Written by Mariane Tremblay
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As a The Devil Wears Prada (2006) girly, I was more than happy to see so many little nods to the first film in the sequel. And even happier about the fact that there isn’t too much of it and that it doesn’t overshadow what’s happening in this [perfect] sequel.
Here are 46 references and little nods to the first movie, in The Devil Wears Prada 2.
1. The opening scenes
Both films open the same way: Andy (Anne Hathaway) wiping the mirror as she brushes teeth.
2. The title cards
Although the fonts differ, both title cards appear over the same view of New York, with the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges in frame.
3. The Runway Gala
In both films, the Runway Gala takes place at the American Museum of Natural History instead of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, home of the real Met Gala, allowing for greater creative control. Since Runway is essentially a stand-in for Vogue, the gala serves as the film’s equivalent of the annual Met Gala.
4. Andy and Emily lookalikes
At the beginning of the film, during the Runway Gala preparations, two girls take a selfie in front of the iconic museum and blue carpet, a blink-and-you-miss-it nod, as they’re the spitting image of Andy and Emily (Emily Blunt).
We all remember the fitting scene in which Miranda (Meryl Streep) is presented with two almost identical blue belts and told, "It’s a tough call. They’re so different," prompting the iconic cerulean monologue after Andy laughs, saying they look exactly the same to her and that she's still learning about this stuff. Well, right at the beginning of the second film, as Andy heads to an awards ceremony, a street vendor can be seen in the park showing a customer two blue belts, a clever nod to that moment.
For those who may not know, The Devil Wears Prada is based on Lauren Weisberger’s novel of the same name. A former assistant to Anna Wintour at Vogue, she later wrote about her experience. Although it wasn't explicitly said back then, there were a few hints leading people to think it was about Vogue and Wintour. Wintour is British, just like Miranda in the book, and Emily was long suspected to be inspired by another of Wintour’s former assistants, Leslie Fremar, who confirmed this year that she was indeed the inspiration behind the character.
In The Devil Wears Prada 2, Andy is offered the chance to write a book about Miranda, who tells her to keep all the juicy bits in: how impatient she is, and demanding, and imperious, and how much of her children's life she missed, because people should know there's a cost to it. A clear nod to Weisberger’s own experience writing about Wintour, Vogue, and life behind the scenes.
In both films, Miranda’s first appearance is almost identical: she steps out of a car as the camera zooms in on her shoes.
In The Devil Wears Prada, a content meeting gives us one of Miranda’s most iconic lines: "Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking." In the sequel, as the camera zooms in on the museum, the Runway Gala theme is revealed to be "Spring Floral," a playful nod to this oh-so-famous line.
9. The score
Both scores are composed by Theodore Shapiro, and they sound so alike that the first few notes are enough to trigger nostalgia on another level. The emotional response to music is something else entirely, and the fact that they preserved the same vibes makes it even more special.
During a conversation with Lily (Tracie Thoms), Andy mentions that she has never slept with a colleague. Whilst Lily doesn't say anything, her face says it all... In the first film, when Andy attends an event at Lily’s gallery, she flirts with Christian Thompson (Simon Baker) right in front of her friend, leading to a fight between the two women. Later, in Paris, Andy spends the night with Thompson.
11. "Hello 6."
When Andy arrives at Runway, Nigel (Stanley Tucci) greets her with "Hello, six," which is a nod to the first film. In The Devil Wears Prada, he keeps calling her "six," insisting that it’s probably the new 14 (since 0 is the new 2 and 2 the new 4)—less a compliment than a reminder of the fashion world’s unrealistic expectations.
In The Devil Wears Prada, after Andy fails to find a flight to get Miranda home from Miami in time for her children’s recital, Miranda lectures her, saying she’s very disappointed because she thought Andy would be different from all the other girls who want to work at Runway and worship the magazine. Then she adds, "I told myself, go ahead, hire the smart fat girl."
Then, in the second film, when Miranda pretends not to know who she is, Andy refers to herself as "the smart fat girl," hoping Miranda might remember.
