It is perhaps one of her biggest and best known roles, but Meryl Streep says she initially turned down the opportunity to play Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada – so she could double her fee.
The Oscar winning actress won accolades for her starring role as ruthless Runway magazine editor Priestley in director David Frankel’s 2006 satire about the fashion industry.
But Streep, who has slipped back into Priestley’s designer shoes for The Devil Wears Prada 2, says she used her undeniable star quality as a bargaining chip to boost her earnings after being offered the role.
‘I knew it was going to be a hit,’ Streep, 76, told Today. ‘I read the script – the script was great. They called me up, and they made an offer, and I said “No. I’m not going to do it.”‘
She added: ‘I wanted to see if I doubled my ask, and they went right away and said “Sure.”‘
Discussing the film’s forthcoming sequel with host Jenna Bush Hager, who has a cameo role in the new film, Streep said her desire to to take a step back from the acting industry had prompted her decision to bargain with producers.
It is perhaps one of her best known roles, but Meryl Streep says she initially turned down the opportunity to play Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada – so she could double her fee
‘I’m 56 years [old] – it took me this long to understand that I could do that!’ she said. ‘I was sure of it. I was sure it would be a hit. And they needed me, I felt.
‘And I wanted it, but if they didn’t want to do that, I was okay. Because I’m old – I’m 56, I was ready to retire.’
The decision ultimately paid off, with the film raking in an astonishing $326 million from global box office sales, from a comparatively meagre $35-41 million budget.
Released on May 1, The Devil Wears Prada 2 has been afforded a worryingly lukewarm reception from critics, with many claiming it lacks the panache that made its predecessor so successful.
The film has also sparked a series of controversies, notably in its clumsy handling of an Asian character and recent claims that background artists were fired after Anne Hathaway confronted producers over their casting of ‘worryingly thin’ models.
Discussing the furore on Tuesday, Hathaway, 43, said the incident had been blown out of proportion and insisted the narrative currently unfolding across social media – that her comments resulted in some cast-members losing their jobs – is wide off the mark.
‘It was just this kind of quick thing that happened on set and now it’s become a much bigger story,’ she told Good Morning America.
‘I do want to mention there’s a little misinformation getting out there right now that people were fired because of the size inclusivity and that just didn’t happen.’
Hathaway revealed the incident related to a specific scene that she’s forbidden from discussing.
She added: ‘Nobody lost their jobs, in fact, it created more jobs… it’s so hard because I can’t say what the scene is about, but there’s a song that Lady Gaga wrote and it’s a beautiful, amazing song.
‘Isn’t it better when you see so many different types of bodies up there with that?’
Streep, who has slipped back into Priestley’s designer shoes for The Devil Wears Prada 2, says she used her star quality as a bargaining chip to boost her earnings after being offered the role
Anne Hathaway has played down recent claims that she openly questioned the use of ‘alarmingly thin’ models on the set of her new film, The Devil Wears Prada 2
Streep previously said she was ‘struck’ by the appearance of the runway models on set, saying they looked ‘not only beautiful and young… but alarmingly thin,’ during an interview for Hathaway’s Harper’s Bazaar cover.
‘Annie clocked it too,’ she added, revealing that Hathaway quickly stepped in behind the scenes.
According to Streep, the actress ‘made a beeline’ to producers and secured assurances that models featured in the film’s fashion show ‘would not be so skeletal’.
‘She’s a stand-up girl,’ Streep said, praising her co-star’s intervention.
Streep also revealed filming for the sequel was far from smooth, with scenes frequently disrupted by swarms of excited fans and paparazzi.
Despite being aware of the original film’s legacy, the Oscar winner admitted she was unprepared for the scale of the reaction two decades on.
‘We needed police barriers and crowd control,’ she said, describing how buses full of fans descended on set during filming.
The chaos even spilled into production, with Streep recalling how paparazzi ‘kept jumping in front of the camera’ and sparked a ‘kerfuffle’ with crew members.
‘Annie kept her cool, but I was unnerved,’ Streep added.
The studio behind The Devil Wears Prada 2 is facing mounting criticism across the far East for relying on perceived cultural stereotypes in its portrayal of an Asian character
Meanwhile, the studio behind The Devil Wears Prada 2 is facing mounting criticism across the far East for relying on perceived cultural stereotypes in its portrayal of an Asian character.
Cinema-goers have expressed dismay with distributor 20th Century Studios over its handling of new character Jin Chao, an enthusiastic Asian intern played by Helen J Shen.
An initial trailer featuring Chao sparked immediate concern among east-Asian viewers, notably because of the connotations attached to her name, and the character’s portrayal as a highly educated and numerically gifted nerd.
It’s understood that a faction of social media users believe the name bears a phonetic similarity to Ching Chong – a racist term used to denigrate Chinese immigrant workers based in western countries during the 19th century.
According to Hong Kong’s Oriental Daily News, her name is ‘a symbolic racist slur’ that suggests ‘contempt and discomfort towards Chinese accents and intonation’.
The character’s clothing, demeanour, work ethic and various educational qualifications have also been cited as cultural cliches that convey ‘blatant racism’ towards east Asians.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is released on April 30 in China and May 1 across the United States and United Kingdom.