インタビュー|ヘレンJ.シェン

She’s an icon. She’s a legend. And she is the moment. Stepping into the role of the assistant to one of the most famous film assistants in cinema is no small order, but Helen J. Shen’s Jin eats up every single scene she’s in. From the second she enters the frame, she shines bright, keeping up effortlessly with the likes of Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci. You’d never know that this was her first outing on a silver screen.

It’s no secret that ‘The Devil Wears Prada,’ is one of the most adored pieces of media in recent times. Twenty years have passed since the first film, and people still quote it daily, use sounds from the original film on TikTok, and rewatch it religiously. People craved more of the glamorous world of ‘Runway,’ and of Andy Sachs and Miranda Priestly. It’s a daunting task to add on to an original that many have deemed perfect. But over the last two decades, the world has changed, and while the idea of a sequel made some weary, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

As Shen speaks with Schön!, she makes it clear that to revisit something so beloved, it had to have something new to say — and it did. The film did not pull its punches about the current state of media. It gave us a look through the lens, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Shen is proud of that. While the experience may have been a whirlwind, she didn’t take a moment of it for granted — soaking in everything she could like a sponge. She took advantage of the titans she was working alongside, making time to pick their brains. It isn’t every day you get to work with your idols, and she made the whole thing look easy.

Chatting with Schön!, Helen J. Shen discusses finding out she got the role, what it was like to work on a film set for the first time, how her and Jin’s journeys paralleled each other, and more.

Congratulations on your on-screen debut! I got to watch the film yesterday afternoon in a packed crowd, and it was incredible — such a true theatre-going experience. Jin is the MVP, in my opinion, for choosing the absolute best time to go get froyo. How nobody noticed the phone under the chair, we may never know. When you got the call that you’d been cast in the film, what was going through your head? And who did you tell first?

Oh my god, it was so exciting. I was doing a Broadway show at the time, so I already had so many other things going on in my head. As far as auditions and callbacks go, I felt good about this one in the moment, but with that kind of thing, you can’t really believe it’s happening until the offer actually comes in.

When I finally heard, I was at the show, and David Frankel, the director, had come to see it. I remember someone saying, “Helen, this director’s here to see you. He says he really wants to see you specifically. We don’t know who he is.” And I was like, “Oh, that’s David!” He wanted to inconspicuously tell me I got the job, and I think he may have been a little too subtle because I didn’t get the hint until he explicitly said, “No, Helen, you actually got this part.” [Laughs]

It was so surreal. I grew up with the first movie. There are so many iconic scenes, monologues, and line readings from it. It’s such a wonderful rewatch, and I feel like every chapter of my adulthood — especially my own experience with ambition and learning that it’s not a negative word — is reflected in that film. It’s just a beautiful world to be a part of, and it felt surreal knowing I was going to step into it. I don’t think it fully hit me until we started shooting in the offices because they built the entire Runway office set. Suddenly, I felt like an assistant going to work every day — except the person I happened to be assisting was Anne Hathaway.

The subtlest of brags.

Every day on set was such a joy. With my character, I got to do so many fun, bright, vibrant things, and I also had the opportunity to observe Meryl’s (Streep) process up close, as well as Anne’s. They led the project with such grace and poise. It felt like they knew these characters instinctively, even after all this time. And when they first played them, they had no idea the impact the film would still have 20 years later — that it would be the reason all of us were sitting in the same room together. That felt really special.

I told my parents first, and my mom was over the moon that I was going to be in a movie with Stanley Tucci, Meryl Streep, and Anne Hathaway, of course. She’d done some theatre growing up in the same area I did, and I grew up revering Anne Hathaway as someone who really did it — someone who was passionate about storytelling and truly made it. She was such a beacon for me growing up.

That’s such a full-circle moment. You touched on this in a previous interview, too, saying you had to pinch yourself every single day on set. And honestly, the gasp Jin lets out when Miranda walks into Andy’s office? I felt like that was maybe more you than Jin — or maybe it was both. [Laughs] Walk me through Jin’s mindset while working at Runway and under Andy and Miranda. How much did that experience parallel your own experience acting opposite Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep?

