Meryl Streep’s ‘Devil Wears Prada’ Casting Got Pushback, Producer Was Told: ‘Are You Out of Your Mind? She’s Never Been Funny a Day in Her Life’

variety.com:

Zack Sharf Digital News Director It’s impossible to imagine “The Devil Wears Prada” without Meryl Streep‘s icy, Oscar-nominated performance as Miranda Priestly, but it turns out there was initial resistance to casting the acting icon in the 2006 classic.

During a recent appearance on the “Hollywood Gold” podcast, producer Wendy Finerman revealed Streep was almost passed over for the role because some people thought “she has never been funny a day in her life.” “Meryl, people thought we were crazy,” Finerman said. “I mean, I had people call me up and say, ‘Are you out of your mind?

She’s never been funny a day in her life.’” “She has been funny and they were wrong,” the producer said, calling out Streep’s comedy work in films such as “Death Becomes Her.” “But this was clearly a different kind of world for her.” Streep’s dramatic work in “Sophie’s Choice,” “The Deer Hunter,” “Out of Africa” and more made her a star, which is part of the reason Finerman was so interested in casting her in a lighter comedy like “Prada.” As the producer explained, getting Streep to play Miranda Priestly “was part of the fun of the unexpected.” “The Devil Wears Prada” landed Streep an Oscar nomination for best actress, and she won a Golden Globe for her work in the film.

Streep’s co-stars Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt recently reunited for Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series to discuss the making of the film.