What happened — and why it mattered

At the 98th Academy Awards on March 15–16, 2026, Anna Wintour and Anne Hathaway staged a brief, tongue-in-cheek throwback to The Devil Wears Prada that became one of the night’s most talked-about moments. The exchange landed for fans because it winked at the film’s real-life fashion-world connections and comes as the sequel heads into theaters in early May.

The onstage bit: who said what

Presenting Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Hathaway — who played Andy Sachs in the 2006 film — opened by asking Wintour, “Anna, just curious, what do you think of my dress tonight?” Wintour, in her signature composed style, deadpanned, “And the nominees are…,” drawing laughter.

Later, when Hathaway offered Wintour the chance to read the makeup nominees in an almost-Andy voice, Wintour quipped, “Thank you, Emily,” playfully misnaming Hathaway after Emily Blunt’s character. The Academy posted video of the moment on its official Instagram account, and clips quickly circulated online.

How it tied back to the film

  • Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly, widely viewed as inspired by Wintour, is the film’s iconic editor figure; its cultural influence made the exchange land as both a joke and a commentary.
  • Wintour has publicly addressed the Miranda comparison before, telling the BBC in 2024 she leaves it “for the audience and for the people I work with to decide” and that she is focused on the creative side of her job.

Context — Oscars results and what’s next

At the ceremony — hosted by Conan O’Brien and broadcast live on ABC and Hulu — the film Frankenstein won both Best Costume Design (Kate Hawley) and Best Makeup and Hairstyling, the categories Hathaway and Wintour were presenting.

The playful exchange also comes amid renewed attention on The Devil Wears Prada franchise. The long-awaited sequel reunites Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt along with Stanley Tucci, Tracie Thoms and Tibor Feldman, and adds Kenneth Branagh, Lucy Liu, Justin Theroux and B. J. Novak. Director David Frankel and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna returned to the project.

Reaction and why people care

Fans and critics alike reacted on social platforms with amusement — many sharing clips and praising the meta moment that blended fashion-world reputation with Hollywood nostalgia. The gag worked because it relied on shared cultural memory: the original film’s portrayal of magazine power dynamics and Wintour’s real-world eminence.

What to watch for

Expect more publicity around the sequel as its early-May release approaches and the cast continues promotion. Industry watchers will also note Wintour’s public profile post-Vogue; she stepped down as editor-in-chief in September and has remained a high-profile figure in fashion conversation.

For viewers, the Oscars moment was a brief, clever reminder of how a single performance and real-world persona can keep a film in cultural conversation decades later.