It really, really, really paralleled it. Think about it from my vantage point: I’m standing in this corner, and suddenly, actual Meryl Streep walks in. I’m already gagged no matter what. [Laughs] Of course, in the scene, Jin is affected by Miranda in that exact way. When Miranda enters a room, she parts the seas — everyone immediately snaps into their best behaviour. And honestly, that’s exactly the feeling you get on set when Meryl Streep walks in.

So much of it wasn’t acting as much as it was genuinely reacting to my surroundings. And what’s interesting is that Annie really was so excited to work with me and be part of this team together. In that scene where Jin gasps, Andy is trying to figure out what Jin thinks because she wants Jin to feel like part of this new fabric of Runway. That’s not always the dynamic you expect with someone you work for. Usually, there’s a hierarchy. And here you have Annie, this incredibly seasoned actor, with a million other things to think about besides whether or not you feel comfortable. And yet she made me feel the most comfortable.

I think that’s such a testament to how she works and how she chooses to show up on set, which I really respected. I was soaking everything up and trying to be a sponge, and honestly, that’s Jin’s whole arc too — being a sponge, while also finding her own stamp and leaving her own mark.

And by the end of the film, you see that it works out in her favour because Jin gets promoted, which made me so happy. You also made your Broadway debut in 2024 in ‘Maybe Happy Ending.’ How did working on stage prepare you for the screen?

Theatre really prepared me to be thrown into all kinds of situations. Onstage, there’s another scene partner you’re constantly working with, and that’s the audience. You have to stay reactive and on your feet all the time. What didn’t dawn on me right away with film was that what you’re doing is immortalized. I can definitely get in my own head sometimes and accidentally get in my own way. So I was really focused on staying present and being there for my scene partner because those fundamentals of acting are universal.

That said, there’s definitely a different style of acting for the camera. One of my very first scenes was in the cafeteria with Stanley and Anne whispering to each other about what to do. I had to enter from farther away, and I didn’t realize there’s basically no projection in film acting. They were genuinely whispering. Which, of course, they should be. [Laughs] But I remember not being able to hear my cue and thinking, “Okay, I really need to be on my A-game and absorb as much as I can.” At the end of the day, all I could do was my best. But I was genuinely shocked by how quiet the whispering was. [Laughs]

It eventually became more of a visual cue for me, but there were so many things I didn’t know yet. I’m so grateful to David and Aline (Brosh McKenna). Everyone was incredibly welcoming and excited to have me there. I always felt very taken care of, and even when I didn’t know something, I always felt comfortable enough to ask.

It sounds like such a collaborative and safe environment. Going back for a second to what you said about not realizing your work was going to be immortalized — at the world premiere, you got to watch the film for the first time. What was it like seeing yourself on that big screen?

It was amazing. I got all dressed up, and the red carpet was beautiful. I was already on such a high just being there, especially because it was in my hometown. I literally live around the corner. This is my neighborhood. It was such a crazy, glorious night. Actually seeing myself on the screen was surreal. I was sitting in front of Lucy Liu, who is fantastic in the movie. She’s gorgeous, effortless, effervescent. Her smile is so luminous.

Anyway, I could talk forever about Lucy Liu. She’s the queen. She was sitting right behind me, and every time my face came up on screen, she would scratch my shoulders. I’ve looked up to her since I was a little girl, so it was another one of those pinch-me moments where I thought, “I’m in the same room as Lucy Liu, and she’s acknowledging my work.” She’s so lovely. Some parts of that evening were honestly overwhelming because people were being so kind. I think it’s also important to let yourself accept positive affirmation from people who genuinely want to give it to you. There’s no reason to pick it apart and think, “Well, they’re only saying this because of this,” or, “They don’t really mean it.” Let them fill up your cup and pour some positivity into you. It was really wonderful to sit and be proud of myself in that moment.

It’s such a different feeling from theatre because, onstage, you get that affirmation in real time. You know when a joke lands, you know when the audience is with you, and then there’s the curtain call at the end where you take your bow. With film, it feels like one giant bow. It’s opening night and closing night all wrapped into one experience. All of that excitement and energy gets funneled into a single moment.

