Anne Hathaway will campaign in the Best Supporting Actress category for the Academy Awards for her performance in The Devil Wears Prada 2, rather than seeking consideration as a lead actress, as the much-awaited sequel enters the upcoming awards race.
The decision has drawn attention because Hathaway reprises her role as Andrea “Andy” Sachs, the aspiring journalist who was at the centre of the original 2006 film. The sequel reunites her with Meryl Streep as formidable fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestly, Emily Blunt as Emily Charlton and Stanley Tucci as Nigel.
Supporting category push
Hathaway’s placement in the supporting actress race reflects the character dynamics of the sequel, in which Streep’s Miranda Priestly is expected to occupy a central position in the story. Awards campaigns frequently involve strategic decisions over whether performances are submitted for lead or supporting categories, although Academy voters ultimately determine nominations.
The move could put Hathaway in contention for her third Academy Award nomination. She previously won Best Supporting Actress for playing Fantine in Les Misérables and was nominated for Best Actress for Rachel Getting Married.
Her performance as Andy in the original The Devil Wears Prada did not receive an Oscar nomination, although the film became one of the defining titles of her career. Streep was nominated for Best Actress for her portrayal of Miranda, while costume designer Patricia Field also received an Academy Award nomination.
Miranda and Andy return
The Devil Wears Prada 2 brings back the central cast two decades after the first film, which followed Andy as she navigated the demanding world of fashion journalism after becoming Miranda’s junior assistant at the fictional Runway magazine.
The sequel explores a dramatically changed media and fashion landscape, with Miranda confronting the decline of traditional magazine publishing. Emily, once her assistant, has risen to an influential position in the luxury industry, setting up a changed power dynamic among the returning characters.
The original film, adapted from Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel, was directed by David Frankel and became a major commercial success. Its performances, fashion and lines helped it retain a strong cultural following long after its theatrical release.
David Frankel has returned to direct the sequel, while Aline Brosh McKenna, who wrote the screenplay for the first film, has also returned as screenwriter.
Another Oscar run
Hathaway’s decision to compete in the supporting category could mark her return to the Academy Awards race after more than a decade. Her Oscar victory for Les Misérables came in 2013.
The eventual nomination will depend on voting by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and a studio’s campaign category does not guarantee where — or whether — an actor will ultimately be nominated.
With Hathaway, Streep, Blunt and Tucci reunited, The Devil Wears Prada 2 has emerged as one of the most closely watched Hollywood sequels, both commercially and as the awards season begins to take shape.