"It was interesting to see what she's done over these 20 years, whether her view of work has changed and how she navigates a landscape where everything has changed. And how she and the others try to navigate into the future," says the American actor.
The first “The Devil Wears Prada” was based on the book of the same name, written by Lauren Weisberger. She spent a year as an assistant to Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
Weisberger's candid portrait of her time at the magazine became a bestseller. And even though the editor-in-chief was named Miranda Priestly, everyone knew it was a portrait of Wintour.
"Dictatorial editor-in-chief"
When TT met Streep at the film's premiere in Venice in 2006, she said:
It is true that the book, on which the film is based, is about Anna Wintour. In the film we have gone a little further away from her, so now it is a more general portrait of a dictatorial editor-in-chief. But of course there are similarities, I will not deny that.
The sequel is set in a changing magazine industry. Print is doing poorly, online journalism is doing better, and Miranda Priestly's path crosses once again with Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway) and Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt).
"What I like here is that this Miranda, who is unabashedly defined by her power, suddenly has to navigate a world where there is a risk that she will lose control of what she does. And I think part of what made me love the first film was that you got a glimpse of her loving what she does," says Meryl Streep.
Wants to enhance beauty
She doesn't think Miranda Priestly's driving force is all about being the one in charge. Most of all, the hard-nosed fashion queen wants to promote beauty while celebrating the greatest human achievements in the field.
She thinks she's a cultural curator. She prides herself on keeping everything afloat and making it work financially. When the bottom starts to fall out of the boat and she feels that danger is looming, she has to compromise. It's a word she has a hard time pronouncing.
Miranda Priestly is changed by the process, notes Meryl Streep.
She realizes how much she relies on the people who have supported her. I don't think she's coming down from a pedestal of meanness - but she's pretty mean and effective at what she does. I like that development.
Facts: Meryl Streep
Name: Meryl Streep.
Age: 76.
Family: Husband Don Gummer, four children.
Lives: In New York.
Occupation: Actor, icon.
Previous roles (selected): "The Deer Hunter", "The Holocaust", "Manhattan", "The French Lieutenant's Woman", "Kramer vs. Kramer", "Sophie's Choice", "Silkwood", "Out of Africa", "Postcards from the Dream Factory", "Death Becomes Her", "The Bridges of Madison County", "The Hours", "The Devil Wears Prada", "Mamma Mia!", "Doubt", "The Iron Lady", "A Family", "Suffragette", "Florence Foster Jenkins", "Big Little Lies", "Little Women", "Only Murders in the Building".
Current: In "The Devil Wears Prada 2", which has its Swedish cinema premiere on May 1.
