Meryl Streep once came very close to walking away from Hollywood. Then ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ changed the math.
The three-time Oscar winner recently revealed that she was initially offered less than she believed she deserved for the role of Miranda Priestly. Instead of accepting it, Streep said no and raised the price.
The move became one of the smartest bets of her career.
Meryl Streep Turned Down The First Offer
“They called me up, made an offer, and I said, ‘No, not going to do it,'” Streep said in a recent ‘Today’ interview.
After reading the script, Streep believed the movie had real commercial potential. She also knew the production needed someone with her weight to make Miranda Priestly unforgettable.
So, she made a bold call.
“I knew it was going to be a hit, so I decided to double my asking price,” Streep said.
The studio agreed right away.
Streep Says She Was Ready To Retire
That reaction taught Streep something important about leverage.
“They immediately agreed,” she said. “It’s taken me this long to realize I could do that.”
At the time, Streep was already in her 50s and had two Oscars. She said she was prepared to retire if the deal did not reflect her value.
“They needed me,” Streep said. “I was prepared to retire, but this became a valuable lesson.”
That lesson paid off. ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ became a global hit, earning more than $326 million worldwide and giving Streep another Oscar nomination.
Miranda Priestly Became A Career-Defining Role
Streep’s icy, controlled performance turned Miranda Priestly into one of the most quoted characters of the 2000s.
The role also helped launch one of the busiest chapters of her career. Streep went on to star in ‘Mamma Mia!,’ ‘Julie & Julia’ and ‘The Iron Lady,’ which earned her a third Oscar.
Nearly two decades later, the franchise is still going strong. ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ was released last month and has already become a major box office force.
Streep may have been ready to leave Hollywood behind. Instead, she asked for what she was worth and walked into one of her most iconic roles.
