As one of the most legendary actors of all time, Meryl Streep is quite familiar with the technique known as “method acting.” For decades, this technique has been seen as the mark of a truly great actor. While Streep has had occasion to use method acting for several roles, she discovered while playing Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada that the technique can make for a lonely filming experience.
During an interview with EW celebrating the film’s legacy, Meryl Streep admitted that the distance she had to maintain from the rest of the cast in keeping with her cold and calculating façade as Miranda took a toll on her mental health, and made her swear off any more method acting roles.
“It was horrible! I was [miserable] in my trailer. I could hear them all rocking and laughing. I was so depressed! I said, ‘Well, it’s the price you pay for being boss!’ That’s the last time I ever attempted a method thing!”
Based on Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel of the same name, Streep’s character in The Devil Wears Prada was widely believed to be inspired by real-life fashion celebrity and US Vogue editor Anna Wintour. The story begins when Andrea “Andy” Sachs, played by Anne Hathaway, is hired as junior personal assistant to Miranda Priestly, the editor-in-chief of Runway magazine.
Despite the high prestige associated with working for Priestly, Andy soon discovers that her new boss is excessively controlling, demanding, and verbally abusive. It was one of the few times that Streep had played such an out-and-out villain without any attempts to make her likable to the audience. According to the actress, it was refreshing to play a character that was not interested in ingratiating herself with those around her.
“I wasn’t interested in doing a biopic on Anna; I was interested in her position in her company. I wanted to take on the burdens she had to carry, along with having to look nice every day… Absolute power corrupts absolutely…. I liked that there wasn’t any backing away from the horrible parts of her, and the real scary parts of her had to do with the fact that she didn’t try to ingratiate, which is always the female emollient in any situation where you want your way – what my friend Carrie Fisher used to call “the squeezy and tilty” of it all. [Miranda] didn’t do any of that.”
The Devil Wears Prada has since gone on to enjoy a cult status. Streep’s performance as Miranda has become one of the most iconic of her career, apart from netting her an Oscar nomination. The movie also proved a valuable addition to the filmography of Hathaway and featured Emily Blunt in one of her first prominent roles in Hollywood. According to Hathaway, despite Streep’s method acting getting in the way of a more intimate relationship behind the scenes of the film, the veteran actress still made sure her co-stars felt included and safe.
“I always felt cared for. I knew that whatever [Meryl] was doing to create that fear, I appreciated [because] I also knew she was watching out for me.”
This news originated at Entertainment Weekly as part of the big The Devil Wears Prada reunion held earlier this month.
You can view the original article HERE.
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