Meryl Streep has just dropped a surprising truth about one of her most iconic roles, and it’s not what fans have believed for years.
As excitement builds for ‘The Devil Wears Prada‘ sequel, the actress revealed the real inspiration behind Miranda Priestly, and it has nothing to do with Anna Wintour.
Meryl Streep Reveals the Real Inspiration Behind Miranda Priestly From ‘The Devil Wears Prada’
Nearly 20 years after ‘The Devil Wears Prada‘ premiered, many fans believed Miranda Priestly was based on Anna Wintour. But during her appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Meryl Streep made it clear that this assumption wasn’t true.
Related: Why Returning For ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Felt Like Coming Home For Its Stars
Instead, she revealed that she drew inspiration from two Hollywood legends: Mike Nichols and Clint Eastwood. “I was basically imitating Mike Nichols that whole time,” Streep said, directly addressing how deeply his personality shaped her performance.
She went on to describe the blend memorably, saying, “If Mike Nichols and Clint Eastwood had a baby… it would be Miranda Priestly.” The humor and authority became the foundation of the character fans still talk about today.
How Nichols and Eastwood Created Miranda’s Personality
Streep explained that Nichols influenced the tone Miranda brought to the role, especially her command on set. “The command on the set. And Mike would do it sort of with a sly humor,” she said, adding that people might interpret it as mean, but she always found it funny.
In case you missed it: Daniel Radcliffe Reveals Why ‘Harry Potter’ Cast Thought One ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ Scene Was Pure Fantasy
At the same time, Eastwood contributed a completely different kind of authority. “Clint would never raise his voice,” Streep said. “He would direct, and people had to lean forward to hear what he was saying.”
Although she never told Eastwood about this connection, Streep shared that Nichols knew and loved it. She said she had told him about the inspiration, and he was “thrilled” by the idea.
Both men had worked closely with her over the years, with Nichols directing films like The Graduate and Working Girl, while Eastwood collaborated with her on The Bridges of Madison County.
During the interview, Streep also reflected on how the original film was perceived back in 2006. She said the movie was often labeled a “chick-flick,” a term she believes hasn’t aged well. That label, she explained, affected the film’s budget at the time, and they had to “scramble for our budget.”
Now, things look very different. Streep pointed to the success of films like ‘Barbie‘ and ‘Mamma Mia!‘. She added that studios are often surprised when audiences show up for stories centered on women.
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