Meryl Streep’s performance in “The Devil Wears Prada” was not inspired by Anna Wintour, actress reveals.
The 76-year-old actress is clarifying that her role as Marinda Priestley was not based on a former circulation editor, instead it was inspired by the cool authority of Clint Eastwood and the humor of Mike Nichols.
“I was basically imitating Mike Nichols that whole time,” Streep said on the April 1 episode of ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.’
He joked, “If Mike Nichols and Clint Eastwood had a child… it would be Miranda Priestly.”
The Oscar-winning actress explained that she channeled Nichols’s directing style into the tone of the character, while Eastwood’s cool authority also became part of Miranda.
He explained, “Command on the set. And Mike would do it with a sly humor. People think it’s mean, but it’s funny. I think it’s funny.
“Clint would never raise his voice. He would direct and people would have to lean forward to hear what he was saying.”
While Eastwood didn’t know about it, he told Nichols and he liked it.
Streep said, “I told Mike and he was thrilled.”
It is worth mentioning that Streep is reprising her role of Miranda Priestly in the second installment of “The Devil Wears Prada”, which is set to release in May.