You must’ve been sitting there for 20 minutes after the movie ended, just basking in it.

Caleb Heron — who became a really good friend throughout this whole process and is genuinely such a lovely person — and I got to celebrate the fact that we were part of this massive movie alongside these titans. And we held our own.

Yes, you absolutely did! The film feels like such a love letter to the original. I lost count of how many references and callbacks there were. Do you remember the first time you watched the original and realized it was something special?

I don’t remember the very first time I watched it, but that opening montage is completely seared into my brain. The second “Suddenly I See” starts, and you hear those first little chords, you instantly know where you are. You’re in New York. All these girls are getting ready, and then you have Andy getting ready in her own way. That kind of filmmaking is so delicious to me. That whole era of movies feels delicious, honestly. I can’t remember the first viewing specifically — I just remember revisiting it over and over again.

Do you have a favourite scene or line delivery?

There are so many. I think “Gird your loins!” is such a good one as a call to the office. Or, “Smack your little head on the pavement.” Anytime Emily says anything, it’s so delicious. The way she delivers every line is so scathing. It’s so devastating. In the second movie, one of my favourite moments is when Emily is pointing Andy toward the subway and making that mock sympathetic face. Obviously, there’s also the insult about Andy’s eyebrows.  Even when she was talking to Benji (Justin Theroux), if he actually listened to what she was saying — “Oh, there’s so much ear hair. You could use this as a lawnmower!”

It just goes to show the type of person Benji is. In one ear, out the other. Of all the fits Jin wore, which one was your favourite? Was there a piece you really wanted to snag from set? Please remember, this is a safe space.

[Laughter] I really wanted the (Jean Paul) Gaultier dress, for sure. What’s interesting is that on the hanger, it looked like a normal black pinstripe dress. It didn’t have the shape it had once I put it on. But as soon as you cinched the waist and saw the shoulders, it became so fabulous. It was such a great journey for Jin. Throughout the whole movie, she’s always going to march to the beat of her own drum. She’s always going to pick pieces that feel thrifty and vibrant, and colours that maybe someone working at Runway wouldn’t normally wear. Nothing about her style is very muted.

That was so exciting to think about — this young person at the start of her career, interning at Runway, while also deciding, “I want to follow my own ambition, and I don’t want to change myself in any way to do that.” Honestly, I found her journey really inspiring. You can see that reflected in her fashion, too. She’s still thrifty, still trying to get a good deal, still trying not to sell her proverbial soul. But she also wants to glow up a little bit for her promotion.

As she should! My personal headcanon is that Jin keeps climbing the ladder at Runway and eventually ends up running the whole place. What do you think Runway under Jin would look like?

I think there would be more room for editorial shoots and thoughtful art pieces that come from engaging with the world in a meaningful way. I imagine she’d follow in Andy’s footsteps a little bit — wanting to do real journalism and using fashion, art, and design as vehicles to say something important about the world.

Absolutely. I can totally see that. I also love how heavily the film centers on the current state of journalism, media, and art. As an artist yourself, can you talk about why this story feels so important right now while still remaining a faithful sequel to the original?

That’s such a good question. Everyone involved knew how much the first movie meant to people, which is why there was even a market for a sequel in the first place. Having David Frankel back at the helm again, along with Aline and the core four cast members, says a lot. These are people who experienced the enormous impact of the first film firsthand, and there’s a reason they all came back. That’s such a huge undertaking.

I think Aline did an amazing job writing the “why” behind a “why now” sequel. The world is changing so much. We’re constantly seeing big corporations and conglomerates swallow up smaller independent publications. Everything they’re talking about in the movie is happening in real time. With the rise of technology and AI and all of these looming changes, I think what Aline really wanted to show is that this shift is already happening. She approaches it in such a charming, humorous, and lighthearted way that you can’t help but root for Andy and root for thoughtful, meaningful storytelling.

I think that’s why the film is resonating with people. I kept thinking while I was watching it, “This movie really has something to say.” Miranda didn’t invent the system. Emily didn’t invent the system. And yet all of these characters are trying to operate within it while still maintaining some sense of dignity and identity. The same goes for Nigel. Watching all of them navigate a rapidly changing world while trying to hold onto their humanity is incredibly moving.

