For about 20 years, the devil wears prada I live far beyond the runway.
What started as a sharp comedy about fashion, ambition, and impossible bosses has become something much bigger for queer audiences. The 2006 film became a cult favorite, packed with endlessly quotable lines, iconic fashion moments, and beloved characters such as the sharp fashion editor Nigel, played by Stanley Tucci.
Now director David Frankel and writer/producer Aline Brosh McKenna are back on board. the devil wears prada 2McKenna says queer audiences were top of mind while working on the sequel.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting queer members of the press,” McKenna told Gatey during the interview. “These are my people.”
She continued:
“What I personally think about a lot when I make films is women and queer people.”
How queer audiences shaped The Devil Wears Prada
McKenna said the first time she realized the original film had become a phenomenon in queer culture was when she discovered its popularity at a New York City video store.
“A few years after the movie came out, I was in a video store on Christopher Street,” she recalled. “Someone came in and said, ‘I want to rent it.’ the devil wears prada. ” And the man said, “Oh, we don’t have that in stock.” It comes on and disappears 10 minutes later. ”
That moment stayed with her.
“If the queer community understands and accepts this story and these characters, that means everything to me.”
The sequel reunites Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Tucci as the fashion world continues to evolve in the digital age. The film also introduces new cast members such as Caleb Hearon, Simone Ashley, and Helen J. Shen.
Nigel’s impact still resonates today.
One of the most emotional parts of the conversation was about Nigel and why queer audiences connected so deeply with him in the first film. Of the four main characters in the franchise, he is the only one of note.
McKenna also dove into the memorable moment in the original film when Nigel opens up to Andy about his childhood and love of fashion.
“The speech in the first film where Nigel reads a magazine under the covers in bed at night was really inspired by a friend of mine from childhood, but also by myself,” she said.
As a review, I’d like to introduce the dialogue from that scene. “Suppose a boy growing up in Rhode Island with 10 siblings pretends to be going to soccer practice when he’s actually attending a sewing class and reads Runway in his attic at night by flashlight.”
McKenna added that although the film rarely details the characters’ personal lives, audiences still found themselves reflected in Nigel’s experiences.
Mr McKenna said: “We really have no idea what will happen after Nigel gets home.” “But I think his experience has become very revealing to gay audiences, and that makes me really happy.”
She also pointed out that fashion itself is an inherently queer-influenced space.
“Many of the designers I admired growing up and still admire today are queer,” she says.
Lady Gaga’s moment that got us all ‘gagged’
The producers also revealed one of the sequel’s most high-profile additions: a cameo appearance by Lady Gaga.
“One of the gay men on set came up to me and said, ‘You have no idea what you’re doing with this,'” she said.
Frankel added that Gaga is “such a great person” to work with, and revealed that her involvement came about after she connected with Streep during filming. SNL50 Celebration.
“And we were talking about who is our pop star,” Frankel said. “Then I realized, wait a second, Meryl, hey, do you want to call a friend?”
It’s hard to believe that this cameo actually came from a simple idea: “What if I just called her?” for a moment. Honestly, nothing could be more legendary.
Lady Gaga also contributed three songs. soundtrack of devil wearing prada 2including “RUNWAY,” which received a music video featuring Doechii.
Cast helps shape sequel
According to Frankel and McKenna, the returning cast also played a large role in shaping the sequel after reading the first draft.
“They know these characters just as well, if not better, than we do,” Frankel said.
One particularly important note came from Blunt, who noted that the script did not originally include any scenes featuring all four main characters together.
“There’s no scene with all four of us,” Frankel recalled her saying.
That feedback ultimately inspired a key scene in the film, complete with the entire OG cast. For McKenna, this kind of collaboration helped make his return to this world feel more meaningful than just nostalgia.
And as queer audiences prepare to re-enter the world, runwayIt seems like the creators are fully aware of how personal this franchise has become for many people.
look the devil wears prada 2 Released in theaters on May 1st.
Source: Gayety – gayety.com
