19 February 2024 , 17:39
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Actress Vanessa Williams, known for her roles in Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives, will be starring as Miranda Priestly in the upcoming musical adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada.
The music for this West End show is by none other than Sir Elton John. Vanessa is thrilled to bring "fashion's most terrifying editor-in-chief" to life, calling it "an absolute dream". The musical is based on the Oscar-nominated film and novel by Lauren Weisberger, with an original score by Sir Elton John and lyrics by singer-songwriter Shaina Taub.
The 2006 film was a big hit, earning £259 million worldwide and two Academy Award nominations. As Vanessa announced the exciting news on social media earlier today, many TV fans couldn't help but compare Vanessa's new role to her previous one as Wilhelmina Slater, the ambitious and ruthless editor-in-chief of the fictional fashion magazine MODE in Ugly Betty.
The inspired casting has delighted Ugly Betty fansVanessa, who is 60 and has been nominated for multiple awards over the years, said: "Bringing Miranda Priestly to life in the West End is an absolute dream come true. Gird your loins, folks." The show also features direction and choreography by Tony award winner Jerry Mitchell, a book by Kate Wetherhead and costume design by Gregg Barnes. It's produced by Kevin McCollum, Rocket Entertainment, David Furnish and Jamie Wilson, with a special arrangement by Buena Vista Theatrical.
The musical first premiered in the US in 2022, with Beth Leavel playing the role of Miranda Priestly. Sir Elton John has previously composed music for Broadway musicals such as The Lion King, Aida and Billy Elliot. The Devil Wears Prada is set to hit the stage in London's Dominion Theatre in October 2024, but not before an exclusive sneak peek at Theatre Royal Plymouth in the summer.
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"That’s All…now buy some tickets to @pradawestend #thehouseofmiranda," Vanessa quipped as she shared a teaser for the musical on Instagram today. "For a moment I thought it was Wilhelmina. But this is exciting news," one fan commented underneath the video, with another adding: "Omggg.. I thought we were getting an Ugly Betty Spin-off for a hit second."
Over on Twitter (X), one excited fan told the official The Devil Wears Prada musical account: "Now cast @AmericaFerrera as Andy, you’re missing a trick if you don’t #devilwearsprada." "this is PERFECT casting I’m shaking," another happy Twitter user declared, with a third adding: "Wilhelmina Slater vibes incoming!"