Agreed. One of the most impactful scenes for me is at the beginning, when Andy is at that journalism dinner accepting an award, only to find out she and her colleagues have just been fired. Just like that. It feels so reflective of the world we’re living in, where media is constantly changing, and everyone is trying to figure out how to operate within this evolving system.

As artists, we’re always pulling inspiration from somewhere. Where do you find inspiration in your day-to-day life? I live in New York City. [Laughs] Honestly, all I have to do is walk outside, go to the park, or wander into a neighbourhood I’ve never been to before. I’ll never fully scratch the surface of New York City for as long as I live there. It’s such an endless city of art and humanity.

Right now, though, I’m especially inspired by storytellers who are taking huge swings — people who are willing to run headfirst into a wall creatively and commit fully to their vision without trying to water it down or make it more palatable.

I’m also inspired by collaborating with artists working in mediums I’m not familiar with. Trying something new and being kind of bad at it is actually really humbling. As artists, we spend so much time thinking about mastering our craft and putting in the “10,000 hours.” But honestly, being an artist is a craft. Learning itself is the craft. So part of my practice right now is allowing myself to try things I’ve never done before without judging myself in the process.

What is something new you’ve tried lately? 

I’ve been trying to write some music, actually. Whether or not it sees the light of day is another story. But right now, the process is bringing me a lot of joy. Simone Ashley, my co-star in the movie, also released an EP recently, and I respect and watch my fellow artists. Just because I’m revered for doing this one thing does not mean that I can’t try my hand in other mediums, just see what comes of it. 

I absolutely love that answer. And I’ll be looking out for new music in future. I was reading another interview that you started learning how to play the piano at the age of 5. You said that it taught you discipline and dedication. And I think in that same interview, you stated that it took you three years to learn a piece of music. As a fellow musician, what was that piece?

I did a Chopin piano concerto.

Oh, good God.

Oh, yeah. The three years it took were different chunks. I probably learned the actual piece in, I don’t know, maybe six months.

It’s the perfecting it, right? That’s what took the time?

Exactly. The honing of it. It’s the working with an orchestra, working with other people. And just like I’ll never know New York City, I could never get a piece perfect. You can get the notes perfect. But there’s always something deeper to mine. I think that really taught me that even when you think you’ve made it to the end of a thing, there’s always more to learn from it.

I never got to fulfill my final dream of doing the Tchaikovsky piano concerto. So that one’s still a white whale for me. And I’ll get back to you on that. I’ll get working on that right now. Today. Check back in with me in three years.

I’ll see you in 2030 [laughs.] Circling back to the film, what has been the wildest thing about this whole experience for you? What broke your brain?

Oh, God, so many things. The global aspect of it was really quite crazy. My grandma is still in Shanghai right now. And she got to see the movie. She did not get to see “Maybe Happy Ending’ in person. But she did get to see a bootleg that I can neither confirm nor deny is true. But she’s been following my career in another part of the world and watched me grow up. And it has been such a huge part of my life. But she got to go to the movie theatre and see my movie. And that is so special to me. That broke my brain.

Lastly, what are you most looking forward to once the madness finally subsides?

I’m really excited to be on a plane and watch The Devil Wears Prada 2. I say this with all of the compliments and all the reverence in the world. I cannot wait to sit and watch this amazing plane movie on a plane. It’s been a figment of my imagination for so long, but watching it on a plane? That’s when this whole experience will finally feel real to me.

‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ is in theatres now.

photography. Angela Kwon
fashion. Lizzy Rosenberg
talent. Helen J. Shen
casting. Emma Fleming
hair. Yu Nakata @ The South James Agency using Oribe
make up. Kimi Duncan @ Forward Artists using Summer Fridays
production. Clara La Rosa
set design. Lana Boy @ Art Department
photography assistant. Marcella Antiko, Danelle Gonzalez + David Woon
fashion assistant. Raymond Villela
studio. Rambow Studio
interview. Dana Reboe

She’s an icon. She’s a legend. And she is the moment. Stepping into the role of the assistant to one of the most famous film assistants in cinema is no small order, but Helen J. Shen’s Jin eats up every single scene she’s in. From the second she enters the frame, she shines bright, keeping up effortlessly with the likes of Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci. You’d never know that this was her first outing on a silver screen.

