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Vanessa Williams will be playing the role of Miranda Priestly in a new take on “The Devil Wears Prada.” The role was iconically brought to life in the original film by Meryl Streep.
The announcement was made on social media, with Williams and the production’s official Instagram account sharing a clip of her walking inside the Runway Magazine office and sitting down to work. “Don’t just sit there,” says Williams straight to the camera. “Buy tickets or something.”
“The Devil Wears Prada” musical debuted in Chicago in 2022. Back in September, it was announced that the production would move to the West End, an area located in London known for hosting some of the best theater productions in the world. The musical features an original score from Elton John, a book written by Kate Wetherhead, and lyrics written by Shaina Taub.
Williams’ previous experience as a prickly fashion editor
In the past, Williams starred in “Ugly Betty” and played one of its most iconic characters, Wilhemina Slater, the ruthless editor working at Mode Magazine. Alongside America Ferrera, who played the titular Betty Suarez, Williams was one of the series’ fixtures and one of the reasons why the show is currently experiencing a rebirth of sorts as its available on Netflix and streamed by new generations who’d never seen it before.
Williams’ performance as Slater is a perfect foil to Miranda Priestly, making her version in “The Devil Wears Prada” one to look out for.
“Bringing Miranda Priestly to life in the West End is an absolute dream come true. Gird your loins, folks," said Williams in a statement to Variety.