In both movies, there’s the almost identical shot of Andy getting out of the elevator and entering Runway’s offices.
In the first movie, Andy is being told a couple of times that she should be grateful to be Miranda's assistant, because a million girls would kill for her job. Twenty years later, it comes back around as Charlie (Caleb Hearon), Miranda's second assistant, is told the same thing.
We all remember what the working conditions at Runway were like in 2006, don’t we? Well, even though some things might have changed, it seems like assistants are still chained to their chairs, whether they need to pee because they drank a venti or not. Hopefully, it really was worth it!
On her first day back at Runway, Andy tells Amari (Simone Ashley) she has a lot of designer clothes from Paris Fashion Week and all that jazz, including the Chanel boots—the famous Chanel boots. When Amari assumes she kept everything, Andy surprises her by saying no. The exchange gives us a new iconic line to repeat again and again: "Who gives away Chanel?"
In both films, Andy and Nigel meet in the cafeteria for lunch. In The Devil Wears Prada, Andy chooses corn chowder, which Nigel describes as a soup whose main ingredient is cellulite—in other words, a bad choice. In The Devil Wears Prada 2, Andy opts for yet another soup, and, unsurprisingly, Nigel has something to say about it.
In the first film, there’s a montage of Miranda arriving at the office and casually tossing her coat to Andy over and over again, which is funny but also a little rude and definitely not HR-friendly. In the second film, however, we see Miranda hanging her coat in her closet herself, and the dramatic way she does it makes the moment even more hilarious.
At one point in the second film, Charlie is waiting for the book—the hard copy of the magazine on which Miranda gives all her notes. During his conversation with Andy, she tells him not to go upstairs, no matter what anyone says, to which he replies, "Who would be stupid enough to do that?" We all know who would be "stupid" (or brave) enough, don’t we?
The funniest part is that, later in the film, Andy does it again—she returns to Miranda’s townhouse and goes upstairs to talk to her. The panic in her eyes makes the moment even funnier, as if she were instantly transported back to the first time she went up those stairs.
20. "God, I love a glow up."
There’s a scene in the film in which Andy and Charlie talk about Benji Barnes (Justin Theroux), a tech mogul whom Runway published a portrait of a couple of years earlier. Comparing how he looks now versus then, Andy exclaims that she loves a glow-up—a subtle nod to her own transformation in the first film.
Just like in the first film, the Runway team goes through content meetings discussing what will be featured in the upcoming issues of the magazine. To my surprise, one of the actors from the first film even makes a small cameo in the second. Remember the guy from the first film who suggested shooting florals in an industrial setting so the femininity they represent would contrast with the raw, rough-hewn background and create that sense of tension? That's Paul (George C. Wolfe), and he’s back!
Andy, our favourite carb queen! In both films, she doesn’t care too much about what she eats, and I love that. In the first film, while all the other girls are counting calories and eating almonds, Andy is having an onion burger for breakfast. In the second film, she still doesn’t deny herself anything and eats bagels with lots of cream cheese. More of this, please!
At some point in both films, Andy goes to see Nigel because she feels she is not receiving enough recognition from Miranda. In the first movie, she tells Nigel that she would love a little credit for the fact that she’s killing herself trying, to which he replies: "Andy, be serious. You’re not trying. You are whining. What is it that you want me to say? ‘Poor you. Miranda’s picking on you. Poor you. Poor Andy’? Wake up, six. She’s just doing her job."
Then, in the second movie, after a meeting in which Miranda clearly tells Andy that her work isn’t good enough, she tells Nigel on their way out that her piece steered them through a crisis and that she should get credit for it, to which he replies: "Oh yeah, the girl who likes validation. […] Did your parents hang all your finger paintings up on the fridge?" And when Andy tells him that all she wants is constructive feedback, he responds: "Oh, feedback… and a lollipop? Or just feedback?"