It’s no secret that ‘The Devil Wears Prada,’ is one of the most adored pieces of media in recent times. Twenty years have passed since the first film, and people still quote it daily, use sounds from the original film on TikTok, and rewatch it religiously. People craved more of the glamorous world of ‘Runway,’ and of Andy Sachs and Miranda Priestly. It’s a daunting task to add on to an original that many have deemed perfect. But over the last two decades, the world has changed, and while the idea of a sequel made some weary, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

As Shen speaks with Schön!, she makes it clear that to revisit something so beloved, it had to have something new to say — and it did. The film did not pull its punches about the current state of media. It gave us a look through the lens, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Shen is proud of that. While the experience may have been a whirlwind, she didn’t take a moment of it for granted — soaking in everything she could like a sponge. She took advantage of the titans she was working alongside, making time to pick their brains. It isn’t every day you get to work with your idols, and she made the whole thing look easy.

Chatting with Schön!, Helen J. Shen discusses finding out she got the role, what it was like to work on a film set for the first time, how her and Jin’s journeys paralleled each other, and more.

Congratulations on your on-screen debut! I got to watch the film yesterday afternoon in a packed crowd, and it was incredible — such a true theatre-going experience. Jin is the MVP, in my opinion, for choosing the absolute best time to go get froyo. How nobody noticed the phone under the chair, we may never know. When you got the call that you’d been cast in the film, what was going through your head? And who did you tell first?

Oh my god, it was so exciting. I was doing a Broadway show at the time, so I already had so many other things going on in my head. As far as auditions and callbacks go, I felt good about this one in the moment, but with that kind of thing, you can’t really believe it’s happening until the offer actually comes in.

When I finally heard, I was at the show, and David Frankel, the director, had come to see it. I remember someone saying, “Helen, this director’s here to see you. He says he really wants to see you specifically. We don’t know who he is.” And I was like, “Oh, that’s David!” He wanted to inconspicuously tell me I got the job, and I think he may have been a little too subtle because I didn’t get the hint until he explicitly said, “No, Helen, you actually got this part.” [Laughs]

It was so surreal. I grew up with the first movie. There are so many iconic scenes, monologues, and line readings from it. It’s such a wonderful rewatch, and I feel like every chapter of my adulthood — especially my own experience with ambition and learning that it’s not a negative word — is reflected in that film. It’s just a beautiful world to be a part of, and it felt surreal knowing I was going to step into it. I don’t think it fully hit me until we started shooting in the offices because they built the entire Runway office set. Suddenly, I felt like an assistant going to work every day — except the person I happened to be assisting was Anne Hathaway.

The subtlest of brags.

Every day on set was such a joy. With my character, I got to do so many fun, bright, vibrant things, and I also had the opportunity to observe Meryl’s (Streep) process up close, as well as Anne’s. They led the project with such grace and poise. It felt like they knew these characters instinctively, even after all this time. And when they first played them, they had no idea the impact the film would still have 20 years later — that it would be the reason all of us were sitting in the same room together. That felt really special.

I told my parents first, and my mom was over the moon that I was going to be in a movie with Stanley Tucci, Meryl Streep, and Anne Hathaway, of course. She’d done some theatre growing up in the same area I did, and I grew up revering Anne Hathaway as someone who really did it — someone who was passionate about storytelling and truly made it. She was such a beacon for me growing up.

That’s such a full-circle moment. You touched on this in a previous interview, too, saying you had to pinch yourself every single day on set. And honestly, the gasp Jin lets out when Miranda walks into Andy’s office? I felt like that was maybe more you than Jin — or maybe it was both. [Laughs] Walk me through Jin’s mindset while working at Runway and under Andy and Miranda. How much did that experience parallel your own experience acting opposite Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep?

