The Devil Wears Prada was inspired by Lauren Weisberger’s experience as Anna Wintour’s assistant at Vogue
NEED TO KNOW
-
Meryl Streep said her portrayal of Miranda Priestly was based on directors Mike Nichols and Clint Eastwood, not Wintour
-
Celebrity stylist Leslie Fremar claimed she was the real-life inspiration for Emily Blunt’s character
The iconic characters inThe Devil Wears Pradamay seem too over-the-top to be true, but they were inspired by real-life figures in fashion.
Adapted fromLauren Weisberger's 2003 novel of the same name, the cult classic follows aspiring journalist Andrea "Andy" Sachs (Anne Hathaway) as she lands a job as an assistant to the formidable Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), the editor-in-chief of the esteemed high-fashion magazine,Runway.
As Andy navigates the cutthroat industry and her sharp-tongued coworker Emily (Emily Blunt), she’s forced to decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to succeed.
Because the story was rooted in Weisberger’s experience working as an assistant toAnna WintouratVogue, fans were quick to draw comparisons between the film’s characters and the real people who may have inspired them — connections those figures have addressed in the years since the film’s release.
From Meryl Streep’s loosely inspired take on Anna Wintour to Emily Blunt’s portrayal of a sharp-tongued assistant believed to be based on Leslie Fremar, see the cast ofThe Devil Wears Pradaside by side with the real people behind the characters.
Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, inspired by Lauren Weisberger
The 2006 film starred Hathaway as Andy, a fresh-faced journalist who lands a coveted assistant job atRunway.
When reflecting on the role, the actress told PEOPLE in April 2026 that her character "was really worried about getting it right and shereally wanted to please her boss.”
Which is something the real Andy can relate to.
Weisberger wroteThe Devil Wears Pradaafter spending less than a year working as an assistant for Wintour.However, she's maintained that the book "wasn’t an attempt to take anyone down or exact some sort of revenge."
"I was just writing something that felt true to my experience as an assistant in very close proximity to a powerful woman," she wrote in an April 2026 essay forVogue. "One who filled me with abject terror."
Advertisement
Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, inspired by Anna Wintour
Streep starred as the ultimate bad boss inThe Devil Wears Prada, but she has pushed back on the idea that her character was a direct portrayal of Wintour.
Instead, the actress has said she drew inspiration from not one buttwo male directors.
“I was just basically imitatingMike Nicholsthat whole time,” she joked during an April 2026 appearance onThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert. "If Mike Nichols andClint Eastwoodhad a baby, it would be Miranda Priestly."
Despite Streep’s explanation, many fans have continued to link the formidable fashion editor to Wintour — a comparison the longtime editor has acknowledged.
"I’d like to say it’s such an honor to be played by Meryl, however distant Miranda is from myself," Wintour said in an April 2026 conversation with the actress forVogue. "Who wouldn’t think that that wasn’t the most extraordinary gift?"
Emily Blunt as Emily Charlton, inspired by Leslie Fremar
Though Weisberger hasn't confirmed the real-life inspiration behind Blunt's high-strung character, celebrity stylistLeslie Fremarclaimed that she was the "Emily" from the book and film.
“No, I know I am,” she toldVogue'sThe Run-Throughin April 2026. “I am Emily.”
The formerVogueassistant hired Weisberger as Wintour's junior assistant in 1999, and they worked together for 8 months.
Though Blunt hasn't spoken about the potential real-life tie, Freman said she once revealed her identity to the actress.
“I said to her, I was like, ‘I just need to let you know, I'm Emily,' ” she recalled. “She was not that interested, to be honest. I thought I was gonna get this, like, huge reaction. Like, no. It was like, ‘Oh, OK.' ”
Read the original article onPeople