All in all, it’s about figuring out how to do the job by herself, because no one will hold her hand or tell her what to do. And Nigel, being this sassy man, delivers some of the best lines every single time, but it's also about their dynamic together, which is just one of the best relationships in both movies.
In The Devil Wears Prada, Miranda visits James Holt’s (Daniel Sunjata) atelier to see his new collection. At the end of the preview, Holt presents a dress designed specifically for her—a red gown with a large bow on the front. Miranda’s pursed lips say it all: catastrophe. Then, in The Devil Wears Prada 2, Miranda visits Marc Jacobs’ atelier, where he shows her a design featuring a prominent bow. We then hear him ask, "You hate the bow?"—a clear nod to what happened at Holt’s preview.
In both movies, Nigel brings Andy into the brand closet to pick out some pieces so her outfits look a little more elevated for various occasions.
In The Devil Wears Prada, Miranda’s twins (Colleen and Suzanne Dengel) are integral part to the story. Although they weren’t essential to the plot of the second film, probably because they're all grown-ups now, they still make a small cameo during the Hamptons sequence.
In the first film, when Andy is eating in the cafeteria with Nigel, she drops some corn chowder on her sweater, leaving a small stain. In the second film, when Nigel lends her clothes to go to Miranda’s house in the Hamptons, he warns her not to get a stain on the Gabriela Hearst dress she’s about to take with her. She replies that it'll be fine, because she's not a child anymore, a nod to both her clumsiness and the first film. And of course, who ends up dropping something on the dress?
28. The Bezos
Although it hasn't been confirmed, many believe that Benji Barnes and Emily's relationship is inspired by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos' relationship. Both are divorced tech moguls and are now dating different women. Bezos wanted to buy Vogue as a wedding gift for Sánchez, and Benji wanted to buy Runway for Emily. Bezos is heavily involved in all things artificial intelligence, and Benji is convinced that it will eventually replace everything, including designers, models, and filming locations… So even though no one has confirmed it, it's obvious to everyone!
There are so many nods to Paris in the second film, but honestly, it all makes sense.
When Irv dies and the fate of Elias-Clark and Runway remains in peril, Andy goes to Miranda’s house to ask her if she has a secret plan like 20 years ago, when she plotted to keep her job at Runway.
Then there’s Andy talking with Nigel about what happened in Paris and how surprised she is that he remained so loyal to Miranda over the years despite what happened—giving his new job for James Holt to Jacqueline (Stephanie Szostak), so she could keep hers. Then there’s the scene at the end of The Devil Wears Prada 2, between Miranda and Nigel, that will most likely make people emotional, as she makes amends with him by asking if she has ever taken him for granted and by letting him give the speech on behalf of Runway at the fashion show in Milan.
In both films, Miranda lives in the exact same townhouse, which is, funnily enough, also Enid Frick’s (Candice Bergen) house in And Just Like That... (2021-2025)—the editor-in-chief of Vogue in this fictional universe.
The Devil Wears Prada gave us one of the most iconic fashion montages of the 2000s, featuring Madonna’s "Vogue," and thankfully, the second film delivers a montage that is just as iconic, once again set to a Madonna track. Very thankful the studio gave one more day of shooting in Italy!
Anna! That name sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Anna Wintour was the editor-in-chief of Vogue until recently, when it was announced that Chloe Malle would replace her. Now global chief content officer of Vogue internationally, Wintour is famously known not only as the icon she is, but also as the inspiration behind Miranda Priestly. Is it a coincidence or not? I guess we’ll never know, but it was pretty funny that the boat Emily and Andy take to go to Benji’s house in Lake Como is named "Anna."
In Italy, Emily wears a leather bolero over her suit, which is reminiscent of the first outfit she wears in The Devil Wears Prada.
34. "Oh, the Emilies."
When Emily and Andy go up to Miranda’s room to tell her that Benji is buying Runway, Miranda refers to them as "the Emilies." This nods to the first film as she never really bothered to remember Andy’s name (or at least wanted people to think she didn’t) and would simply call both Emily and Andy "Emily."
