The canniest celebrities know their fans, and how to play to them. And so it was that—much to the delight of the Devil Wears Prada fans in the audience at Broadway’s James Earl Jones Theatre—Anne Hathaway and Anna Wintour made a surprise joint appearance at Wednesday night’s performance of Gutenberg! The Musical!
Thankfully, there was no blue sweater in sight.
The show, starring Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad, features at its climax a celebrity playing a Broadway producer who announces they will finance the men’s characters, Doug and Bud’s crazy show about printing press founder Johannes Gutenberg. So far, those “producers” have included stars like Steve Martin, Patti LuPone, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Kerry Washington.
ADVERTISEMENT
At this show Hathaway and Wintour both appeared wearing the show’s eponymous “Producer” hats to deliver the news—and blur some lines for fans of The Devil Wears Prada, which was first a novel by Lauren Weisberger (who was once Wintour’s assistant), that later became the glossy, still-popular movie in which Hathaway played assistant Andy, and Meryl Streep played Miranda Priestly, the icy magazine editor in chief who Wintour is often compared to.
On stage, Hathaway said the line: “This show is fantastic, we don’t need to hear another note.” Wintour then announced, “I am a very famous Broadway producer, and”—she added, turning to Hathaway—“this is my assistant.” As the audience laughed and whooped, Hathaway inquired meekly, “Still?” As celebratory hugs were exchanged between Hathaway, Rannells and Gad, Wintour recoiled when Gad offered the same, instead saying—perfectly Miranda, or Anna?—“That’s all.”
To much rapturous applause, and Rannells shouting their names, the women then left the stage.
It was not the first time this piece of cherished fiction met showbiz reality in New York City. In September 2022, Wintour and Hathaway sat front row at Michael Kors’ Spring/Summer 2023 Fashion Week show.
