What Anne Hathaway And Meryl Streep's On-Set Relationship Was Really Like

These days, both Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway are known for their big diva energy. Over the course of her illustrious career, Streep has won three Academy Awards in addition to a record-breaking 21 nominations. Hathaway, meanwhile, has taken home one Academy Award after earning two nominations. This massive level of success has allowed both actors to become bona fide stars with veritable diva-like tendencies. Discussing this dynamic in an interview with In Touch, one insider claimed that this combination of personalities could have potentially derailed "The Devil Wears Prada 2." The source, however, alleged that Streep and Hathaway focused on their shared goals to make sure that the film stayed on track, stating, "They all want this to be a long-term profitable hit. They are divas who deliberately shut down the diva behavior to make this movie work." 

While this assessment may hint at underlying tension between Hathaway and Streep, the reality points to a totally different dynamic. Hathaway and Streep first crossed paths while filming the original 2006 "Devil Wears Prada" movie. At the time, Hathaway was a budding actor who was afraid of being in the same room as the great Meryl Streep. Streep, meanwhile, barely noticed Hathaway's nerves, focusing instead on coaching the young actor. As the two worked together, they managed to build a relationship based on mentorship and mutual respect. Eventually, Streep and Hathaway developed a decades-long friendship that has spanned far beyond their on-screen collaborations.

When Anne Hathaway was cast alongside Meryl Streep in the 2006 movie, "The Devil Wears Prada," she was excited. However, she did not feel at ease. Although the film represented a great opportunity to act alongside one of the greatest actors of all time, Hathaway could not help but feel nervous. "As an actor, she's terrifying," Hathaway admitted in a 2006 interview with etalk, "because she's terrifyingly good. You're just like, 'How do you do that?'" The younger actor also confessed that she was often nauseous before many of her scenes with Streep. "I was always on the verge of vomiting," Hathaway dished.

The good news is that Hathaway didn't seem particularly nervous during her scenes with Streep. Speaking to Access, the veteran actor said that Hathaway didn't act intimidated on-set. "She's very generous. She was not, I don't think, scared of me," Streep laughed. In the previously cited conversation with etalk, Hathaway clarified that she was not intimidated by Streep as a human but rather as a professional. "Meryl as a person is the most low-key, down-to-earth, warm, amazing, smart, witty, funny — the superlatives don't stop — type of person," she explained. The "Princess Diaries" star said that she was never afraid to approach Streep on a personal level, even if acting alongside the three-time Academy Award winner left her quaking in her Chanel boots.

Anne Hathaway may have been incredibly nervous about working with Meryl Streep, but the latter did not necessarily want her to feel that way. When it came time to film "The Devil Wears Prada," Streep wanted to cultivate a good working relationship with the younger actor. Because of this, she approached Hathaway and pulled her aside for a chat from day one. Reflecting on this instance on the David Letterman Show, Hathaway recalled, "She was very nice. She's such a warm person. She pulled me into her arms and said, 'Listen, I just want to let you know. I'm so excited we are working together. I think you are going to do a great job.'"

While that initial moment was sweet, it was short-lived. Immediately after establishing her excitement about working with Hathaway, Streep admitted that she was a perfectionist who would not hesitate to critique her colleague's acting. "That's the last nice thing I'm going to say to you," Streep told Hathaway per the same interview with David Letterman. The younger actor joked that Streep really never did say anything as kind to her again. That said, Hathaway clarified that working with Streep was a lot easier than working for her "The Devil Wears Prada" character, Miranda Priestly. "I mean, [Streep] wasn't method. She didn't make me get her coffee or anything on-set," Hathaway shared, before adding, "but I would have done it!"

Ultimately, Anne Hathaway only felt confident about working alongside Meryl Streep after stepping away from her own competitive side. At the onset of her professional relationship with Streep, Hathaway felt like she had been thrust into a competition that she had no way of winning. As she put it on the David Letterman Show, "I can only liken it to, like, being a ball girl at the U.S. Open, and suddenly you're just asked to play in the final. And, you know you're not going to win, and you know you're probably not going to be much competition." Of course, acting isn't a competitive sport, and Hathaway was in no way facing off against Streep. That said, Hathaway felt more relaxed once she reminded herself that winning was impossible.

