As the sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2 approaches its release, actress Meryl Streep was surprised to learn that she shares a familial connection with Anna Wintour, the real-life inspiration behind her character, Miranda Priestly.
The original The Devil Wears Prada movie debuted in 2006 and featured the character of Miranda Priestly, the formidable editor-in-chief of the fictional magazine Runway. This character was famously inspired by Anna Wintour, the actual editor-in-chief of Vogue. Throughout the film, Miranda is portrayed as a strict and exacting boss to her assistant, Andy Sachs, played by Anne Hathaway, who struggles to meet Miranda’s lofty expectations.
Reacting to the discovery that she and Wintour are sixth cousins, Streep humorously commented to EW, “THAT explains EVERYTHING. As our ancestors would say, I am chuffed!“
“Well THAT explains EVERYTHING. As our ancestors would say, I am chuffed!”
The connection was unearthed by Ancestry, which traced both Streep and Wintour back to their fifth great-grandparents, Thomas Smith and Elizabeth Kinsey, who hailed from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The genealogy research involved sifting through a vast array of historical documents and publicly accessible family trees.
Both Streep and Wintour are currently 76 years old, with Streep born on June 22, 1949, and Wintour following nearly five months later on November 3.
The narrative of The Devil Wears Prada is adapted from Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 bestselling novel, which draws from her own experiences working under Wintour. The movie adaptation, released by 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox), stars not only Streep and Hathaway but also Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci. It achieved a Certified Fresh rating of 75% on Rotten Tomatoes and grossed $326 million, embedding itself in popular culture with memorable lines and scenes.
Wintour attended the movie’s premiere in New York and later shared that she found the film enjoyable and humorous.
Despite the novel’s portrayal of Miranda as a character based on Wintour, Streep revealed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that she drew inspiration for her portrayal from other sources, including directors Mike Nichols and Clint Eastwood, rather than Wintour herself.
This year, to mark the 20th anniversary of the film, 20th Century Studios is releasing the much-awaited sequel, The Devil Wears Prada 2, which will see the return of Streep, Hathaway, Blunt, and Tucci.
The sequel boasts an expanded cast featuring Justin Theroux, Kenneth Branagh, Tracie Thoms, Tibor Feldman, Simone Ashley, Lucy Liu, Patrick Brammall, Caleb Hearon, Helen J. Shen, Pauline Chalamet, B. J. Novak, Conrad Ricamora, Rachel Bloom, and Lady Gaga. The first film concluded with Andy securing a position at a newspaper, but in the upcoming sequel directed by David Frankel, she finds herself back at Runway under Miranda’s leadership. The trailer for the sequel set a new record for 20th Century Studios, amassing over 200 million views on its first day.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is set to hit theaters on Friday, May 1, 2026.
Ava Thornton is an entertainment journalist with a keen eye for the latest in Hollywood, indie films, and streaming trends.
Her work blends insider knowledge with a deep appreciation for storytelling.