35. "Has she been human trafficked?"
When waiting for Amari to get back with her Armani outfit, Miranda asks why she hasn't returned yet and adds, "Has she been human trafficked?" a little nod to the famous line "Has she died or something?" from the first movie.
Probably Miranda’s most famous line, she says it countless times in the first film, but only a few times in the second instalment. And, as Emily Blunt said, we were all salivating, waiting for her to finally say it!
In both movies, the Runway team is attending the fashion week. In the first movie, they're going to Paris, and in the second movie, they're going to Milan.
In The Devil Wears Prada, on her first day at Runway, Andy is taking calls and at one point asks her interlocutor if they can spell "Gabbana", which they refuse to do before hanging up on her. Funnily enough, in the second film, she is attending the Dolce & Gabbana show at Milan Fashion Week—a playful nod to that moment in the first film.
In both movies, there's a little montage featuring Miranda attending fashion shows and meeting with designers backstage: in the first movie, Valentino, and in the second movie, Dolce & Gabbana
Another little nod to the former editor-in-chief of American Vogue! In The Devil Wears Prada 2, Miranda is promoted to global head of content across all Elias-Clark publications while remaining editor-in-chief of Runway, just like Anna Wintour once held multiple roles within Vogue.
Near the end of both films, we see Miranda and Andy having a conversation in the back seat of a car. In the first film, Miranda tells Andy that she sees a great deal of herself in her, implying that she knows what Andy is capable of, which echoes in the second film when they have a discussion in Miranda’s kitchen at the Hamptons house:
Miranda: "I always knew you would end up doing something great."
Andy: "You forgot I existed."
Miranda: "Right, well. Before that, I knew."
It’s beautiful to see how they both evolved over the years and how their softer sides have emerged. In the first film, Andy can’t stand the idea of being even a little like Miranda, but as she grows up, she comes to realize how incredible Miranda actually is—despite some of the behaviours she was likely expected to adopt to maintain her position as a woman—and everything she has done to get where she is. On the other hand, we see Miranda becoming more human and finally acknowledging what Andy has been doing for years, and how great she is at her job as well. And now, 20 years later, they are working as a team.
In both films, Andy gives her best friend Lily a handbag. In the first film, the Marc Jacobs bag Miranda doesn’t want to keep, and in the second, a Valentino handbag Andy picks up in Milan.
43. The lunches
In both The Devil Wears Prada and The Devil Wears Prada 2, Andy is having lunch at the end of the film. In the first, she meets Nate (Adrian Grenier) to talk things through, and in the second, she meets Emily. Both conversations are genuine and sincere, offering closure and marking the beginning of new relationships with both characters.
And during her lunch with Emily, she orders fries, which surprises Andy, because we all remember Emily doesn't eat carbs (or at least, that's what she says). But since shared carbs don't have any calories, that's fine, right?
44. The cerulean sweater
Perhaps one of the most iconic sequences from the first film, the cerulean monologue, is a fan favourite—and I think we can all agree Andy’s look felt a little underdressed for the job, but since she didn't really care about all that stuff at the time... But surprise, surprise: what makes a comeback at the end of the sequel? The cerulean sweater—with a little twist!
45. The secret plan is explained at the end
In both films, the ending reveals a secret plan that has been hidden from the viewer, uncovered through a series of flashbacks. And, strangely enough, both involve Irv Ravitz (Tibor Feldman). In the first film, we learn how Miranda managed to keep her job, and in the second, we discover how Andy got hers.
46. Miranda's last line is “Go” in both movies
Is it a coincidence or is it not? But the fact that Miranda’s last line in both films is "Go," right after looking at Andy, is quite funny to me.
In the first film, she watches Andy walking near the offices from her car window, smiling, before turning to her driver and telling him to go, with her signature look. In the second film, Andy looks at her with admiration in her eyes, and Miranda, being Miranda, asks if she needs anything else. Andy replies, "Not for now," and Miranda tells her to go and get out of her office.
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