Meryl Streep reveals Clint Eastwood, not Anna Wintour was inspiration behind Miranda Priestly

Hollywood legend Meryl Streep, whose portrayal of the iconic Miranda Priestly in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ has garnered a massive fan following, recently revealed the surprising inspiration behind her unforgettable role. Two decades after the film's release, fans have long speculated that Meryl's icy, commanding fashion editor character was based on Vogue’s legendary editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. However, during an appearance on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,’ Streep set the record straight, revealing that the character was not inspired by Wintour at all.

Instead, the Oscar-winning actress shared that she drew inspiration from two Hollywood icons: director Mike Nichols and actor-director Clint Eastwood. “I was basically imitating Mike Nichols the whole time," Streep said. "If Mike Nichols and Clint Eastwood had a baby, it would be Miranda Priestly."

Streep elaborated on how Nichols’ directing style shaped Miranda’s presence on set. "Mike had a way of commanding the set with a sort of sly humor. People often take it as mean, but it’s actually funny. I think it’s funny," she said, describing how Nichols' subtle authority influenced the character's tone.

On the other hand, Clint Eastwood inspired Miranda's quieter, more restrained form of leadership. Streep said, "Clint would never raise his voice. He would direct with such quiet authority that people had to lean in just to hear what he was saying."

Although Streep never mentioned the connection to Eastwood, she did tell Nichols about the inspiration behind Miranda Priestly, and he was thrilled. "I told Mike, and he was so pleased," she said.

Nichols, renowned for films like ‘The Graduate,’ ‘Working Girl,’ and ‘Catch-22,’ had a long history of collaboration with Meryl, working together on projects such as Silkwood, Heartburn, and the HBO miniseries Angels in America. Meanwhile, Clint Eastwood’s distinct ‘one-take’ directing style is legendary in films like American Sniper, Million Dollar Baby, and Mystic River, with Streep starring in his romantic drama The Bridges of Madison County.

In addition to the behind-the-scenes revelations, Streep’s late-night appearance also included a subtle fashion nod to The Devil Wears Prada. Wearing a cerulean blue sweater that echoed the iconic shade of the infamous “blue sweater” from the film, she shared a wink to the memorable monologue opposite Anne Hathaway, cementing her character's enduring cultural impact.