In a Capital interview with her “The Devil Wears Prada” co-star Emily Blunt, Anne Hathaway revealed that she was not the studio’s first choice to play the role of Andy Sachs. In fact, she said she was much further down the list.
Fans who have rooted for the 2006 film and Hathaway’s character will find it a surprising bit of casting history, especially because, as Blunt says, “There’s no one else who could play her.”
Anne Hathaway on landing ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ role: ‘It was like some kind of destiny’
Laughing during the interview, Anne Hathaway revealed the truth about playing Andy Sachs in “The Devil Wears Prada.” She said, “I wasn’t the first choice to play Andy Sachs, I was actually the ninth choice to play Andy Sachs.”
When Blunt asked if she could name the actors who came before her, Hathaway replied, “Yes.” She joked, “Of course I can. They’re tattooed on my brain.”
On a serious note, Hathaway admitted that she never lost faith in the part and the movie, saying she could not understand why others were passing on it. She said, “It was kind of amazing because I’m just like, ‘Why is everyone turning down this amazing part in this amazing movie?,’” before going on to say that she now likes to think “it was like some kind of destiny.”
Hathaway said she kept showing up and kept telling the studio that she still wanted the role, even as they continued the search for another actor.
She recalled, “They’re like, ‘We’re gonna go with someone else.’ I’m like, ‘Okay, but I’m still here,’” saying that the movie had “this really unbelievable, like, almost mystical magnetism to it.” It was that feeling that convinced her, “It doesn’t matter how you get on this project, just get on it.”
The ninth-choice reveal for “The Devil Wears Prada” role is a shock for longtime fans, but the bigger takeaway is that Anne Hathaway trusted her gut and got the part anyway. And years later, Andy Sachs remains one of the most famous characters she has ever played.
