Meryl Streep reveals Anne Hathaway challenged 'alarmingly thin' casting on Devil Wears Prada sequel

Meryl Streep has praised Anne Hathaway as a 'stand-up girl' after revealing she confronted producers over ‘alarmingly thin’ models on the set of the The Devil Wears Prada sequel.

The Hollywood legend, 76, and the Princess Diaries star, 43, have reunited for the hotly anticipated follow-up - due in cinemas on May 1, 2026 - and were filming scenes at Milan Fashion Week when the issue arose.

Streep admitted she was ‘struck’ by the appearance of the runway models, saying they looked ‘not only beautiful and young… but alarmingly thin,' during an interview for Hathaway's cover of Harper's Bazaar.

‘Annie clocked it too,’ she added, revealing that Hathaway quickly stepped in behind the scenes.

According to Streep, the actress ‘made a beeline’ to producers and secured assurances that models featured in the film’s fashion show ‘would not be so skeletal.’

‘She’s a stand-up girl,’ Streep said, praising her co-star’s intervention.

Streep also revealed filming for the sequel was far from smooth, with scenes frequently disrupted by swarms of excited fans and paparazzi.

Despite being aware of the original film’s legacy, the Oscar winner admitted she was unprepared for the scale of the reaction more than two decades on.

‘We needed police barriers and crowd control,’ she said, describing how buses full of fans descended on set during filming.

The chaos even spilled into production, with Streep recalling how paparazzi ‘kept jumping in front of the camera’ and sparked a ‘kerfuffle’ with crew members. 

'Annie kept her cool, but I was unnerved,' Streep added.

In the same interview, Hathaway also reflected candidly on aging - and how she has learned to embrace her body in her forties.

The actress admitted she has found a new sense of confidence later in life, challenging the idea that youth is the happiest chapter.

‘I think that very often, conversations about aging presume that the first part of life is the happiest and the most fulfilling,’ she said. 

‘I don’t necessarily think that’s true… I wasn’t expecting to find another gear at 40.’

Hathaway went on to share a relatable moment from a recent family vacation, recalling how she was caught off guard after accidentally packing what she described as her ‘aspirational’ swimsuit.

Admitting she was having a ‘What?’ day when she looked in the mirror, the star said she initially felt insecure - before having a shift in perspective.

‘I looked again and I said, “You are 43,”’ she explained, adding that she ultimately appreciated what she saw instead of criticizing it.

The mother-of-two, who shares her children with husband Adam Shulman, said the moment helped her refocus on what truly matters.

‘I think you realize that worry should be reserved for the really big stuff,’ she added.

The highly anticipated The Devil Wears Prada sequel marks a full-circle moment nearly two decades after the original became a box office smash and fashion phenomenon.

Reuniting Streep, Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci, the film dives back into the cutthroat world of high fashion - but this time with a modern twist.

According to early plot details, Miranda Priestly is grappling with the decline of traditional print media while facing off against Blunt’s Emily, now a powerful executive controlling crucial advertising dollars.

The sequel will also introduce a host of new faces, including Kenneth Branagh, Lucy Liu and Justin Theroux.

Filming has taken place across New York and Milan, with behind-the-scenes glimpses already sending fans into a frenzy.

And with the original 2006 film raking in over $300 million worldwide and becoming a bona fide cult classic, fans are buzzing to see the sequel bring back the glamour - and a whole new dose of high-fashion drama.