Days before The Devil Wears Prada 2 debuts in theaters, star Anne Hathaway is reframing recent comments about the film’s models.
At last week’s red carpet premiere, Hathaway told Variety that she had pushed for “a wider range of bodies on display.” Since the film is set in high fashion, some wondered if expanded representation would clash with its narrative. Hathaway now appears eager to put those concerns to rest.
Anne Hathaway Clarifies Viral Comments
The Devil Wears Prada 2 has ranked among the summer’s most anticipated films, and anything tied to it draws strong engagement. After Hathaway’s comments went viral, some online users wondered if thin models had been fired for other body types. She addressed the concerns in a recent appearance on Good Morning America.
“It was just this kind of quick thing that happened on set and now it’s become a much bigger story,” Anne Hathaway said about the model controversy surrounding The Devil Wears Prada 2. “I do want to mention there’s a little misinformation getting out there right now that people were fired because of the size inclusivity and that just didn’t happen.”
Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada 2 – 20th Century Studios, YouTube
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Anne Hathaway emphasized that no models were let go from The Devil Wears Prada 2. “Nobody lost their jobs, in fact, it created more jobs,” she said. “It’s so hard because I can’t say what the scene is about, but there’s a song that Lady Gaga wrote and it’s a beautiful, amazing song. Isn’t it better when you see so many different types of bodies up there with that?”
That is a question some potential filmgoers may now be asking. The fantasy of unrealistic body types was arguably part of the original film’s appeal. If Hathaway’s push for inclusion robs the sequel of some glamour, it may leave viewers wondering whether it will be as satisfying an experience.
Earlier Comments Sparked Debate
The conversation around the models featured in the film has been going on for some time. In March, Hathaway’s co-star Meryl Streep mentioned in a Harper’s Bazaar cover story how Hathaway immediately approached producers after noticing the “alarmingly thin” models on the runway at Milan Fashion Week. “Annie clocked it too, and she made a beeline to the producers about it, securing promises that the models in the show that we were putting together for our film would not be so skeletal!” Streep said.
Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada 2 – 20th Century Studios, YouTube
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Hathaway told the story from her perspective on GMA. “I just went to the producers and I asked that question: ‘Don’t you think the scene would be stronger if we had a more inclusive approach to sizing?” Hathaway said, referencing a particular scene in the film. “They looked up and were so sad that they hadn’t thought about it. I think they were so locked in, just kind of going with the flow. But as soon as they saw it, they were the ones who made it happen in like an hour.”
Will Audiences Embrace the Change?
When an actress takes a leading interest in the look and feel of a film, it can raise skepticism from the audience. Some could argue that the additional models used in The Devil Wears Prada 2 reflects Anne Hathaway’s intention for a more inclusive moviegoing experience.
Stanley Tucci and Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada 2 – 20th Century Studios, YouTube
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