Anne Hathaway's career is experiencing a triumphant full-circle moment as The Devil Wears Prada 2 delivers the box office success she deserves after 25 years of dedicated craft. Her versatility—from Oscar-winning dramatic roles to blockbuster sci-fi—proves she's always been more than just a Disney princess.
Sources close to production say the original film's cast was skeptical Hathaway could handle Miranda Priestly's shadow, but her Andy Sachs became iconic almost immediately. Insiders note she lobbied hard for the sequel and negotiated fiercely—the $80M projection reflects both franchise nostalgia and genuine star wattage returning to form.
Us Weekly ranked her #1 performance as Kym in Rachel Getting Married (2008), a role that earned Hathaway an Oscar nomination but no win. Her actual Oscar victory came four years later for Les Misérables (2012) as Fantine, starring opposite Hugh Jackman and featuring her tear-soaked rendition of 'I Dreamed a Dream.'
The Devil Wears Prada 2's projected $80M opening proves Hathaway remains a box office force—but the real story is how long Hollywood took to properly recognize what she's capable of. Here's hoping this sequel gives Andy Sachs the closure (and raise) she deserved all along.
Anne Hathaway is about to have the biggest weekend of her career, and honestly? It's about damn time. The Devil Wears Prada 2 is projected to haul in $80 million domestically in its opening frame, a staggering number that cements what industry watchers have known for decades: this woman commands screens like few others in Hollywood.
But before you run to the theater this weekend, let's revisit exactly why Hathaway has earned this moment. Us Weekly just dropped their definitive ranking of her five best films, and while some choices are predictable crowd-pleasers, others reveal a more complicated picture of an actress who's never been afraid to take risks—and occasionally get burned for it. Coming in at number five is Love and Other Drugs (2010), where Hathaway played Maggie Murdock, a woman diagnosed with Parkinson's disease who falls into a complicated romance with a pharmaceutical salesman portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal.
Critics weren't kind to this film, but Us Weekly notes that Hathaway "is fantastic" despite the lukewarm reception, bringing "a lot of life" to a character facing impossible circumstances. The movie adapted Jamie Reidy's non-fiction book Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman, giving it just enough grit to keep things interesting even when the romantic comedy elements threatened to overwhelm the darker material. At number four sits the film that arguably defined Hathaway's transition from child star to serious actor: The Devil Wears Prada (2006).
This was Hathaway still finding her footing after her Disney years, taking on the role of Andrea "Andy" Sachs, a journalism grad student who stumbles into the orbit of fashion magazine Runway and its terrifying editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly, played with ice-queen precision by Meryl Streep. The ranking highlights how Andy found herself pitted against Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt) for Miranda's approval—a rivalry that set the stage for whatever drama unfolds in this weekend's sequel.
But here's where things get interesting from a tea perspective: while Us Weekly positions The Devil Wears Prada at number four, industry chatter suggests Hathaway's portrayal of Andy became so beloved so quickly that it almost overshadowed everything else she's done since. That's a double-edged sword if there ever was one—the kind of iconic role that opens doors but also paints you into a corner. Sources close to the original production have whispered over the years about on-set tensions, with some suggesting Hathaway had to fight to make Andy more than just a wide-eyed innocent in Prada-adjacent territory.
The bronze medal goes to Les Misérables (2012), and this is where Hathaway finally got her Oscar. Her portrayal of Fantine—a woman who makes devastating sacrifices for her daughter Cosette—earned her Best Supporting Actress, and it's easy to see why when you watch her deliver "I Dreamed a Dream" through actual tears streaming down her face. Hugh Jackman anchors the film as Jean Valjean, but make no mistake: this movie gave Hathaway her gold statuette, even if Us Weekly's ranking suggests they consider it secondary to other work in her catalog.
Christopher Nolan's Interstellar (2014) lands at number two, with Hathaway playing Dr. Amelia Brand alongside Matthew McConaughey's Joseph "Coop" Cooper. This was a calculated risk—blockbuster sci-fi after years of more intimate dramas—but the ranking praises how Nolan "blended real science with a touch of sci-fi" while maintaining the film's emotional core through Hathaway and McConaughey's performances.
It remains one of her highest-grossing films and proved she could anchor tentpole entertainment without sacrificing depth. And at number one? Rachel Getting Married (2008), a film where Hathaway delivered what many consider her finest acting work—and still didn't win the Oscar for it.
She plays Kym Buchman, an addict temporarily released from rehab to attend her sister Rachel's wedding, and Us Weekly calls her performance "riveting" thanks to her character's guilt and intensity. The ranking explicitly states this was "the movie Hathaway should have won an Oscar for," noting she was nominated but lost despite delivering what critics called career-defining work.