Just days before it hits screens, The Devil Wears Prada 2 has come under fire for portraying what some critics have called ‘old Hollywood stereotypes of Asian people’.
After a 20-year wait for the sequel to the beloved 2006 comedy-drama starring Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep, the follow-up will be released in cinemas later this week.
However, a clip shared ahead of time as part of the promotional campaign has drawn the ire of many.
A teaser shared last week shows Anne’s Andy Sachs, who returned to work at the fictional magazine Runway as its features editor, meeting her new assistant, Jin Chao, played by Chinese-American actress Helen J. Shen.
In the clip, Jin misreads Andy’s hesitation and believes she might have wanted someone else for the role, and so explains exactly how she secured the position.
‘If you don’t want me, you can interview someone else. That’s totally fine,’ she says, before listing her string of credentials.
‘I did go to Yale, 3.86 GPA, lead soprano of the [Yale singing group] the Whiffenpoofs, and my ACT score was 36 on the very first time,’ she declared.
Within a week the clip has now been viewed over 26 million times, with many calling out the portrayal of an Asian woman as awkward, unstylish and an academic overachiever.
However, one of the most glaring issues was the fact many pointed out that the character’s name sounds similar to a historically racist slur used to mock Chinese people.
‘I don’t quite get how the name Zhao Jin ends up being pronounced as Chin Chou,’ user Eva questioned in a post on X.
‘It’s 2026 already, and we’re still flip-flopping back and forth on racial discrimination issues – I just can’t wrap my head around it either.’
‘It’s 2026 already and they can’t even come up with a normal Chinese name,’ user supermartian posted.
‘They couldn’t pick something like Stephanie Wu or Jennifer Wang or countless other names that don’t sound like a racial slur?’ badbaddustbin added.
Meanwhile others called out the portrayal of the character wearing unfashionable clothes and being more interested in academic achievements.
‘It’s 2026 and they’re still playing on the old Asians are nerdy/boring stereotypes. Her name, outfit and styling are wtf… Even using this scene as a trailer for marketing?’ Moonbaby questioned.
‘A petite Asian woman with accomplished academic record with low self-esteem and wearing different patterns? A stereotype or a caricature? Really? In the year 2026? I thought this type of character belongs to Ugly Betty era,’ PeytonLang wrote.
‘20 years 0 progress. It’s 2026 and such blatant racism still exists in commercial film,’ arnocin added.
Meanwhile Boba Cyclist shared: ‘Child-like dress, glasses, overqualified, Ivy League credentials and at top of her game yet obsequious and insecure of her competency: these are not Asian American stereotypes, they’re white women’s fantasies.’
Others called the characterisation ‘tone-deaf’ while many more called it blatant ‘racism’ and called for the film to be boycotted.
Are you excited for The Devil Wears Prada 2?
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Yes, finally!
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I’m unsure about it
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Nope
As one other put it: ‘The promotion for The Devil Wears Prada 2 up to this point was really great, but right before release, they suddenly hit us with blatant anti-Asian racism and flipped the car.’
Another user wrote: It feels like the way Asians are portrayed in Hollywood movies from 20 years ago.’
The studio behind the film – 20th Century Studios – and the main stars are yet to comment on the backlash.
However, outlets based in East Asia have suggested the public outcry could impact the film’s box office earnings.
‘There are forecasts that this controversy could negatively affect the film’s reputation and box office performance,’ Hong Kong’s Sing Tao Daily wrote.
Shi Wenxue, a film critic based in Beijing, also told the Global Times: “This controversy touches many deeply rooted sensitivities. The old “Yellow Peril” narratives produced villainous figures, while newer labels such as the “model minority” stereotype portray Asians as high achieving but socially awkward.’
Despite the backlash, critics have called The Devil Wears Prada 2 ‘phenomenal’, ‘sharp and witty’, and worth the wait’.
Metro has contacted 20th Century Studios for comment.
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