Things Everyone Ignores About The Devil Wears Prada

"The Devil Wears Prada" is one movie that hit the nail on the head when it came to casting. Helmed by the stunning Anne Hathaway, British actor Emily Blunt, Italian foodie Stanley Tucci, and of course, the incredible Meryl Streep, the film is a crowd-pleasing delight, with witty dialogue and fully-formed characters. The film killed it at the box office and garnered a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination for Streep.

The plot of "The Devil Wears Prada" follows Andy Sachs, an aspiring journalist who lands a job at the prestigious Runway magazine. However, her job turns out to be a nightmare when she realizes she's working for Miranda Priestly, a notoriously ice-cold editor with no time for anything less than perfection. Andy works alongside Miranda's other assistant Emily Charlton, who lives and breathes fashion and who looks down on her co-worker. But with the help of the talented artist Nigel, Andy's able to navigate the shark pool that is Runway. However, plot and characters aside, there are a lot of strange things everyone just ignores in "The Devil Wears Prada" that might have you scratching your head.

Because "The Devil Wears Prada" was based on real people, the book's publication, and subsequent adaptation into film, actually hurt some feelings. The villainous portrayal of Emily Charlton proved particularly painful for real-life stylist, Leslie Fremar. After all, she clearly inspired the character, and was not necessarily portrayed in the most positive light. Opening up about this in "The Run-Through with Vogue" podcast, Fremar dished, "I remember feeling like it was a betrayal at the time." She went on to add, "Even though someone obviously advised her to make it fiction, it was really based off of a lot of things that I lived. She lived."

Making matters worse, Fremar told Vogue's podcast that she had gotten access to one of the early drafts of the manuscript for "The Devil Wears Prada." According to that same interview, the portrayal of the Vogue staff in the initial manuscript was much more negative than what made it into the final product. "It felt quite dark, I remember thinking. And I found that quite hurtful. What got put into the world is a much lighter, nicer version of what she actually wrote. That's what kind of lives in my mind," Fremar admitted. 

When Andy Sachs manages to land what many consider to be a dream job in "The Devil Wears Prada," she's told over and over again that "a million girls would kill for this job!" That's because Miranda Priestly is a juggernaut in the fashion industry, and everyone knows and respects her for her keen eye and shrewd sense of style. So working for her would definitely launch your career in fashion journalism.

To that end, it's a little weird that Andy was the person that Priestly ends up hiring. For one, the competition for such a position would be arduous, likely from candidates who would have tons of experience and an eye for fashion. But Andy has neither, as she's just finished J-school at Northwestern, and doesn't even want to work in fashion. In fact, she spends a significant amount of time complaining about her job, as Priestly is not one to give compliments or cater to anyone's ego. In the end, Andy proves herself to be skillful, but chances are there was a better person out there from the outset for the job. 

For some fans, "The Devil Wears Prada" may seem overly fictionalized. The book and its subsequent film adaptation portray a fast-paced environment where positive feedback is rare, and designer labels are the norm. While this all may seem far-fetched, "The Devil Wears Prada" actually holds a kernel of truth.

Former assistants to Anna Wintour have gone on the record stating that the job was extremely demanding. "Anna was very cut-and-dried. Once, I tried to do a page on a theme that wasn't Anna's cup of tea ... When we laid out the story, she hated it," Laurie Schechter told Business Insider. Working for Vogue is famously challenging. Anna Wintour can't stand certain celebrities and expresses her dislike quite freely. Her recent assistants have also confirmed the editor's fast-paced working style. "When [Wintour] asks for someone, she wants that person very quickly," Marley Marius told "The Run-Through with Vogue" podcast.

That said, most of the people who worked for Wintour actually cared about the fashion industry. In the same conversation with Business Insider, Schechter recalled, "Working with Anna, I got to know how soft she is on the inside. She's done amazing things for people in the industry, including me." Marius similarly thanked Wintour for her support in future endeavors, stating, "Certainly most of the moves I've made through Vogue, Anna was directly responsible for."

Most fans of "The Devil Wears Prada" know that the character of Miranda Priestly was based on former Vogue editor-and-chief, Anna Wintour. However, what many viewers don't realize is that Emily Charlton's character was also inspired by another big name in the New York fashion game. Celebrity stylist Leslie Fremar has dressed A-list actors like Julianne Moore and billionaire nepo babies such as Nicola Peltz. Back in the day, though, Fremar worked for Vogue alongside "The Devil Wears Prada" author Lauren Weisberger — and apparently the fashionista made quite an impression on the writer.

