How Rachel McAdams accidentally gave Anne Hathaway her big break
When we think about movies about the fashion industry, The Devil Wears Prada is perhaps one of the first titles to spring to mind. Who can forget Meryl Streep’s iconic performance as Miranda Priestley? The magazine editor who quips one-liners such as “Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking” is a terrifying force, balanced out by the ambitious yet ‘uncool’ Andy, played by Anne Hathaway.
Desperate to impress the intimidating staff who seem to epitomise everything wrong with the fashion industry, Andy puts up with awful behaviour and embarrassment. As Andy experiences the trials and tribulations of working in a highly cutthroat business, she ascends the ranks to greatness. Similarly, the performance shot Hathaway to greater mainstream success, allowing her to break away from the predominantly teen-oriented roles she had played before.
Hathaway’s first film role was the leading part in Disney’s The Princess Diaries, which made her widely known to a younger audience. The 2001 movie was a hit, spawning a sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, released in 2004, allowing Hathaway to keep walking a steady path towards stardom.
Some of her next roles included Ella Enchanted and Hoodwinked!, both aimed at children and teens. While Hathaway was delivering solid performances, she needed to land a part which would elevate her status as an actor, and a part in Brokeback Mountain seemed like it would do the trick. Her presence in the film certainly helped to distance her from her previous projects, but a leading adult role was required to help Hathaway fulfil her true potential.
When she heard about The Devil Wears Prada, she knew she had to have the role. Unfortunately, she was not the producers’ first choice. Rather, Rachel McAdams, who had recently given an impressive performance in The Notebook, was wanted for the role, yet she was not remotely interested.
In an article by Entertainment Weekly, director David Frankel explained, “We offered it to Rachel McAdams three times. The studio was determined to have her, and she was determined not to do it.”
Luckily, McAdams’ reluctance to accept the offer allowed Hathaway the chance to prove herself as the perfect actor for the part. Fox 2000’s president, Elizabeth Gabler, revealed how passionate Hathaway was about the role of Andy, recalling, “I remember her sitting on my sofa in my office and explaining why she wanted to do this, why she had to play this role, and giving script notes about the third act.”
According to Gabler, “Annie never gave up. She never stopped campaigning, calling, she came into [Fox executive] Carla Hacken’s office and wrote in her zen garden, ‘Hire me.’” Evidently, her determination mirrored her character’s similar sensibility, and Fox realised that Hathaway had exactly what they wanted.
The Devil Wears Prada was a huge success, and Hathaway’s performance was heavily praised. Firmly establishing herself as a serious actor capable of adult roles, Hathway soon became Hollywood royalty, winning her first Oscar in 2012.
