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Anne Hathaway recalls losing out to eight actresses before landing Andy Sachs
The Oscar winner says she still remembers every actress considered before her
Anne Hathaway is looking back at her journey to landing one of her most iconic roles and revealing just how close she came to missing out.
In a recent joint interview with Emily Blunt, Hathaway shared that she was far from the first choice to play Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada.
In fact, she joked that the list of actresses initially considered for the role remains “tattooed on my brain” years later.
“I wasn’t the first choice… I was actually the ninth choice,” Hathaway admitted, reflecting on the casting process behind the beloved 2006 film.
Among the high-profile names reportedly considered for the role were Rachel McAdams, Juliette Lewis, and Claire Danes, alongside others, including Kirsten Dunst, Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, and Kate Hudson.
Despite not being a top pick, Hathaway said she felt a strong pull toward the project from the beginning.
She recalled being determined to secure a role in the film, describing the experience as something that carried an “almost mystical magnetism.”
“I just was like, ‘It doesn't matter how you get on this project, just get on it,’” she said, explaining why she continued to pursue the part even as others passed on it.
Blunt, who starred alongside Hathaway in the film, insisted there is “no one else” who could have played Andy Sachs, a sentiment Hathaway met with gratitude.
Directed by David Frankel and written by Aline Brosh McKenna, The Devil Wears Prada followed an aspiring journalist navigating the high-pressure world of fashion publishing under a demanding editor, played by Meryl Streep. The film also starred Stanley Tucci.
Two decades later, the cast has reunited for The Devil Wears Prada 2, which hit theaters on May 1.
Reflecting on the original film, Hathaway noted how much her life has changed since she first stepped into Andy’s shoes at 22.
Now a mother of two and married to Adam Shulman, she described feeling far more grounded compared to the uncertainty she experienced at the time — something she believes ultimately helped shape her performance.
Looking back, Hathaway has also previously shared that landing the role was a hard-fought victory, once telling contestants on RuPaul’s Drag Race that she had to “hang in there” and “never give up” after being the ninth choice.
Today, that persistence has become part of Hollywood lore and a defining chapter in the legacy of The Devil Wears Prada.