Reflecting on the book's publication in an interview with "The Run-Through with Vogue" podcast, Fremar recalled the moment she found out that she'd inspired a character in Weisberger's work. Fremar said that Wintour was the one to break the news. A friend of a friend had apparently given Wintour the manuscript prior to publication, and the editor felt that Fremar deserved a heads-up about what was to come. "I went into [Wintour's] office, and she said, 'Who's Lauren Weisberger?' And I said, 'She was your junior assistant. She was only here for a short period of time, maybe eight months.'" To this, Wintour apparently replied, "Well, she wrote a book about us, and you're worse than me." Wintour gave Fremar a copy of the manuscript to take home and mull over in private.

There's no question that Andy Sachs' job in "The Devil Wears Prada" is demanding. She has to make sure that she fetches Miranda Priestly's coffee, meals, dry cleaning, and other odds and ends, often with very little notice. She also has to know who all of her boss' contacts are and share incoming communication efficiently. Eventually she's also placed in charge of bringing Miranda her book at the end of the day, working extremely long hours on the regular. Plus her cell phone literally never stops ringing. In short, the job is a grind.

But honestly, what does Andy expect working for an A-list publication to be like? It's no secret that working for a magazine like Runway would be non-stop, given the amount of money that's involved and the high-profile people affiliated with the publication. But instead of being grateful for the opportunity, she constantly complains about her duties.

Granted, her boss isn't one to be kind or to acknowledge a job well done. But, as intimidating as Miranda is, there's a lot of pressure on her, too. No wonder her assistants are always busy.

In "The Devil Wears Prada," Emily Charlton's character was kind of a villain. She was competitive, obsessed with her job, and prone to body shaming. After Andy Sachs received a much-coveted pair of Jimmy Choos, Emily cruelly told her, "You don't deserve them. I mean, you eat carbs for Christ's sake!" She also seemed way too invested in the future of the magazine, repeating the mantra, "I love my job, I love my job, I love my job."

While Emily's character may have given off totally evil workaholic vibes, the real-life Emily does not remember things that way. Leslie Fremar, who inspired Emily's character, does not recall being such a pro-fashion parody. During her time training "The Devil Wears Prada" author Lauren Weisberger, however, Fremar did remember her trainee's total lack of interest in the fashion world. The way that Fremar experienced things, Weisberger would frequently shirk her actual duties to write "The Devil Wears Prada" under her desk, leaving her superior with a huge mess to clean up. "I probably was not very nice, and I probably was high-strung because I felt like I was having to do her job as well," Fremar told "The Run-Through with Vogue" podcast.

Fremar may not have treated Weisberger particularly well. However, at the end of the day, she was the novelist's boss. If the Weisberger was really not doing her job, it would have been strange for Fremar to refrain from providing feedback.

Let's say you apply for a job at a magazine or a newspaper, and a prestigious one at that. Then you're lucky enough to get a phone interview, followed by a coveted in-person interview. Wouldn't you jump on the Internet and do as much research as you possibly could in order to prepare for it? Certainly you'd know who the editor-in-chief is and would familiarize yourself with the publication.

But that's exactly what Andy Sachs didn't do in "The Devil Wears Prada." In fact, not only did she admit to never even cracking open an issue of Runway, but she also had no idea who she would be working for — or just how famous and well-respected she is. All Andy does it talk about how she wants to be a journalist, and boom, job offer.

That doesn't even take into consideration that Anna Wintour, the character that Miranda Priestly is based on, is extremely well-known both inside and outside of fashion circles as a well-respected journalist. How can you go to J-school and not know who she is?

Arguably one of the best scenes in "The Devil Wears Prada" is the famous cerulean speech. After Andy Sachs gives a flippant laugh at a pair of belts, Miranda Priestly lays into her for thinking she was exempt from the fashion industry and the artistic labor that goes into it. The result is that Andy is once again sobered by Miranda's oh-so-chilly expertise.

It isn't long after that Andy realizes she needs some serious fashion help, so she turns to Nigel for assistance. In a brief scene, he plies her with a host of designer clothing and accessories, giving Andy some of the tools she'll need to finally look fashionable, despite the fact that she's a size 6 and apparently that's just too big!

