Emily Blunt admits she was scared of Meryl Streep on 'The Devil Wears Prada' set

Emily Blunt has said she felt “quite scared” of Meryl Streep during the filming of The Devil Wears Prada, describing the atmosphere created by Streep’s approach to her role.

The comments were made during a SiriusXM Front Row discussion hosted by Andy Cohen, which brought together cast members including Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci ahead of the film’s sequel.

When asked about working with Streep, Blunt said, “I mean, on the first one, I was quite scared because I feel like you were in a zone.” Streep responded, “Oh, yeah. I was in that zone.”

Blunt explained that Streep remained deeply immersed in her portrayal of Miranda Priestly, the editor-in-chief of Runway magazine.

“She was in a Miranda zone,” Blunt said, adding that while Streep was approachable, she maintained a certain distance during filming. “Not impenetrable, but we could come up and tell you a funny story, but you wouldn't do your extraordinary laugh that I normally heard.”

Streep described her process as maintaining “a slight remove” to convey authority in the role. She explained that she spent time observing scenes before performing and aimed to create a sense of distance to reflect the character’s position.

She also noted that this approach could lead to separation from cast bonding moments, saying she would sometimes hear others enjoying themselves while she remained apart.

The discussion comes as the sequel to The Devil Wears Prada is set for release on May 1. The follow-up film continues the story of Miranda Priestly as she navigates changes in the publishing industry while interacting with Blunt’s character, now positioned as a senior executive.