What The Devil Wears Prada 2 Salaries Teach Women About Negotiating Power
The girls are getting paid.
And honestly? Miranda Priestly would expect nothing less.
According to multiple reports, Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt each earned a reported $12.5 million upfront for The Devil Wears Prada 2 — with the potential to make millions more through box office bonuses as the film continues dominating globally.
But the most interesting part of the story isn’t just the paycheck.
It’s how they negotiated it.
Equal Pay Was Reportedly Built Into the Deal
According to reports, the three actresses negotiated what Hollywood calls a “favored nations” agreement — meaning if one actress received a higher salary, the others would automatically receive the same compensation.
And perhaps most notably, reports claim Meryl Streep — who easily could have demanded a significantly larger salary — intentionally accepted equal pay terms to ensure Hathaway and Blunt were compensated at the same level.
That matters.
Because in industries where women are constantly pushed to compete against each other, this move represents something different:
collaboration instead of competition.
Power instead of scarcity.
Women Are Finally Understanding Their Value
One of the biggest financial lessons here has nothing to do with Hollywood specifically.
It’s about leverage.
Women are often conditioned to:
- feel “grateful” just to be included
- avoid talking about money
- hesitate during negotiations
- worry about appearing difficult
- accept less to seem agreeable
Meanwhile, industries continue profiting from women underestimating their own value.
Meryl Streep herself previously admitted she doubled her salary demand for the original Devil Wears Prada after realizing the studio truly needed her.
And honestly? That realization changes everything.
Negotiation becomes very different once you understand your value is not interchangeable.
The Wealthiest Women Don’t Always Play Small
There’s a cultural double standard around ambitious women and money.
When men negotiate aggressively, they’re seen as strategic.
When women do it, they’re often labeled demanding.
But stories like this are shifting the narrative.
Because there’s nothing “unfeminine” about:
- negotiating higher pay
- asking for equity
- requesting bonuses
- understanding your market value
- protecting your long-term earning power
Financial confidence is part of personal power.
And the women building real wealth understand that silence around money only benefits everyone except them.
The Bonus Structure Is the Real Power Move
While the reported $12.5 million salary grabbed headlines, the backend bonuses may become even more important financially.
Reports suggest the actresses could earn an additional $20+ million each depending on the film’s continued box office performance.
That’s a major reminder that wealthy people often negotiate beyond salary.
They negotiate:
- profit participation
- ownership
- royalties
- backend deals
- long-term revenue streams
The highest earners rarely rely on one paycheck alone.
And honestly? Women should be thinking about this more often in their own industries too.
Not just:
“What am I being paid?”
But:
“What am I building long-term?”
The Real Lesson Here? Stop Underpricing Yourself
Whether you work in media, fashion, business, healthcare, content creation, or corporate leadership, this story hits because the underlying issue is universal:
Women are often taught to minimize their ambition financially.
But confidence changes careers.
Negotiation changes income.
And understanding your worth changes everything.
The women of The Devil Wears Prada may be fictional icons — but the financial lesson behind their real-life contracts is very real: