Twenty years after she left Runway, Andy Sachs takes a decision that turns everything we knew about her experience upside down. Andy does not renounce the fashion world in ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’; she accepts it, but with completely different conditions.
And that change, according to Anne Hathaway, tells a lot about development, rather than compromise.
Andy Sachs’ New Ending Proves Growth Isn’t Always Walking Away
In the original movie, the moment when Andy decided to quit was a mic drop. She preferred herself to a bad atmosphere, abandoned the unattainable standards set by Miranda Priestly, and rediscovered herself. It was pure, strong, and, frankly speaking, necessary.
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“At the end of the first film, Andy throws the phone in the fountain and goes her own way. This one, she learns she wants to be on a team. I just think it shows the three of them are stronger together, and that there’s obviously the head of the empire, but there are no stars when it comes to doing the work,” Anne told EW.
Life is not always about exits. In the sequel, Andy returns to Runway years later, having established a distinguished career in journalism. This time, however, she is not the lost assistant who is struggling to survive; she is an equal. As Hathaway puts it, Andy understands that success does not necessarily need to be lonely.
Collaboration is a strength, a part of something greater than yourself. And that is where the emotional turn takes place. Rather than fleeing the mess, Andy decides to be in it, with people she can trust. It is not really about demonstrating independence but rather knowing how to be interdependent. That is a more adult and more realistically treated development.
‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Gives Andy Sachs A More Complicated, Hopeful Ending
The dynamic between Andy, Miranda, and Nigel Kipling is what changes the game. The sense of power imbalance that previously characterized their relations becomes surprisingly balanced. Miranda is still strong; she will always be Miranda. However, there is the feeling of respect, mutual respect, that was not there before.
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As Hathaway explained, it’s no longer about rank, but about common cause. In an era where everything seems to be in flux, both in the media and elsewhere, such cohesion is strangely reassuring. This ending is also quite optimistic. Andy not running away is not retrogressive; it is an indication that she has found a home where she can grow without losing her identity.
It is a tougher compromise than walking away. And, by the way, this is not merely a chapter ending, it’s an opening. Andy, Miranda, and Nigel are now functioning as a real team, so the story still has places to go. As it turns out, the most daring thing Andy could do was not to leave Runway. It was returning and changing the rules.
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