Vanessa Williams returns as another cruel magazine editor in Elton John’s The Devil Wears Prada musical as Miranda Priestly.
The Devil Wears Prada revealed the news on Monday, Feb. 19, announcing Williams will use her acting chops to portray Priestly, the callous editor-in-chief of Runway Magazine and fashion queen.
Williams is no stranger to the role, having played Wilhelmina Slater, a Creative Director of MODE and a major antagonist in the Fox series Ugly Betty, whose diet consisted of caviar, champagne and Botox. Like Priestly, Slater (who didn’t become editor-in-chief until the end of the series) was a vile woman with a complete grasp on how to run a fashion magazine—godspeed to those who second-guessed or disagreed with her.
The 60-year-old actress posted a promo video for her new role on her Instagram on Feb. 19 with the caption, “That’s All…now buy some tickets to @pradawestend.”
In the video, the Desperate Housewives actress departed an elevator carrying a thick Runway magazine book and strutting in red pumps. Sporting a beehive hairstyle, a Black dress and sunglasses, the new Miranda Priestly placed her purse and belongings on her desk along with the Runway book with herself on the cover.
The queen swiveled her chair to face the camera and removed her sunglasses, channeling Slater and Priestly to say, “Don’t just sit there. Buy tickets or something.”
The musical is based on the 2006 blockbuster directed by David Frankel, which saw actress Meryl Streep as Priestly. The film followed aspiring journalist Andrea Sachs (originally portrayed by Anne Hathaway), who was hired as Priestly’s assistant yet knew nothing about fashion and weathered the hellish leadership of the editor-in-chief.
Williams has much experience in the musical theater department, having played the Witch in Into The Woods on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theater in 2002.
Ironically, Streep assumed the witch role in the 2016 adaptation of Into The Woods.
She was also in Kiss of the Spider Woman, Sondheim on Sondheim, Show Boat and Anyone Can Whistle.
The Devil Wears Prada comprises a score from John lyrics by Shaina Taub, a book by Kate Weatherhead, and it’s under the direction and choreography of Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell, who’s known for Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde and Hairspray.
In a video, Williams thanked everyone for the “congratulations” and encouraged her followers to buy tickets to witness the legend work her Broadway magic.
The musical will take place at the Dominion Theater, a West End theater in the UK. Performances begin in October 2024.
