Vanessa Williams Announces Exciting Update on ‘Devil Wears Prada’ Musical

Vanessa Williams has some thrilling news for fans of ‘The Devil Wears Prada.’ The beloved movie is getting a musical makeover, and Williams, 61, is stepping into the iconic role of Miranda Priestly, originally played by Meryl Streep. The production is set to hit London’s West End later this year, and it promises to bring all the sharp wit and memorable lines from the film to the stage.

In a recent interview on Good Morning America, Williams shared some juicy details about what fans can expect. ‘A lot of the dialogue is actually taken from the film, so what you will hear me say on stage is the dialogue that people know and love and have memorized,’ she revealed. ‘The first number I do is called ‘The House of Miranda.’ In the last words, I sing ‘That’s all!’ And I walk off. You’ll understand that this is the film from the very beginning. My first lines are ‘Emily! Emily!’ so then the audience will know, ‘Oh God, she’s coming.”

Despite some skepticism about turning the film into a musical, Williams believes it’s a perfect fit. ‘The Devil Wears Prada is a perfect movie… That’s why it has legs and stands the test of time,’ she gushed. ‘This is yet another step to take something that is perfect and bring it into another genre and make it spectacular.’

Adding to the excitement, the music for the play has been created by legendary British musician Sir Elton John. Williams shared how much she has enjoyed working with him. ‘I grew up with Elton John like we all did,’ she said. ‘To have him write new music and have him listen to my voice and what I’m doing with it, and be inspired and say ‘I’ve got something we can do, let’s do this.’ To make him smile and make him good and happy… this is an icon.’

The musical is based on Lauren Weisberger’s best-selling 2003 novel and the 2006 blockbuster film, which grossed $326.7 million worldwide and received two Academy Award nominations.

For those who remember Williams from ‘Ugly Betty,’ this isn’t her first time playing a fierce fashion magazine boss. When asked why she enjoys these roles, Williams replied, ‘When you play the villain, when you play somebody so over-the-top, it’s quite freeing. It allows you to kind of sit in your fierceness that you don’t often have the opportunity to do.’

Fashion will, of course, play a significant part in the production. ‘I guarantee you there will be coats being thrown, and bags being placed on the desks,’ she explained. ‘You will see fashion and you are going to see it worn beautifully and executed amazingly. The runway sequences are going to be incredible!’

This exciting update comes just a day after news broke that a sequel to the original ‘Devil Wears Prada’ movie is in the works at Disney. The sequel will follow Miranda Priestly’s career in the present day as traditional magazine publishing faces decline. While the original cast hasn’t been confirmed yet, there are claims that both Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt will be back.