Thirteen years ago, when I was working as an arts and entertainment reporter at the Associated Press in New York City, I saw The Devil Wears Prada for the first time in advance of a press junket interview with Anne Hathaway. I was utterly captivated by the story of a young woman navigating her first job in media while sporting Chanel. Prada felt fresh, original, empowering. However, as I got older, my admiration shifted from Anne’s Andy Sachs to Meryl’s Miranda Priestly—her competence, her grace under pressure, her chic, white bob.
Writing this book has been a thrill. I could not have crossed the finish line without my amazing research assistant Caroline Jorgenson, whose organizational skills are unmatched, and transcriber extraordinaire Crystal Duan. Thank you to my forever reader, Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, the Miranda/Meryl of pop-culture nonfiction. I thank everyone who took the time to discuss Meryl and her movies. People like Goldie Hawn, John Patrick Shanley, David Frankel, Aline Brosh McKenna, Robert Benton, Wendy Finerman, David Hare, Susan Seidelman, Fred Schepisi, Justin Kirk, Joe Mazzello, Albert Brooks, Lake Bell, Sarah Jones, Carl Franklin, Vanessa Taylor, Jerry Zaks, Arlene Burns, Albert Wolsky, Buzz Hirsch, Larry Mark, Bob Greenhut, Stephen Goldblatt, and Mark Livolsi, among many other gracious individuals. Another round of thanks is due to the publicists, managers, and agents who connected me with sources and to the invaluable archives at the Margaret Herrick Library in LA and the Paley Center for Media in New York.
I am eternally grateful to my agent, Daniel Greenberg, for having my back and to Brant Rumble, my talented editor at Hachette Books, for his exceptional skill, patience, and humor. Justin Teodoro, your gorgeous illustrations capture Meryl’s dynamic, joyful artistry.
Last but not least, much love to my parents, family and friends, and especially Dave Beeman, the Paul Child to my Julia.