. Weisberger made a cameo appearance in the film as the nanny for Miranda’s twins.
5. Fox acquired the rights to the book even before its completion.
6. Carla Hacken, the then-executive vice president of Fox, greenlit the film adaptation after reading just the first 100 pages of the manuscript, claiming, “I thought Miranda Priestly was one of the greatest villains ever.”
7. During her meeting with Hacken to pursue the role of Andy Sachs, Hathaway wrote the words “hire me” in a zen garden’s sand.
8. Rachel McAdams declined the role of Andy several times before Hathaway was cast.
9. The Devil Wears Prada garnered $326 million globally against a budget of $41 million.
10. Stanley Tucci stepped into the role of Nigel just 72 hours before filming commenced.
11. Streep cited Clint Eastwood and Mike Nichols as influences for her portrayal of Miranda.
12. To maintain the on-screen tension, Streep intentionally distanced herself from her co-stars while filming.
13. Six years after their collaboration on The Devil Wears Prada, Tucci married Felicity, the sister of Emily Blunt, whom he met at Blunt’s wedding to John Krasinski in 2010.
14. Several fashion houses opted out of participating in the film for fear of offending Wintour.
15. Wintour attended the premiere wearing Prada and expressed that, “anything that makes fashion entertaining, glamorous, and interesting is wonderful for our industry,” affirming her support for the film.
16. Although the movie’s climax was filmed in Paris, Streep did not go to France for the shoot; as director David Frankel explained, “We were not allowed to bring Meryl to Paris,” utilizing green screen technology instead.
17. Streep’s outstanding performance led to an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
18. Costume designer Patricia Field also received an Oscar nod.
19. Despite the costume budget being set at $100,000, Field estimates they utilized at least $1 million worth of clothing, thanks to her connections in the fashion industry.
20. Streep kept her character’s oversized Gucci sunglasses, later wearing them during the “Money, Money, Money” musical number in 2008’s Mamma Mia!.
21. The reunion of Streep, Hathaway, and Blunt at the 2024 SAG Awards clearly demonstrated to Frankel the continued public affection for the trio and the film, prompting him to pursue a sequel.
22. Frankel, alongside the original film’s writer Aline Brosh McKenna, returned for the sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2, which premiered on May 1, 2026.
23. While Weisberger penned two sequels, the film sequel takes a different narrative direction, as McKenna shared that they aimed for “a new world with new circumstances, dilemmas, and an evolution of relationships.”
24. At the conclusion of the sequel, Andy is seen sporting a modernized version of the blue sweater that sparked Miranda’s iconic cerulean speech in the original film.
25. Streep and Wintour adorned the cover of Vogue’s May 2026 issue to promote The Devil Wears Prada 2, both dressed in Prada, naturally.