It really, really, really paralleled it. Think about it from my vantage point: I’m standing in this corner, and suddenly, actual Meryl Streep walks in. I’m already gagged no matter what. [Laughs] Of course, in the scene, Jin is affected by Miranda in that exact way. When Miranda enters a room, she parts the seas — everyone immediately snaps into their best behaviour. And honestly, that’s exactly the feeling you get on set when Meryl Streep walks in.

So much of it wasn’t acting as much as it was genuinely reacting to my surroundings. And what’s interesting is that Annie really was so excited to work with me and be part of this team together. In that scene where Jin gasps, Andy is trying to figure out what Jin thinks because she wants Jin to feel like part of this new fabric of Runway. That’s not always the dynamic you expect with someone you work for. Usually, there’s a hierarchy. And here you have Annie, this incredibly seasoned actor, with a million other things to think about besides whether or not you feel comfortable. And yet she made me feel the most comfortable.

I think that’s such a testament to how she works and how she chooses to show up on set, which I really respected. I was soaking everything up and trying to be a sponge, and honestly, that’s Jin’s whole arc too — being a sponge, while also finding her own stamp and leaving her own mark.

And by the end of the film, you see that it works out in her favour because Jin gets promoted, which made me so happy. You also made your Broadway debut in 2024 in ‘Maybe Happy Ending.’ How did working on stage prepare you for the screen?

Theatre really prepared me to be thrown into all kinds of situations. Onstage, there’s another scene partner you’re constantly working with, and that’s the audience. You have to stay reactive and on your feet all the time. What didn’t dawn on me right away with film was that what you’re doing is immortalized. I can definitely get in my own head sometimes and accidentally get in my own way. So I was really focused on staying present and being there for my scene partner because those fundamentals of acting are universal.

That said, there’s definitely a different style of acting for the camera. One of my very first scenes was in the cafeteria with Stanley and Anne whispering to each other about what to do. I had to enter from farther away, and I didn’t realize there’s basically no projection in film acting. They were genuinely whispering. Which, of course, they should be. [Laughs] But I remember not being able to hear my cue and thinking, “Okay, I really need to be on my A-game and absorb as much as I can.” At the end of the day, all I could do was my best. But I was genuinely shocked by how quiet the whispering was. [Laughs]

It eventually became more of a visual cue for me, but there were so many things I didn’t know yet. I’m so grateful to David and Aline (Brosh McKenna). Everyone was incredibly welcoming and excited to have me there. I always felt very taken care of, and even when I didn’t know something, I always felt comfortable enough to ask.

It sounds like such a collaborative and safe environment. Going back for a second to what you said about not realizing your work was going to be immortalized — at the world premiere, you got to watch the film for the first time. What was it like seeing yourself on that big screen?

It was amazing. I got all dressed up, and the red carpet was beautiful. I was already on such a high just being there, especially because it was in my hometown. I literally live around the corner. This is my neighborhood. It was such a crazy, glorious night. Actually seeing myself on the screen was surreal. I was sitting in front of Lucy Liu, who is fantastic in the movie. She’s gorgeous, effortless, effervescent. Her smile is so luminous.

Anyway, I could talk forever about Lucy Liu. She’s the queen. She was sitting right behind me, and every time my face came up on screen, she would scratch my shoulders. I’ve looked up to her since I was a little girl, so it was another one of those pinch-me moments where I thought, “I’m in the same room as Lucy Liu, and she’s acknowledging my work.” She’s so lovely. Some parts of that evening were honestly overwhelming because people were being so kind. I think it’s also important to let yourself accept positive affirmation from people who genuinely want to give it to you. There’s no reason to pick it apart and think, “Well, they’re only saying this because of this,” or, “They don’t really mean it.” Let them fill up your cup and pour some positivity into you. It was really wonderful to sit and be proud of myself in that moment.

It’s such a different feeling from theatre because, onstage, you get that affirmation in real time. You know when a joke lands, you know when the audience is with you, and then there’s the curtain call at the end where you take your bow. With film, it feels like one giant bow. It’s opening night and closing night all wrapped into one experience. All of that excitement and energy gets funneled into a single moment.

