Full of fashion, glam, high-society antics, and the reality of what it’s like to be a woman in a cutthroat industry, The Devil Wears Prada is a film that has remained popular with the last two generations of women. Now, 20 years later, the film’s leading stars, Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep, return to their previous roles as they prepare for the upcoming sequel, The Devil Wears Prada 2. However, ahead of the May 1 premiere and just before the movie’s global tour began, both Hathaway and Streep showed their dedication to social issues affecting women, fitting for a movie that highlights the competition women face as they climb the corporate ladder.
Streep, for example, made a seven-figure gift to the National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) on March 17. “Streep’s gift will expand the Museum’s digital-first initiatives, enabling the creation of dynamic storytelling experiences designed to reach audiences wherever they are, from classrooms to living rooms to the digital platforms people engage with every day,” according to a press release statement by the museum. “At a time when the stories we tell have never mattered more, this investment positions the Museum to significantly expand its national impact by elevating the stories of women ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary.”
When addressing her gift, Streep stated that “History is shaped not only by those who make it, but by those who ensure it is remembered.” Emphasizing the importance of remembering a history that includes women, Streep said, “I am proud to continue supporting this essential work so that future generations inherit a history that is both truthful and complete.”
Honoring her dedication to education, the museum also announced the upcoming arrival of the Meryl Streep Educator Award, which would annually honor an educator “who advances the teaching of women’s history and expands access to these vital narratives in classrooms and communities nationwide.” The award will be presented to the first recipient this November at NWHM’s Women Making History Awards Gala.
Hathaway’s contribution occurred while filming the sequel, according to Harper’s Bazaar, which reported that “fashion brands were initially hesitant to get on board and lend clothes” during the production of the first movie. Therefore, the 2006 movie illustrated many of the fashion trends and expectations of the time, including slimmer figures that were emphasized not only in the fashion shows, but also in the movie’s script.
Hathaway told the fashion publication that this time, the cast attended fashion shows during Milan Fashion Week. There, Streep was “struck by how not only beautiful and young—everyone seems young to me—but alarmingly thin the models were…I thought that all had been addressed years ago,” she said to Harper’s Bazaar. According to Streep, Hathaway “clocked it too, and she made a beeline to the producers about it, securing promises that the models in the show that we were putting together for our film would not be so skeletal!”
For both Streep and Hathaway, paying attention to and acting on societal issues is not new. Streep has advocated for a variety of societal and human rights concerns, including women’s rights in Afghanistan and environmental issues. Streep also co-founded her own organization, Mothers and Others for a Livable Planet, “to raise awareness on pesticides being used on vegetables,” in 1989.
Hathaway has also been vocal about numerous social and political issues. Serving as a United Nations (UN) Women Goodwill Ambassador since 2016 and having previously supported many other women’s rights organizations, Hathaway has been dedicated to advancing the rights of young girls and women across many spheres. For example, she was one of the many actresses who participated in the Time’s Up movement, which arose after the #MeToo movement and the Harvey Weinstein scandals. While #MeToo fought for justice and support for sexual assault survivors in the entertainment industry, Time’s Up did the same for women in less visible work environments.
Most recently, in March of this year, she spoke at the UN’s Women’s Day celebration, stating that “It’s hard to bear the knowledge that the distance between the promise of equality and the experience of it are yet still so far apart, for so many.” Still, Hathaway emphasized, “Our celebration today affirms our determination to outlast it.”
Apart from women’s rights, Hathaway has also worked with a variety of organizations to support hospitalized children, advocate for LGBTQ rights, and defend First Amendment rights in the entertainment industry. She has used her platform to speak on numerous political issues, such as abortion rights, gun control, and the war in Ukraine.
Streep and Hathaway aren’t the only women starring in The Devil Wears Prada who have historically spoken up for women’s rights and other advocacy work. Emily Blunt, who starred alongside Streep and Hathaway in the first movie and will return, is on the board of the American Institute of Stuttering and has also been vocal on the importance of education for young girls and women. Simone Ashley, who will be making her first appearance in the duology, has spoken about the importance of including Black and Brown women both in front of and behind the camera, as well as her own experiences with racism and colorism.
While the movie about high fashion is meant to be a glamorous, dramatic comedy, The Devil Wears Prada is only one example of the influence of media in society. With the power to shape how women are treated, the sequel’s star-studded yet advocacy-driven cast, along with Streep and Hathaway’s ongoing activism, illustrates that even the most comedic movies often have larger, more meaningful messages.