Meryl Streep and Anna Wintour Share Surprising Family Connection
For years, fashion industry insiders have quietly speculated that Meryl Streep's famously icy and exacting Miranda Priestly character in The Devil Wears Prada was modelled after legendary Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Now, just ahead of the highly anticipated sequel's release, reality has delivered a twist even more dramatic than Priestly's sharpest one-liners: the two iconic women are actually related through shared ancestry.
Couture Coincidence Rooted in Historical Genealogy
According to comprehensive research conducted by Ancestry, Meryl Streep and Anna Wintour share fifth great-grandparents, making them sixth cousins. This remarkable discovery was first reported by TODAY and reveals that their common ancestors lived in Pennsylvania's Bucks County during earlier centuries.
This geographical connection adds another layer of intrigue, as Bucks County happens to be near where Lauren Weisberger grew up before writing the bestselling novel that inspired the blockbuster film. Weisberger served as Wintour's assistant at Vogue, drawing from her experiences to create the fictional Runway magazine and its formidable editor Miranda Priestly.
The overlap creates what can only be described as a cinematic full circle moment – fiction looping back into verifiable lineage, with art imitating life in ways even the creators couldn't have anticipated.
When Miranda Met Wintour: A Complex Relationship
Anna Wintour has long taken the comparison between herself and the fictional Miranda Priestly character in stride. Reflecting on the film during an appearance on The New Yorker Radio Hour, Wintour acknowledged, "Yes, a caricature," before adding, "But first of all it was Meryl Streep, which, fantastic... Then I went to see the film, and I found it highly enjoyable."
She ultimately characterized the portrayal as "a fair shot" and specifically praised the performances, including Emily Blunt's memorable turn as the ambitious assistant Emily Charlton. Despite the fictionalized portrayal, Wintour has maintained a gracious public stance toward the film that has become a cultural touchstone.
The two women have shared multiple public moments over the years that highlight their mutual respect:
- A playful and candid 2017 sit-down interview for Vogue magazine
- A stylish reunion at Milan Fashion Week in 2025
- Numerous appearances at fashion industry events where their paths have crossed
Art Imitating Life with New Family Dimension
With Meryl Streep confirmed to reprise her iconic role as Miranda Priestly in the upcoming sequel to The Devil Wears Prada, the story has evolved beyond simple artistic inspiration. What began as speculation about creative influence has transformed into a narrative about family ties quietly shaping one of pop culture's most enduring characters.
The genealogy discovery adds profound new context to Streep's acclaimed performance, suggesting that her portrayal may have been informed by more than just acting skill and observation – there might be subtle familial echoes resonating through her interpretation of the character.
This revelation comes at a particularly poignant moment in entertainment history, as audiences prepare to revisit the world of high fashion through the lens of both fiction and newly discovered reality. The connection between Streep and Wintour represents one of those rare instances where truth proves more fascinating than fiction, with real-life genealogy creating a backstory more compelling than any screenwriter could invent.
As the fashion world and film industry await the sequel's release, this surprising family connection adds an entirely new dimension to understanding both the characters and the real people who inspired them, forever changing how audiences will view the relationship between Miranda Priestly and her real-world counterpart.