You must’ve been sitting there for 20 minutes after the movie ended, just basking in it.

Caleb Heron — who became a really good friend throughout this whole process and is genuinely such a lovely person — and I got to celebrate the fact that we were part of this massive movie alongside these titans. And we held our own.

Yes, you absolutely did! The film feels like such a love letter to the original. I lost count of how many references and callbacks there were. Do you remember the first time you watched the original and realized it was something special?

I don’t remember the very first time I watched it, but that opening montage is completely seared into my brain. The second “Suddenly I See” starts, and you hear those first little chords, you instantly know where you are. You’re in New York. All these girls are getting ready, and then you have Andy getting ready in her own way. That kind of filmmaking is so delicious to me. That whole era of movies feels delicious, honestly. I can’t remember the first viewing specifically — I just remember revisiting it over and over again.

Do you have a favourite scene or line delivery?

There are so many. I think “Gird your loins!” is such a good one as a call to the office. Or, “Smack your little head on the pavement.” Anytime Emily says anything, it’s so delicious. The way she delivers every line is so scathing. It’s so devastating. In the second movie, one of my favourite moments is when Emily is pointing Andy toward the subway and making that mock sympathetic face. Obviously, there’s also the insult about Andy’s eyebrows.  Even when she was talking to Benji (Justin Theroux), if he actually listened to what she was saying — “Oh, there’s so much ear hair. You could use this as a lawnmower!”

It just goes to show the type of person Benji is. In one ear, out the other. Of all the fits Jin wore, which one was your favourite? Was there a piece you really wanted to snag from set? Please remember, this is a safe space.

[Laughter] I really wanted the (Jean Paul) Gaultier dress, for sure. What’s interesting is that on the hanger, it looked like a normal black pinstripe dress. It didn’t have the shape it had once I put it on. But as soon as you cinched the waist and saw the shoulders, it became so fabulous. It was such a great journey for Jin. Throughout the whole movie, she’s always going to march to the beat of her own drum. She’s always going to pick pieces that feel thrifty and vibrant, and colours that maybe someone working at Runway wouldn’t normally wear. Nothing about her style is very muted.

That was so exciting to think about — this young person at the start of her career, interning at Runway, while also deciding, “I want to follow my own ambition, and I don’t want to change myself in any way to do that.” Honestly, I found her journey really inspiring. You can see that reflected in her fashion, too. She’s still thrifty, still trying to get a good deal, still trying not to sell her proverbial soul. But she also wants to glow up a little bit for her promotion.

As she should! My personal headcanon is that Jin keeps climbing the ladder at Runway and eventually ends up running the whole place. What do you think Runway under Jin would look like?

I think there would be more room for editorial shoots and thoughtful art pieces that come from engaging with the world in a meaningful way. I imagine she’d follow in Andy’s footsteps a little bit — wanting to do real journalism and using fashion, art, and design as vehicles to say something important about the world.

Absolutely. I can totally see that. I also love how heavily the film centers on the current state of journalism, media, and art. As an artist yourself, can you talk about why this story feels so important right now while still remaining a faithful sequel to the original?

That’s such a good question. Everyone involved knew how much the first movie meant to people, which is why there was even a market for a sequel in the first place. Having David Frankel back at the helm again, along with Aline and the core four cast members, says a lot. These are people who experienced the enormous impact of the first film firsthand, and there’s a reason they all came back. That’s such a huge undertaking.

I think Aline did an amazing job writing the “why” behind a “why now” sequel. The world is changing so much. We’re constantly seeing big corporations and conglomerates swallow up smaller independent publications. Everything they’re talking about in the movie is happening in real time. With the rise of technology and AI and all of these looming changes, I think what Aline really wanted to show is that this shift is already happening. She approaches it in such a charming, humorous, and lighthearted way that you can’t help but root for Andy and root for thoughtful, meaningful storytelling.

I think that’s why the film is resonating with people. I kept thinking while I was watching it, “This movie really has something to say.” Miranda didn’t invent the system. Emily didn’t invent the system. And yet all of these characters are trying to operate within it while still maintaining some sense of dignity and identity. The same goes for Nigel. Watching all of them navigate a rapidly changing world while trying to hold onto their humanity is incredibly moving.

