Kate Hudson nearly stepped into the role of Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada, a part that eventually made Anne Hathaway a household name. Now, the How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days star is setting the record straight about why she passed on the iconic cerulean sweater.
"It wasn’t that I decided not to," Hudson explained on The Drew Barrymore Show. "It was like one of those things. There was, like, scheduling stuff. It was in conversation and there was all these things happening and I decided not to."
While she admits there may be a tinge of regret, Hudson believes everything worked out as it should. "It happened exactly the way it was supposed to," she said.
Hudson isn't the only star to miss out on a career-defining role. Host Drew Barrymore revealed she was nearly cast as Rollergirl in Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights. "I never wanted to say it," Barrymore confessed, "because Heather Graham is supposed to be the Rollergirl."
Barrymore described the experience as "sliding doors" rather than competition, a sentiment Hudson echoed. "Things like that, you’re like, ‘Oh God, I wished that worked out,’" Hudson added. "Because you know, who doesn’t want to work with Meryl Streep? But you know what? Anne shines like the bright star she is. She’s amazing."
Anne Hathaway's performance in the original film was so memorable that she reprised her role in The Devil Wears Prada 2, which premieres on May 1. And this time around, Meryl Streep—who plays the formidable Miranda Priestly—took a different approach to her character.
"On the first one, Meryl made a huge sacrifice because she loves the hang," Hathaway told E! News at the sequel's premiere. "Meryl loves being by the camera truck. She loves just the conversations that happen, the laughs."
For those hungry for more behind-the-scenes details, the making of The Devil Wears Prada is filled with fascinating trivia. The film adaptation was in development before the book even hit shelves, with Fox executives snapping up the rights after reading just the first 100 pages. The challenge of depicting the fashion world proved daunting: designers were reluctant to lend clothing for fear of angering real-life Vogue editor Anna Wintour, and location scouts struggled to find buildings willing to participate. Costume designer Patricia Field ultimately assembled a wardrobe of 150 pieces from top designers. And while Wintour reportedly redecorated her office after seeing the film's accurate set design, she has said the movie is "entertainment" and "not a true rendition of what happens within this magazine."