Anne Hathaway: ‘I was the 9th choice for Devil Wears Prada, but I got it’

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Like virtually everybody else, I loved the film The Devil Wears Prada (I very much disliked the book). And I thought it was wonderfully cast. With the exception of Adrian Grenier and Simon Baker, who I could take or leave, I thought everyone was perfect. Even Gisele Bündchen did a great job in her tiny role. And while I loved Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt, I couldn’t imagine the movie without Meryl Streep (of course) and, quite honestly, Anne Hathaway. In the same way Meryl had to make us appreciate the wretched Miranda, Anne had to make us believe the indifferent Andy would be seduced into such a superficial world without losing her intellectuality. Few actresses could have done it as seamlessly as Anne did. Which is why I am shocked to learn that she wasn’t their first choice to play Andy. While dropping in on RuPaul’s Drag Race, Anne confessed that not only wasn’t she their first, she was their ninth. What?!

There can only be one Andy Sachs! Anne Hathaway got real about the struggles she faced before landing her iconic role in The Devil Wears Prada.

The Princess Diaries star then recounted her experience landing her role in the 2006 film. “I will give you some tea: I was the ninth choice for Devil Wears Prada,” she noted. “But I got it! Hang in there; never give up.”

[From Us]

This quote is in all the outlets. It comes from the preview clip for last Friday’s episode in which this is literally all she said on the subject. I didn’t see the show and I can’t seem to get any more of a recap, so I don’t know what more context Anne gave on this. People and Us remind us that Rachel McAdams turned the role down a few times and both Juliette Lewis and Claire Danes auditioned, but I don’t know if they were offered the role. I don’t see Rachel as Andy, even though I like her, but I could see Juliette. Not more than Anne, I still think she was the Andy. Andy needs an edge to her that Anne had (and so would Juliette). Not to mention she had to play against Nigel and Miranda as well as she did, and be the photo negative of Emily’s character. Andy was a tricky bit of casting. I wonder if maybe they hadn’t cast the other roles yet and that’s why Andy took a while. It wasn’t that it was just Andy, it was fitting all the pieces together. What’s funny is how upset I’m getting thinking about this now, even though I know Anne was cast and the movie has been out for 15 years. It’s like I want to go back and yell at someone on Anne’s behalf.

As for advice Anne gave the contestants, one asked for some death scene advice and Anne said, “don’t sneeze,” which I love. Of course, the minute you tell someone not to sneeze, that’s the best way to get them to do it. But then she said, “just make as much noise as you can before you go,” which is such theater kid advice and again, I love it. It also reminds me of the time I was killed during Oliver! I lost my balance and took out half of London on my way down. My director was pissed but by gawd, my “death” was never forgotten!

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Photos credit: Avalon.red and via Instagram, YouTube

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21 Responses to “Anne Hathaway: ‘I was the 9th choice for Devil Wears Prada, but I got it’”

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  1. smcollins says:

    TDWP only works because of the casting, every part was perfect, and of course the fashion. Meryl, Anne, Emily and Stanley were very much the glue that held it together. Their combined chemistry and the way they played off of each other was magical. In case it wasn’t obvious I LOVE this movie lol

    • LightPurple says:

      I can’t not watch it whenever I come across it on TV. It was on a continuous loop at my dentist’s office for about two years. I mentioned that to the receptionist once and she said the entire staff (2 women dentists, 2 dental assistants, 2 hygienists, the 3 office staff people, and the cleaning lady) all loved it.

      • Elizabee says:

        Funny how people clarify “women dentists” but the othet professions are just assumed to be female.

      • Miss America says:

        My gay hairdressers also have it on a loop. They do mix it up sometimes with runway shows and Pretty Woman. But it’s pretty much only those three things.

  2. Soupie says:

    Me neither! And I love that your dentist’s office looped it – that’s really great! Casting was perfect. One of the few movies I own. And Hecate, perfect write-up!

    • LightPurple says:

      My dentist’s office is a cool place. All women, ranging in ages from 20 to 65. All but one, the office manager, is an immigrant. Five continents represented. Multiple languages spoken. And they all LOVE The Devil Loves Prada.

  3. Lucy2 says:

    It ended up being the perfect cast, and remains an enjoyable movie.
    IMO Juliette Lewis would have been an epic disaster.
    That gold dress photo is great.

    • She muh quee says:

      I agree with Lucy. Juliette Lewis would have been awful at this role. Now my girl Selma Blair would have been amazing. Mia Kirshner would have been interesting, but not as good as Selma.

      • UptownGirl says:

        I agree with you both. I can’t see Lewis in that roll at ALL!! Though she has done some fine work, I can’t see her carrying that character of Andy at all!! I don’t see her being able to chameleon herself into the diverse character of Andy at all!!

  4. niavie says:

    While excellently cast, the movie is not without its issues.

    As someone with friends in the industry- and knowing how hard they worked to get there, it is kind of problematic the way the film shows Andy’s priorities and life choices. Superficial to me would be to give up a job at Vogue in order to keep sulky boyfriend Adrian Grenier happy ….

    • Marigold says:

      Agreed! I thought the entire pouty boyfriend angle was so dumb. Of course you choose work!!! At least at that time in her life.

    • Kate says:

      Yeah, I think the movie falls completely flat when it shows her relationships outside work. The boyfriend and friend are not believable to me as people she cared so much about that she quit her job.

      I see the point that Andy is a hard role to file, but for me this movie would be nothing without Emily Blunt. I can’t imagine anyone else in that role, she is absolutely perfect.

    • Lightpurple says:

      She didn’t give up the job for him. She was no longer with him when she quit the job and they didn’t get back together as a couple, they weren’t even living in the same state. They just agreed to keep in touch. She quit the job because she didn’t like what Miranda did to Nigel and realized Miranda was right when she pointed out what Andy had done to Emily. She didn’t like what she was becoming so she left.

      • Kate says:

        You might be right about the movie, I think the book makes it seem more like she chose her family/friends over her job in the end although in the book she also doesn’t like who she has become. In any case, I didn’t buy the relationship/friendship in the movie, there just wasn’t the same spark with them that she had with her work colleagues.

  5. Marigold says:

    I adore this movie. And I have such a soft spot for Anne. She and my daughter could almost be twins so that brings out something in me.

  6. olliesmom says:

    By all means move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me.

    One of my favorite movies of all time. Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci make this movie. I became an Emily Blunt fan because of this movie.

    I did not enjoy the novel nearly as much as the movie.

    I can’t wait until the Broadway musical comes out next year!

  7. candy says:

    I loved everything about that movie except her loser boyfriend. I can’t believe that such a staunchly feminist movie would have its lead makes those choices in the end.

    • Evenstar says:

      Well, she didn’t get back with him in the end, as someone above pointed out, and she didn’t leave her job for him. She left because of what Miranda did to Nigel and not wanting to work in such an amoral industry that would change her.

  8. Mee yo says:

    Juliette Lewis as an intellectual college grad….NEVER. There’s a reason why she’s always cast as working class, trailer park, free spirit type. Anne H was perfect for the part

  9. Case says:

    I always felt somewhat unimpressed with this movie. The acting is great, but the story? Meh.

    I can’t see Juliette Lewis in this role AT ALL. Maybe Rachel McAdams, Natalie Portman, or Reese Witherspoon. Juliette would just be a big no. Anne was great in the role, though.

  10. Meg says:

    Anne was great because she had\has this angelic naive look to her contrasting this cold judgemental behavior of the ‘devil’ i think worked