Don’t fall down and smack your head on the pavement at this news, but there’s a new Miranda Priestly in town. Vanessa Williams is set to portray Runway‘s intimidating editor in chief in the West End musical of The Devil Wears Prada, the production announced on Monday (Feb. 19).
In a video shared to Instagram, the singer-actress struts through an office in orangey-red strappy stiletto heels, the book in her hands, before throwing her jacket over a desk as only Miranda Priestly could, then sitting down and swiveling around in her chair to remove her sunglasses. “Don’t just sit there,” Williams-as-Miranda says icily to the camera. “Go buy tickets … or something!”
The show — based on the bestselling novel and hit 2006 movie starring Meryl Streep as Miranda and Anne Hathaway as her less-than-fashion-forward assistant — is set to launch in October at London’s Dominion Theatre, and will feature an original score by five-time Grammy winner Elton John, with lyrics Shaina Taub, as well as choreography by Tony winner Jerry Mitchell, who previously worked on Kinky Boots, Hairspray and more.
Streep’s iconic portrayal of the powerful editor in chief earned her a 2007 Oscar nomination for best actress. But Williams isn’t coming into the role without her own experience. The singer — whose hit “Save the Best for Last” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks in 1992 — has played a powerful editor herself. She portrayed MODE boss Wilhelmina Slater in the hit ABC dramedy Ugly Betty — which also starred America Ferrera — from 2006 to 2010, during which she earned three Primetime Emmy nominations for best supporting actress in a comedy.
Watch the announcement that Vanessa Williams is the next to play Miranda Priestly below:
