A Chat with Lauren Weisberger
Author of Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns
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It’s been ten years since you wrote THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA. What was it about these characters that inspired you to return to their story a decade later? I’ve been dying to write this sequel for ages now, but I didn’t want to pick up where the old one left off. Now that it’s been ten years, so much has happened in my characters’ lives! Andy has grown from a terrified assistant into a confident editor, Emily has gotten even sassier, and Miranda…well, let’s just say she’s seen a few changes of her own. Writing these characters again was like getting reacquainted with best friends from earlier in my life. I absolutely loved it.
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Unlike your previous books, REVENGE WEARS PRADA is a sequel. How did the writing of this novel compare to your past experiences? This was a particularly fun book for me to write. I knew the characters already, which was such a unique experience—not having to start from scratch. Then the challenge was finding a way for them to stay true to themselves, but also grow up and change in all the ways people do over a decade. It was really fun figuring out how Emily and Andy were going to reunite, what had happened in Andy’s personal life, and of course, all the new and different ways Miranda could torment them.
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Which character is the most fun to write? That one is easy: Emily! She’s not as mean as Miranda (who gives me anxiety when she appears on the page), but she has a good amount of edge. Emily says the things nice girls want to say but they’re too polite. Sometimes, I find myself thinking, “What would Emily say right now?” and I end up laughing out loud. And yes, people look at me like I’m crazy.
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As editor-in-chief of The Plunge, Andy travels all over the world to write about world-class weddings. How did you prepare to recreate these settings on the page? Did you draw inspiration from any famous weddings (or your own!)? This was by far one of the most enjoyable parts of the book for me to write. What’s better than sending your character to far-flung, exotic locales and then describing the countries, hotels, clothes, and food in lots of detail? Like one of the weddings Andy covers, I also got married in Anguilla in front of their beautiful beaches. I think it’s fair to say my wedding was much smaller and infinitely more low-key! I’m a huge fan of destination weddings: when else in your life will you get all your friends and family in one place for an entire weekend? That part was just so special.
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We won’t give away the ending, but we wondered: did you see the final scene in your head before you put pen to paper, or did you find yourself surprised by the twists and turns of this juicy plot as you were writing? Hmm, how to answer this without a spoiler? There are actually two surprises at the end of the book. The one with Andy’s career, I had decided on from the very beginning outline and wrote toward it. The other one—the fun development with her personal life—surprised me too. But as soon as I wrote it, it felt right. I hope the readers agree!
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It must have been an incredible thrill to see your first book made into a movie with such an incredible cast. Do you have a favorite behind-the-scenes story from the movie set of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA? I’ll never forget the day I went to see the opening montage scene of the movie shot, the one where all the Runway girls are getting ready in the morning. I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but I walked into a studio in SoHo, and there were a half-dozen of the leggiest, most gorgeous women you’ve ever seen lounging on cushions in their underwear. Perfect bodies and lacy underthings as far as the eye could see. It was pretty much every guy’s dream, and no one on the crew even seemed to notice!
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We know you’re a big reader. Which books have you loved of late? Do you have a favorite novel or writer of all time? I could never, ever pick a favorite novel of all time, but I definitely have favorite novels from different times in my life. As a young girl, it had to be Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume. As a teenager, it was definitely A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. In college, Anna Karenina. My most recent favorite was by an author new to me, JoJo Moyes who wrote Me Before You. I was literally ignoring my own deadlines because I couldn’t put that book down.
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The Devil wears Prada. Who do you wear?Ha! I have exactly two looks. The first, and by far most common, is anything that pairs well with barf. I have two kids under three and tend to get puked on with surprising regularity. The second is for the rare occasion when I need to leave my five square block radius and see people, and for that I opt for jeans, a blazer, and heels. Let’s just say there’s not a whole lot of variety in my closet right now!