The Devil Wears Prada remains one of the most iconic roles of Meryl Streep’s career. The legendary actress’ performance as the no-nonsense fashion editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly received widespread acclaim and is the prime reason behind the 2006 film’s cult classic status.
However, do you know that while the act looked stellar on screen, the actress had to go through a tough time as she got too engrossed in the character while attempting Method acting? The experience was so bad that Streep decided to give up the Method altogether and vowed never to employ it again in her future projects.
Meryl Streep Called Her Method Acting Experience in The Devil Wears Prada ‘Horrible’
Streep made the revelation during The Devil Wears Prada cast reunion in 2021 to mark the 15th anniversary of the hit film. During the interaction, the cast revealed how Streep stayed in character even off-camera to give the performance of a lifetime. Sparking the conversation, Streep’s co-star Emily Charlton, who played her assistant Emily Charlton said, “It wasn’t the most fun for her having to remove herself. It wasn’t like she was unapproachable…but I don’t know if it was the most fun for her to be on set being that way.”
Streep then agreed that she had a horrible experience on the sets of the film, and decided to drop the Method from her acting process. “It was horrible! I was [miserable] in my trailer. I could hear them all rocking and laughing. I was so depressed! I said, ‘Well, it’s the price you pay for being boss!’ That’s the last time I ever attempted a Method thing!” said the actress.
For those who don’t know, the Method is an acting technique devised by Russian actor and director Konstantin Stanislavski, that trains the actor to completely identify with their character using their physical, mental, and emotional self. The Method has been practiced by actors like Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Jane Fonda, and Jack Nicholson.
Anne Hathaway Felt Intimidated by Meryl Streep During The Devil Wears Prada
With her Method acting, Streep remained so much in character during the shoot of the film that her co-star Anne Hathaway also felt intimidated by her. “I did feel intimidated, but I always felt cared for. I knew that whatever she was doing to create that fear, I appreciated [because] I also knew she was watching out for me,” Hathaway said in the same interview.
“I remember having the experience of watching [her] watch me, and [she] altered [her] performance ever so slightly, and just made it a little bit different, and brought more out of me and got me to break through whatever barrier I had,” she concluded.
Well, Streep continued to mesmerize the audience even after she dropped the Method. With her talent and versatility, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Margaret Thatcher in the 2011 film The Iron Lady. Some of her other memorable films that came out after The Devil Wears Prada include The Post, Florence Foster Jenkins, and August: Osage County.
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