But sizing aside, the next time we see Andy, she's dressed to the nines, slaying so hard it makes Emily Charlton jealous. And for the rest of the movie, she's a total fashion plate. But how did just a few minutes with Nigel suddenly make her understand fashion and serve looks so effortlessly? We have questions.

What would you do if your partner suddenly landed a high-power job that would open all kinds of doors for them, even if it meant they were working constantly? One would think you'd be supportive, willing to make some sacrifices in order to help them develop professionally. Sure, it would suck if they missed your birthday, but you could swallow the loss just once.

Unfortunately, Andy Sachs' boyfriend Nate did nothing but complain to Andy about her job, imploring her to quit and griping whenever she had to work late. He also spent all of "The Devil Wears Prada" telling Andy that she's changed so much he doesn't recognize her. Dude, can you just let her have this? For one year?

Interestingly enough, screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna has defended Nate, and doesn't understand why everyone hates him. "She's being a hypocrite, and he's right at the end," Brosh McKenna explained in an interview with Teen Vogue. "She goes to apologize to him because he was right. She was selling herself out and going down the wrong path." Fair enough, but he did mope like a child on his birthday.

In "The Devil Wears Prada," Andy Sachs and boyfriend Nate's friends give her grief over her long hours and work demands. That's just a little hypocritical of them, as apparently none of them are happy with their career trajectories.

In one particularly cruel scene, Andy's friends and Nate play a game of keep-away with her cell phone while it's ringing, putting Andy's job in jeopardy. By the time she's able to answer the call, she's frantic, but her friends are simply aghast and dismissive that she would take her job so seriously. Guys, can't you understand the opportunity she has?

Additionally, the second Andy has designer accessories that Miranda Priestly doesn't want, they gleefully snatch them up. Clearly they have no problem enjoying the perks that come with Andy's demanding career, but they refuse to be supportive any other time. The movie's writer Aline Brosh McKenna told Teen Vogue that she doesn't understand why people are cranky about Andy's friends, but we think it's pretty obvious.

Let's face it: Living in New York City is not cheap, especially in Manhattan. It wasn't cheap in 2006, either, when "The Devil Wears Prada" was released, and it's only gotten more expensive ever since. Of course, rent is one of the most significant costs New Yorkers have to contend with, rendering housing a major issue for many folks.

To that end, it's quite the mystery how Andy Sachs and Nate can afford their spacious digs in a nice part of town. Considering that Nate is a chef and Andy is a recent college graduate, there's just no way they could realistically afford to live in such a sweet apartment. That is, unless it's being funded by someone's parents, which very well could be the case. Andy's dad did hand an envelope with money to her when they were out for their oft-interrupted dinner together, so maybe that's what's going on. We're guessing that's how Andy's tuition at Northwestern got handled as well.

It's not exactly surprising that a movie about the fashion industry would address the fact that being thin is always in, as it's a field known for people in it having eating disorders, according to a study in the International Journal of Eating Disorders. In most cases, it's played for a laugh in "The Devil Wears Prada" and often successfully so. For example, Emily Charlton says at one point, "I'm on this new diet, it's very effective. Well, I don't eat anything, and, when feel like I'm about to faint, I eat a cube of cheese." Of course, her line, "I'm just one stomach flu from my goal weight!" always gets a laugh.

While it can be funny, it's also a bit disturbing that this is the reality in "The Devil Wears Prada." While Andy Sachs starts her job with a healthy body image and a normal appetite, she learns to rein it in quickly when Nigel throws her corn chowder away. Additionally, Miranda Priestly refers to Andy as the "smart, fat girl," when she's literally just a size 6.

We get it. Working for someone like Miranda Priestly in "The Devil Wears Prada" really can be challenging. She's exceedingly demanding, never says thank you, and can often be extremely condescending. That was especially obvious in the scene in which Miranda charges Andy Sachs to fetch her a steak and have it on her desk in 15 minutes. But when she comes back, after Andy has gone to great lengths making sure lunch is ready for Miranda on time, Miranda asks her what it is, and says she doesn't want it. She then leaves for a lunch date and tells Andy if she can't comply with her most recent excessive demand, she'd be fired.

All of this understandably makes Andy extremely frustrated, so much so that she tosses the entire tray of steak into the sink and smashes it. But girl, come on. That steak cost a lot of money, so why waste it like that? And toward the end of the film, Andy tosses her cell phone into a Parisian fountain in a symbolic gesture of freedom. Was all that waste really necessary too?

