Adrian Grenier Opens Up About Being Snubbed from The Devil Wears Prada Sequel
Adrian Grenier, best known for his role as the charming yet often criticised boyfriend Nate Cooper in the 2006 hit film The Devil Wears Prada, has voiced his disappointment at not being included in the upcoming sequel. The 49-year-old actor, speaking in a recent interview, admitted that being left out of the highly anticipated follow-up was a “disappointment,” but he remains optimistic about future opportunities, even suggesting a potential spin-off for his character.
The trailer for the new film, which has recently dropped, clearly indicates a shift in Andrea “Andy” Sachs’ (played by Anne Hathaway) romantic life, with Nate Cooper no longer featuring as her love interest. This departure from the original storyline has evidently not gone unnoticed by Grenier.
Grenier speculated that the decision to exclude him might stem from the “backlash” his character, Nate, received from audiences following the release of the original film. “We’re all fans of the movie, whether or not we’re in it,” he remarked. “Obviously, it was a disappointment that I didn’t get the call to be in the sequel, but I also understand there’s some backlash with Nate, the character, so that might have something to do with it.”
However, Grenier sees this as an opening for other creative avenues. “But I think that just leaves room for a spin-off,” he added. “Either way, it’s a disappointment. Either way, it leaves room for a beautiful spin-off in which Nate has his own film.”
The Backlash Against Nate Cooper: A Closer Look
Fans of the original film were vocal about their dissatisfaction with Nate’s character, frequently labelling him as unsupportive and self-centred. His attitude towards Andy’s demanding career at Runway magazine often drew criticism.
Grenier himself acknowledged this sentiment years later, admitting he hadn’t fully grasped the subtleties of his character’s portrayal until the public reaction emerged online. “I didn’t see some of the subtleties and the nuance of this character and what it represented in the film until the masses came online and started to push against the character and throw him under the bus, and I got flak,” he told Entertainment Weekly in 2021.
He confessed that the deluge of memes and online commentary surrounding Nate’s perceived flaws was “shocking” to him. “It hadn’t occurred to me until I started to really think about it,” he continued. “And perhaps it was because I was as immature as Nate was at the time.”
Reflecting on his character’s shortcomings, Grenier conceded that Nate was indeed “very selfish and self-involved.” He elaborated, “He wasn’t extending himself to support Andy in her career.” After considerable “time to reflect” and “much deliberation,” Grenier ultimately agreed with the prevailing perspective on Nate’s character flaws.
In the original film, Andy and Nate’s relationship hit a rocky patch, culminating in a breakup. While they did reconcile at the film’s end, shortly after Andy’s decision to leave her demanding job, Nate’s announcement that he was relocating to Chicago for a new chef position hinted at future challenges for their relationship.
Grenier’s Post-Prada Career and Family Life
Since the release of The Devil Wears Prada in 2006, Adrian Grenier has built a diverse career. He starred in the popular HBO series Entourage and has also worked on projects like Clickbait. Beyond acting, Grenier has expanded his professional repertoire to include producing, directing, and dedicating himself to environmental activism.
On a personal front, Grenier is a father to two young sons, Seiko, aged two, and Evren, who is nearly one year old. He shares his children with his wife, Jordan Roemmele, whom he married in 2022. The family currently resides on a ranch in Texas.
Grenier is currently involved in a new short film project titled Self Custody. The film stars and is directed by Garrett Patten, portraying a father’s desperate efforts to reclaim a valuable old Bitcoin bonus.
What’s Next for The Devil Wears Prada?
The recently released trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2 has generated significant buzz, particularly with the confirmed reunion of Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly and Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs.
The sequel’s plot is set to explore Miranda Priestly’s challenges as she faces off against Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt), her former assistant who has now ascended to the role of a rival executive. Their competition will centre on securing advertising revenue in an era of declining print media, all while Priestly contemplates retirement. Emily, now a powerful executive within a luxury group, holds the advertising dollars that Miranda desperately needs to revitalise her publication, according to reports.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is slated for a theatrical release on May 1st, marking precisely two decades since the original cult classic first graced cinemas.
