Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway deliver commanding performances in The Devil Wears Prada, which marks its 15th anniversary.

The Devil Wears Prada remains a defining portrait of the grueling personal assistant role, showing the highs and lows behind the glamorous facade. Based on Lauren Weisberger’s semi-autobiographical novel about her time working for Anna Wintour at Vogue, the story introduces Northwestern grad Andrea “Andy” Sachs (Anne Hathaway). Andy lands a job as the personal assistant to Runway’s icy editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). Though it’s not her dream job, and despite the millions of girls who’d kill for the role, Andy plans to endure it only briefly before moving on to her true passion: journalism.

At first, Andy struggles to fit in, even clashing with senior assistant Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt). Miranda’s iconic “cerulean sweater” monologue underscores the ruthless fashion world Andy’s entered. Art director Nigel Kipling (Stanley Tucci) mentors Andy, guiding her transformation into a polished Runway insider. As Andy embraces the demanding work and upgrades her wardrobe—highlighted in a stylish montage—her life outside the office starts to fray, especially her relationship with chef boyfriend Nate (Adrian Grenier). The tension between work ambition and personal life pulses throughout the film.

Before Andy’s arrival, Emily was set on attending Paris Fashion Week. The assistants share a competitive, sometimes toxic dynamic, which intensifies when Miranda unexpectedly rewards Andy with the coveted Paris trip after she saves the day at a benefit party. The fallout with Emily is immediate, and breaking the news to Nate leads to trouble at home. Navigating office politics and the pressure cooker of Paris ultimately forces Andy to choose between the Runway world and her own dreams. She finally lands a journalism job, aided by Miranda’s unexpected recommendation.

A smaller but memorable subplot involves Christian Thompson (Simon Baker), a charming writer who helps Andy secure an unpublished manuscript for a children’s book project by she-that-will-not-be-named. This side story adds depth and a touch of romantic tension, though the film wisely avoids becoming a typical romantic comedy. The focus remains on Andy’s journey and the intense workplace drama.

The Devil Wears Prada stands among the better book-to-film adaptations. One gets the feeling that author Lauren Weisberger is proud of how Aline Brosh McKenna’s screenplay honors and even improves upon the novel. Director David Frankel’s steady hand ensures the film balances comedy and drama expertly. Straying from the book’s broader scope to concentrate on Andy and Miranda was a smart choice. Unlike many studio films, the story resists putting romance at the center, opting instead for workplace comedy and character-driven conflict.

At its core, the film lives or dies by its performances. Fortunately, the cast delivers top-notch work. Meryl Streep’s portrayal of Miranda Priestly is iconic, while Patricia Field’s costume design—worth over a million dollars—earned an Oscar nomination and perfectly captures the fashion world’s opulence. Editor Mark Livolsi’s skillful montages and tight pacing earned him an ACE Eddie Award nod. It’s a shame the Academy rarely recognizes comedies, but The Devil Wears Prada was deserving of Best Picture consideration alongside films like Little Miss Sunshine.

While Meryl Streep delivers one of the top-tier performances of her career, Emily Blunt nearly steals the film in a breakout supporting turn. In another world, she would have been just four years away from playing Natasha Romanoff in Iron Man 2. Blunt had been in early talks for the role, but Fox exercised its option on her contract, forcing her to appear in Gulliver’s Travels instead. The rest is history, but there’s no denying that The Devil Wears Prada changed the trajectory of her career. Her sharp timing and dry humor made Emily Charlton an instant classic—a scene-stealing, star-making performance that helped launch Blunt into Hollywood’s A-list.

If there were Oscars for career-defining roles, Streep, Hathaway, and Blunt would all be worthy recipients. After The Devil Wears Prada, Streep dazzled audiences singing and dancing in Mamma Mia!. Hathaway earned an Oscar nomination for Rachel Getting Married and won for Les Misérables. Blunt’s career trajectory shifted dramatically thanks to this breakout role. Interestingly, Rachel McAdams was once considered for Andy’s role, which would have given the film a very different energy.

When you think of the final years of Fox before the Disney acquisition, The Devil Wears Prada is one of the standout films—they don’t make them like they used to. It’s the kind of sharp, smart, female-driven movie you can imagine being greenlit by legendary studio chief Darryl F. Zanuck. Having studied Classic Hollywood extensively during the pandemic, I can confidently say films with this balance of wit, style, and substance are rare today. Even 15 years later, The Devil Wears Prada remains a true gem that continues to resonate.

DIRECTOR: David Frankel
SCREENWRITER: Aline Brosh McKenna
CAST: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci, Simon Baker, Emily Blunt, Adrian Grenier

Fox 2000 released The Devil Wears Prada in theaters on June 30, 2006. Grade: 5/5

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