Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty star to take on infamous Devil Wears Prada role

Virgin Radio

20 Feb 2024, 10:08

Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty star Vanessa Williams will step into Meryl Streep’s designer shoes as Miranda Priestly in the The Devil Wears Prada stage adaptation in the West End. 

Meryl famously played Runway Magazine’s stern editor in the classic 2006 movie, which also starred Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, a fledgling writer who took on the thankless job of Miranda’s assistant. 

The Devil Wears Prada stage production will first run at the Theatre Royal in Plymouth this summer, before landing at London’s Dominion Theatre in October. Sir Elton John will lend his talents to the original score while singer-songwriter Shania Taub will write the lyrics. 

Announcing the expert casting news on social media, a video introducing Vanessa in the leading role featured the caption: “Vanessa Williams IS Miranda Priestly. That's all.” 

"Don't just sit there. Buy tickets or something,” the former Miss America star told the camera, before diving into the famous Runway book. 

Vanessa is no stranger to treading the boards at the West End. She made her debut there in the City of Angels in 2020, but had a lengthy broadway career in productions including Sondheim on Sondheim, After Midnight and The Trip to Bountiful. She was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for Into the Woods in 2002. 

The official synopsis reads: “Fresh out of college, aspiring journalist Andy scores a job at the prestigious Runway magazine working for fashion's most powerful and terrifying icon — editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly. 

“Sacrificing her personal life to meet Miranda's impossible demands, Andy finds herself seduced by the glamorous world she once despised. How far will she go to succeed... and will it be worth selling her soul to get what she’s always wanted?”

The Devil Wears Prada starts performances in Plymouth on 9th July before arriving at London's Dominion Theatre from 24th October.