On the sets of The Devil Wears Prada, Anne Hathaway was intimidated by Meryl Streep, thinking she will never be as good as her

Though Anne Hathaway has starred in many roles that have gained her immense critical acclaim, one of her most iconic and memorable performances has to be her work in the 2006 film, The Devil Wears Prada. The cult-classic film starred an exceptional cast, with actors like Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, and Emily Blunt, the latter of which, got her big break in Hollywood through this. It would not be too far-fetched to say that this film had a huge cultural impact, doing exceptionally well at the box office, and amongst its audiences.

A still from The Devil Wears Prada

It is nothing new that when a film does really well, its audiences want to know everything there is to know about the behind-the-scenes process of making the project. Naturally, the same was the case for this film, where there was a lot of information that was shared about what it took to make this classic. Amongst the many interviews where the cast drops these details is an interview where Hathaway talked about feeling inadequate compared to the legend that is Meryl Streep.

Anne Hathaway Thought That She Would Never Be As Good As Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep is truly one of the most talented, and respected actresses in the entirety of the film industry. She has worked in some of the most critically acclaimed films, making a name for herself as a force to be reckoned with, as well as having over twenty nominations for an Academy Awards. It is only natural that anyone who works with an individual of so much caliber would be intimated and not feel deserving of working alongside them.

Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, and Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada

This is exactly what happened to Anne Hathaway. The actress gave an interview with Access, where she voiced these insecurities that she felt on the set of The Devil Wears Prada.

“It wouldn’t matter if I’d done 50 films, she’s (Meryl Streep) still the best actress in the whole world and I just really, kind of, had to calm myself down and say, okay, you know, just accept it. She’s gonna be better than you.” 

She revealed that her experience in the film industry did not seem to matter as it was nothing compared to Streep’s talent. She revealed that she had to convince herself time and time again that it was okay that Streep was the best and she would not be able to compete with or match up to her s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s.

Anne Hathaway Learnt A Lot From Meryl Streep

Anne Hathaway then went on to talk to Access about what made the Oscar-winning actress so good at what she does, adding that instead of focusing on the fact that Meryl Streep was better than her, she decided to learn from her instead. She stated that she learned many things, including the fact that the way the actress approached her roles was completely different than what she does.

Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada

“Just learn as much as possible and just be as open to it as possible. And the thing that is so wonderful about Meryl as an actress, and it’s what you kind of always aspire to is that she is always at the very center of her character, of the scene, of whatever that she is doing. She’s always completely in touch with the truth of what it is. And so, when you are doing a scene with her, you kind of, then, by default, get to be in that same place, and so your level improves so much.”

She added that Streep constantly stayed at the center of the role she was playing, not getting out of character even when the cameras were turned off. Hathaway added that Streep was always in touch with the truth of the character, and in doing so, she taught the Princess Diaries actress the same s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁, helping her get better at her craft and the level of her acting.