Meryl Streep Nearly Lost 'Devil Wears Prada' Role For This Reason

The acclaimed actress earned an Oscar nomination for her role as Miranda Priestly.

That's all. 

Meryl Streep almost lost out on one of her most iconic roles. In a recent podcast interview, Wendy Finerman, the producer of The Devil Wears Prada, shared that not everyone wanted the Oscar winner for the legendary role of Miranda Priestly. 

"Anne, we knew is a good every girl. She really is. She went to Vasser. She's a real All-American girl," Finerman said of star Anne Hathaway on the Hollywood Gold podcast. "And Meryl, people thought we were crazy. I had people call me up and say, 'Are you out of your mind? She's never been funny a day in her life.' She has been funny, and they were wrong. But this was clearly a different kind of world for her. I think that that was part of the fun of the unexpected of seeing her amidst in outfits." 

Finerman added that Streep had previously comedic acting credits, specifically citing her role in the 1992 film Death Becomes Her, which also starred Goldie Hawn. 

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The subject of the hit 2006 film, loosely based off of Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, has been at the forefront recently. Co-stars Hathaway and Emily Blunt recently reunited for Variety's Actors on Actors segment where they discussed working with Streep on the film. 

"I remember Meryl coming up with like 18 different lines on the spot, Stanley [Tucci] doing the same, you, and I was just, like, this kindergartener," Hathaway quipped, referencing Streep's ability to adlib now-famous lines from the movie. 

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Streep, who famously went method to play Miranda, later claimed to regret the choice. 

"Do you know she's never done method acting since? She said it made her so miserable in this one," Blunt, who has co-starred with Streep in other big projects like Into the Woods and Mary Poppins Returns, shared. 

The Devil Wears Prada was nominated for two Oscars, including one for Best Actress for Streep. 

In October, ET spoke with Hathaway about the possibility of working with Streep again. 

"Oh my gosh, I would love that," Hathaway gushed. "I wish. I wish. I wish. She's very busy."

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