Agreed. One of the most impactful scenes for me is at the beginning, when Andy is at that journalism dinner accepting an award, only to find out she and her colleagues have just been fired. Just like that. It feels so reflective of the world we’re living in, where media is constantly changing, and everyone is trying to figure out how to operate within this evolving system.

As artists, we’re always pulling inspiration from somewhere. Where do you find inspiration in your day-to-day life? I live in New York City. [Laughs] Honestly, all I have to do is walk outside, go to the park, or wander into a neighbourhood I’ve never been to before. I’ll never fully scratch the surface of New York City for as long as I live there. It’s such an endless city of art and humanity.

Right now, though, I’m especially inspired by storytellers who are taking huge swings — people who are willing to run headfirst into a wall creatively and commit fully to their vision without trying to water it down or make it more palatable.

I’m also inspired by collaborating with artists working in mediums I’m not familiar with. Trying something new and being kind of bad at it is actually really humbling. As artists, we spend so much time thinking about mastering our craft and putting in the “10,000 hours.” But honestly, being an artist is a craft. Learning itself is the craft. So part of my practice right now is allowing myself to try things I’ve never done before without judging myself in the process.

What is something new you’ve tried lately? 

I’ve been trying to write some music, actually. Whether or not it sees the light of day is another story. But right now, the process is bringing me a lot of joy. Simone Ashley, my co-star in the movie, also released an EP recently, and I respect and watch my fellow artists. Just because I’m revered for doing this one thing does not mean that I can’t try my hand in other mediums, just see what comes of it. 

I absolutely love that answer. And I’ll be looking out for new music in future. I was reading another interview that you started learning how to play the piano at the age of 5. You said that it taught you discipline and dedication. And I think in that same interview, you stated that it took you three years to learn a piece of music. As a fellow musician, what was that piece?

I did a Chopin piano concerto.

Oh, good God.

Oh, yeah. The three years it took were different chunks. I probably learned the actual piece in, I don’t know, maybe six months.

It’s the perfecting it, right? That’s what took the time?

Exactly. The honing of it. It’s the working with an orchestra, working with other people. And just like I’ll never know New York City, I could never get a piece perfect. You can get the notes perfect. But there’s always something deeper to mine. I think that really taught me that even when you think you’ve made it to the end of a thing, there’s always more to learn from it.

I never got to fulfill my final dream of doing the Tchaikovsky piano concerto. So that one’s still a white whale for me. And I’ll get back to you on that. I’ll get working on that right now. Today. Check back in with me in three years.

I’ll see you in 2030 [laughs.] Circling back to the film, what has been the wildest thing about this whole experience for you? What broke your brain?

Oh, God, so many things. The global aspect of it was really quite crazy. My grandma is still in Shanghai right now. And she got to see the movie. She did not get to see “Maybe Happy Ending’ in person. But she did get to see a bootleg that I can neither confirm nor deny is true. But she’s been following my career in another part of the world and watched me grow up. And it has been such a huge part of my life. But she got to go to the movie theatre and see my movie. And that is so special to me. That broke my brain.

Lastly, what are you most looking forward to once the madness finally subsides?

I’m really excited to be on a plane and watch The Devil Wears Prada 2. I say this with all of the compliments and all the reverence in the world. I cannot wait to sit and watch this amazing plane movie on a plane. It’s been a figment of my imagination for so long, but watching it on a plane? That’s when this whole experience will finally feel real to me.

‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ is in theatres now.

photography. Angela Kwon
fashion. Lizzy Rosenberg
talent. Helen J. Shen
casting. Emma Fleming
hair. Yu Nakata @ The South James Agency using Oribe
make up. Kimi Duncan @ Forward Artists using Summer Fridays
production. Clara La Rosa
set design. Lana Boy @ Art Department
photography assistant. Marcella Antiko, Danelle Gonzalez + David Woon
fashion assistant. Raymond Villela
studio. Rambow Studio
interview. Dana Reboe