With her successor at Vogue now named, Anna Wintour appears more at ease — even opening up about the iconic 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada.
The movie, based on Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 bestselling novel, was inspired by Weisberger’s experience as Wintour’s assistant at Vogue. It follows an aspiring writer (Anne Hathaway) who lands a job at a prestigious fashion magazine under a notoriously demanding editor, Miranda Priestly — a character widely believed to be based on Wintour. Meryl Streep’s portrayal of Priestly became legendary, earning her an Oscar nomination and cementing the character as a pop culture symbol for tough bosses everywhere.
In the past, Wintour has been reserved about discussing the film. However, during a recent appearance on The New Yorker Radio Hour podcast, she playfully revealed that she attended the premiere wearing Prada — completely unaware of what the film would depict.
“First of all, it was Meryl Streep, which, fantastic,” Wintour recalled. “And then I went to see the film, and I found it highly enjoyable. It was very funny.”
She admitted that many in the fashion industry were concerned the movie might portray her in a harsh light. Instead, she found it entertaining and even fair.
“In the end, it had a lot of humor, a lot of wit, and Meryl Streep,” Wintour said. “I mean, it was Emily Blunt! They were all amazing. And in the end, I thought it was a fair shot.”
Back in 2009, during an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, Wintour emphasized that the movie was “fiction,” while acknowledging that, as the film’s publisher character notes, she’s “not always warm and cuddly.” At the time, she praised the film for accurately showcasing the hard work that goes into producing a magazine.
Nearly two decades later, The Devil Wears Prada remains a cultural touchstone — and it’s about to return to the big screen. A highly anticipated sequel began filming in June, with Streep, Hathaway, Blunt, and Stanley Tucci all reprising their roles.
