Adrian Grenier will not be donning his apron again for the sequel to "The Devil Wears Prada." According to Entertainment Weekly, the 48-year-old actor, who portrayed Nate Cooper—Andy Sachs' college sweetheart-turned-sous-chef in the 2006 original film—has confirmed his absence from the highly anticipated follow-up. This revelation coincides with 20th Century Studios' official announcement of the commencement of production on "The Devil Wears Prada 2."
As fans eagerly await the return of some of their most cherished characters, the likes of Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci are all set to reprise their iconic roles. David Frankel will once more take the director's chair, while Aline Brosh McKenna returns as the screenwriter. Rumor has it that Kenneth Branagh has also joined the cast, albeit details about his character remain under wraps.
The original film, adapted from Lauren Weisberger's novel inspired by her time as an assistant to former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, chronicled Hathaway's character, Andy, as she navigated the demanding world of high fashion under the icy gaze of Miranda Priestly, played by Streep. Nate, Andy's boyfriend, was often portrayed as criticizing her career choices and mocking her growing ambitions, leading fans to scrutinize his role in the narrative over the years.
In fact, Grenier himself acknowledged the backlash in a 2021 oral history reunion with Entertainment Weekly. He admitted that he now understands why so many viewers saw Nate as the true antagonist of the story. "All those memes that emerged were a shock to me. It hadn't dawned on me until I really started to ponder over it," he said. "Perhaps it was because I was as immature as Nate was at the time. In many ways, he's very selfish and self-centered; it was all about him. He didn't extend himself to support Andy in her career."
He continued, "At the end of the day, it's just a birthday, right? It's not the end of the world. Maybe I was as immature as he was at the time, so I couldn't personally see his shortcomings. But after reflecting and deliberating for some time, I've come to realize the truth in that perspective."