Although Nate is Andy Sachs' major love interest in "The Devil Wears Prada," throughout the film, Andy is also charmed by a handsome and successful writer named Christian Thompson. It's clear that he's interested in Andy from the very beginning, something he is not shy about expressing at all. The two end up sleeping together in Paris while Andy and Nate are on a break, but Andy ends up walking out on him when she finds out he's in on a plan to replace Miranda Priestly at Runway.

But while plenty of folks have aligned themselves with #TeamChristian, he's far from Mr. Perfect, as he's also quite the creep. When he sees Andy, he often makes some kind of comment that can be read as a come-on, not at all respecting that she's in a relationship. He also tells Andy that she "owes him" for favors, expecting romantic reciprocity. And when he and Andy are kissing in Paris, she tells him several times why she can't get physical with him (one reason being that she was intoxicated), something he ignores in his attempts to wear her down.

One of the most shocking moments in "The Devil Wears Prada" occurs when Andy Sach's boss, Miranda Priestly, asks her to acquire "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" ... before it was published. While the idea of viewing an important manuscript pre-publication may seem far-fetched to some fans, it's actually a pretty common trend in the publication industry. As New York Times best-selling author, Don Martin, wrote on Threads, "Being on the other side of things I'm suddenly realizing that one of the least believable parts of 'Devil Wears Prada' is that it would be even a little bit difficult for Anna Wintour to get an advanced copy of Harry Potter if it was already in pass pages."

Even lower-ranking magazine employees at Vogue have been able to view unpublished manuscripts — known as galleys — at work. Speaking to this reality in "The Run-Through with Vogue" podcast, Anna Wintour's former assistant, Kate Young, revealed that even the magazine's stylists-in-training were able to view certain documents before publication. Young particularly recalled reading "The Devil Wears Prada" book before it came out. "Lisa Love got [the galley] and sent it to us in her office mail, and then we'd like smoke on the loading dock and read it to each other. It was horrible," she shared. "It's cool that everybody likes it now ... but, at the time, it was like, she's just making fun of us."

One thing that's especially nice about Nate from "The Devil Wears Prada" is that, since he's a chef, he can whip up some delicious concoctions at home. Even though he complains about the grocery store prices in New York City, he does come through when it's time to make dinner for Andy Sachs, which has to be nice after a long day of work.

But in one scene, where Nate is cooking a grilled cheese sandwich for Andy, he says something that sounds a lot like whining. After she refuses to eat it because of calorie concerns, an irritated Nate says, "Gimme that! There's like $8 worth of Jarlsberg in there." Well, for one, Nate, that sandwich looks a little too burnt coming from a professional chef. Secondly, one pound of it costs under $8, even back when the film was originally made. So, that's a lot of cheese for just one sandwich.

If you've ever been to New York City, you probably noticed that most folks ignore the "Do not walk" signals when they aren't convenient. In fact, jaywalking is so common in New York that there's advice on how to do it properly.

But even that doesn't excuse the fact that people in "The Devil Wears Prada" seem to have no idea what they're doing when they cross the street. For one, Andy Sachs is frequently running around so maniacally that she doesn't look where she's going. She's too busy talking on her phone and running errands for Miranda Priestly that her street smarts go out the window. It's even worse when Emily Charlton winds up getting hit by a car after running out into the street without looking. That, of course, lands her in the hospital, covered with scrapes and bruises.

Although "The Devil Wears Prada" proved hurtful for many of the people woven into the text, Anna Wintour took the project with a grain of salt. Despite having inspired the book's chief villain, Miranda Priestly, Wintour tried to view the positive side of things. As Wintour revealed on "The Run-Through with Vogue" podcast, she was particularly pleased with her casting in the film. "But first of all, it was Meryl Streep, which — fantastic. And then I went to see the film, and I found it highly enjoyable and very funny," she said brightly.

Just because Wintour was able to see the movie with a humorous lens, however, does not mean that her fans shared that vision. In the aforementioned interview, Wintour explained that many of her biggest supporters and admirers felt protective of her in light of the project. "I think that the fashion industry [was] very sweetly concerned for me about the film, that it was going to paint me in some kind of difficult light," she said.

While the former editor-and-chief of Vogue may seem like a strange figure — after all, Anna Wintour always wears sunglasses to hide her emotions — she did not deserve to be bullied for running her magazine to perfection. Luckily, though, Wintour didn't feel bullied, but rather content with her portrayal. Plus, "The Devil Wears Prada" transformed her from a fashion icon into a household name.