Meryl Streep says she is 'happy' to represent older women in lead movie roles: 'I do think there’s something in this one that’s unusual'

Meryl Streep says she is “happy to represent” older women in lead roles as she returns as Miranda Priestly in ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’. Speaking at a press conference in Japan with Anne Hathaway, Streep said the role stands out because older women rarely get this kind of space in mainstream films. The sequel brings back one of her best-known characters nearly 20 years after the 2006 original and is set for a theatrical release on May 1.According to People, Streep, who will soon turn 77, said, “I do think that there’s something in this one that’s unusual, because you don’t see many 70-, almost 77-year-old women playing parts like this in any movie or under any circumstance.” She then added, “So I’m happy to represent.” Streep also spoke about how older women are often pushed aside on screen. “Often women over 50, I’d say, disappear into the woodwork. Their interests and opinions are less valued in our culture,” she said. She added that it is encouraging to see such characters shown with power and relevance. ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ reunites Streep with Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci. People reported that the film returns to the world of Runway magazine, where Miranda Priestly remains a towering force. The first film, based on Lauren Weisberger’s novel, followed Andy Sachs, a recent college graduate who lands a job as Miranda’s junior assistant while trying to build a career in journalism.Variety reported that the sequel follows Priestley “as she navigates her career amid the decline of traditional magazine publishing and as she faces off against Blunt’s character, now a high-powered executive for a luxury group with advertising dollars that Priestley desperately needs.”New cast members include Kenneth Branagh, Lucy Liu, Justin Theroux, B.J. Novak, Pauline Chalamet, Patrick Brammall, Caleb Hearon, Helen J. Shen, and Conrad Ricamora. People also reported that Tracie Thoms and Tibor Feldman return as Lily and Irv, while Adrian Grenier will not appear in the sequel. Streep recently voiced a character in Pixar’s ‘Hoppers’ and also made a voice cameo in Ryan Gosling’s ‘Project Hail Mary’.