“She’s never been funny”: Meryl Streep was Humiliated by Fans for Starring in $326 Million Movie that Got her an Oscar Nomination
Actress Meryl Streep is regarded as the best actress of her generation or as Jennifer Lawrence describes her the GOAT. The actress is recognized for her versatile characters and accent adaptability, which, according to many critics, is a rare thing to find. There is no doubt that the actress’ hard work, dedication, and commitment have managed to make her one of the most loved actresses in the entertainment industry.
Meryl Streep made her on-screen debut in 1977 with Julia, won an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1982’s Sophie’s Choice, and had her biggest commercial success with 1985’s Out of Africa. All the characters she has played over the years are iconic and well celebrated, but what has stayed with the fans is her 2006’s The Devil Wears Prada’s Miranda Priestly. But did you know Streep’s casting for the role was not welcomed? Let’s find out more.
Meryl Streep’s casting as Miranda Priestly was met with a pushback
It’s hard to imagine someone else portraying the character of Miranda Priestly other than Meryl Streep, but someone else could have. Producer Wendy Finerman, in a recent Hollywood Gold podcast episode, shared that the actress was almost passed over for the role.
The reason was that some people thought that the actress was not funny enough. He said via Variety,
“Meryl, people thought we were crazy. I mean, I had people call me up and say, ‘Are you out of your mind? She’s never been funny da day in her life.’ She has been funny nd they were wrong. But this was clearly a different kind of world for her.”
The producer mentioned that after watching her performances in movies like Sophie’s Choice, Out of Africa, and many of which got her success and nominations, he was keen on casting her for a light-hearted comedy. He added that getting Meryl Streep to play a character like Miranda Priestly was part of the fun of the unexpected.
Meryl Streep explains why she is not keen on method acting
Back in 2021, the cast of The Devil Wears Prada reunited for the 15th anniversary and spoke about their experiences. During the interaction, it was noted that Streep decided to have some real-life interactions with Emily Blunt and Anne Hathaway in an ice-cold manner just like Miranda Priestly would. Blunt about it said via EW,
“Meryl is so gregarious and fun as hell. In some ways, it wasn’t the most fun for her having to remove herself. It wasn’t like she was unapproachable. You could go up to her and say, ‘Oh my god, the funniest thing just happened,’ and she’d listen, but I don’t know if it was the most fun for her to be on set being that way.”
Anne Hathaway also chimed in and said,
“I did feel intimated, but I always felt cared for. I knew that whatever she was doing to create that fear, I appreciated ecause I also knew she was watching out for me.”
Streep said that it was horrible for her, adding that she could hear the cast members rocking and laughing while she was in her trailer. She added she was depressed but convinced herself by saying that it’s the price one has to pay for being boss. Meryl Streep said it was the last time she ever attempted a method of acting.
The Devil Wears Prada is streaming on Max.