In the same interview, Hathaway said that focusing on having fun — rather than beating out her competition — was really helpful when it came to calming her nerves. "You're like, 'Oh God, I'm going to have fun,'" Hathaway quipped. She then went on to reaffirm, "You know you're playing with an ace." By sitting back and trying to enjoy the experience of working together, Hathaway forged a positive professional relationship with Streep. Unlike the celebs who have thrown shade at Meryl Streep over the years, Hathaway came to love the great actor and continued to say nice things about her in interviews. 

As stressful as it may have been for the young Anne Hathaway to act alongside the great Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada," she benefited greatly from the experience of learning from one of Hollywood's most accomplished actors. Prior to starring in the iconic film, Hathaway had already accumulated quite a bit of acting experience in movies like "The Princess Diaries" and "Ella Enchanted." However, working with Streep helped catalyze the stunning transformation of Anne Hathaway from a young actor to a total pro. The reason? Despite feeling intimidated by Streep, Hathaway understood that the veteran actor was eager to help her improve.

Commenting on this dynamic in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hathaway shared, "I did feel intimidated, but I always felt very cared for." She then addressed Streep directly, stating, "I remember having the experience of watching you watch me [act], and you altered your performance ever so slightly ... and you brought more out of me." At the time, Hathaway was really moved by Streep's commitment to becoming a team player. As she looked forward to the rest of her career, Hathaway hoped to embody a similar sort of graciousness. "It was a lesson for me about how you, when you're number one on the call sheet, you protect the film," Hathaway gushed. "You watch out for the other actors because when everybody's doing great work, the film benefits..."

There were plenty of feud rumors surrounding "The Devil Wears Prada" cast, but Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep actually created a really positive relationship during filming. Both actors are known for their almost perfectionistic dedication to the craft. Because of this, they were able to bond over their shared love of acting — and forge a friendship that went beyond "The Devil Wears Prada" set. By the time "The Devil Wears Prada 2" hit the theaters two decades later, Hathaway and Streep were two peas in a pod.

Chatting with Extra about her friendship with Streep, Hathaway dished, "In the twenty years since, we've all stayed in touch, and we are friends, and we are in each other's lives." As a result of this closeness, Hathaway didn't really have the chance to miss Streep during the gap between films. If anything, the actors missed collaborating as professionals more than anything else.

In the same interview, Hathaway went on to explain, "The thing that was so lovely [about filming "The Devil Wears Prada 2"] was actually getting to see everybody's characters again. You know, I missed the chemistry." Luckily, Hathaway and Streep got to experience all the best parts of working together. They felt connected from the moment they first sat down to read through the script together. Hathaway recalled, "The lines are just like going past my head at a million miles an hour."

There are plenty of celebs who seemingly can't stand Anne Hathaway, but Meryl Streep is not among them. Although Streep and Hathaway have argued at times, their disagreements are actually pretty charming. Streep and Hathaway bicker as if they were mother and daughter, adding an adorable twist to their famous friendship. In a 2026 chat with Extra, the dynamic duo actually began to argue about who had a harder time wearing the super uncomfortable heels that were part of "The Devil Wears Prada" wardrobe. Streep claimed that Hathaway had said, "It doesn't really hurt my feet." To this, Hathaway replied, "I never, no, I didn't!" As Hathaway tried to defend herself, Streep clapped back, "Yes, you did!"

This totally playful exchange just went to show how relaxed Streep and Hathaway are in each other's company. As relationship expert, Susan Krauss Whitbourne Ph.D., ABPP, wrote in a piece for Psychology Today, "bickering may not be bad for your personal relationship." On the contrary, Krauss Whitbourne claimed, "low-level difference of opinion that you can work together to resolve may actually promote your long-term fulfillment over time." While Streep and Hathaway aren't each other's actual family members or romantic partners, their tendency to bicker may be indicative of their ability to negotiate differences of opinion. In the long-run, this means that while Meryl Streep has faced her share of tragedy, her friendship with Hathaway is a bright point in her life. 

Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway have fantastic on-screen chemistry, and the two actors know it. When Streep was initially approached about the possibility of filming "The Devil Wears Prada 2," she was interested in the idea. However, she only agreed to participate upon receiving confirmation that Hathaway was keen, as well. In an interview with Creators Faire, Streep admitted that getting the previous cast back together was a huge motivator behind her decision to take the part. "I had said I would do it, just based on the script. I said, 'If you can get those other lunatics to come in, I'm in.' And, you know, everybody else said, 'yes,' and we were off to the races," Streep laughed.

In the same conversation with Creators Faire, Hathaway said that the cast's close relationship played a similarly huge role in her own decision to do "The Devil Wears Prada 2." She likened her casting experience to receiving a "Batman" call signal. "I just got this vision of, like, the bat symbol, but instead it's our red shoe," Hathaway laughed. "And, so, it's kind of like, it hit the sky, and we were are like, 'We must!'" While this may seem like a funny comparison, it speaks to the draw of "The Devil Wears Prada" universe. The two actors were eager to return to their cast mates — and especially to each other.

Both Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway had very high expectations going into "The Devil Wears Prada 2," and, luckily, neither party was disappointed. For the pair of Academy Award winners, working together again was a transformative experience. Streep was particularly pleased to witness the ways that Hathaway had grown — both as an actor and a human. Gushing about Anne Hathaway's transformation from the original "Devil Wears Prada" to the sequel, Streep told Extra, "It was fabulous ... We never get to do this. We never get to revisit people as they mature."

In the same conversation with Extra, Streep went on to describe how her castmates had changed over the course of 20 years. "So, [Anne Hathaway] was 22. Emily Blunt was 22, I think, when we shot the [first] movie," Streep shared. "And to come back, and they are grown-ups. They are mothers. They are accomplished, celebrated actors." According to Streep, it was incredible to see both Hathaway and Blunt pour all their newly-gained life experiences into "The Devil Wears Prada 2."

Streep was simply blown away by the way that both women allowed their characters to grow alongside them. Streep went on to reflect that Hathaway and Blunt were "Just people with history." She then added, "And we all brought that — all of our history — into this. Into recreating these characters. And, they are a little bit different. Like we all are."

Meryl Streep famously understands the human side of acting, a trait that she shares with her "Devil Wears Prada" co-star, Anne Hathaway. Like Streep, Anne Hathaway has endured plenty of tragedy. And, both actors have been able to draw on those experiences to hone their craft. With this in mind, it only makes sense that part of Streep and Hathaway's great professional relationship can be attributed to the strong personal relationship simmering beneath. Although it took Hathaway a long time to fully understand who Streep was beyond her status as an iconic actor, the discovery was worth the wait.

Speaking to Extra from the red carpet, Hathaway gushed about Streep's personal side. "It's so wonderful to realize that she's earned every iconic title that she has, but I've long believed that it would be very empty if you're only the titles," Hathaway explained. She went on to say how much she's enjoyed her conversations with Streep, stating, "She's just so great to talk to as a human being." Clearly, Hathaway's relationship with Streep has evolved considerably from those early days when the former was struggling with nausea in the latter's presence! 

Fans of Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway have been itching to find out whether the two icons would be open to working together again. Luckily, the answer to that question is a resounding "yes!" Both Streep and Hathaway have expressed interest in hitting the big screen once again — potentially even in another "Devil Wears Prada" movie. Of course, Streep and Hathaway would only film the movie given certain conditions. As Streep told People in a group interview, the quality of the script would be an essential factor in informing her ultimate decision. Her co-star, Emily Blunt, readily agreed with Streep's assessment. "A good script. It's all about the script," she said.

Beyond the quality of the writing itself, there are other factors at play. Speaking to People for the previously cited piece, Hathaway added her own condition to the mix. Apparently, the "Princess Diaries" star would only participate if all her favorite cast members were also interested in doing the film. "And then, everybody has to say yes," Hathaway said. "It's got to be the core four." Per People, the "core four" include Hathaway, Streep, Blunt, and Stanley Tucci. Upon hearing this, Streep jokingly warned her co-stars not to make another movie for the franchise after her death. "They have to be alive," she quipped. As for creating a movie outside of "The Devil Wears Prada" franchise, it seems that Streep and Hathaway would be open to the possibility.