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Anna Wintour stole the show at the 2026 Oscars with a hilarious Devil Wears Prada moment alongside Anne Hathaway. The fashion icon, 76, delivered deadpan wit while presenting the biggest costume and makeup awards. The 18 days ago moment left audiences stunned with one unforgettable line.
🔥 Quick Facts
- Event Date: March 15, 2026 at the 98th Academy Awards, Dolby Theatre
- Iconic Quote: “Thank you, Emily”, Wintour’s reference to Hathaway’s TDWP character
- Awards Presented: Best Costume Design and Best Hair and Makeup
- Fashion Moment: Dior by Jonathan Anderson for Wintour, Valentino for Hathaway
Anna Wintour Channels Miranda Priestly Energy
Anna Wintour‘s appearance on the Oscars stage marked a rare public moment for the Vogue Global Editorial Director. The legendary fashion powerhouse, who inspired Meryl Streep‘s fictional character in the original Devil Wears Prada film, stepped into the role with ease. Wintour kept her signature sunglasses on during most of the segment, maintaining her icy, composed demeanor that defined Miranda Priestly.
When Anne Hathaway asked nervously, “Anna, just curious, what do you think of my dress tonight?”, Wintour responded with brutal simplicity. “And the nominees for best costume design are,” she deadpanned, bypassing the compliment entirely. The audience erupted in recognition of the callback to Hathaway‘s struggling fashion assistant character Andy Sachs from the 2006 film.
Anna Wintour steals show at Oscars with Anne Hathaway in surprise Devil Wears Prada moment
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The Historic “Thank You, Emily” Moment
The defining moment came during the Best Hair and Makeup announcement. When Hathaway asked if Wintour would read the nominees, the fashion veteran delivered the ultimate callback. “Thank you, Emily,” she said with perfect comedic timing, pretending to mistake Hathaway for her co-star Emily Blunt, who played fellow assistant Emily in the original film.
The joke worked on multiple levels: it referenced Hathaway‘s iconic TDWP role, Wintour‘s documented reputation for cold precision, and the fact that Wintour herself has a real assistant actually named Emily who was present at the ceremony. The moment instantly became one of the most-talked-about segments of the entire evening.
Fashion Forward: Dior Meets Valentino Tribute
| Detail | Information |
| Anna Wintour Designer | Custom Dior by Jonathan Anderson |
| Dress Details | Flower-embroidered with black lace jacket |
| Anne Hathaway Designer | Valentino couture gown |
| Accessories | Roger Vivier heels and Bulgari jewels |
Wintour‘s choice of Dior was quintessentially sophisticated, channeling the understated elegance her character Miranda famously embodied. The flower-embroidered design paired with black lace showed that even Vogue‘s editor still takes fashion risks. Hathaway‘s decision to wear Valentino carried deeper meaning: a personal tribute to the late designer, with whom she shared an exceptionally close relationship.
“Thank you, Emily.”
Anna Wintour, Vogue Global Editorial Director
Devil Wears Prada 2 Arrives This May
The Oscars moment perfectly timed the massive anticipation building for The Devil Wears Prada 2, hitting theaters on May 1, 2026 – just 18 days away from the awards show. The highly anticipated sequel reunites the original cast: Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, Anne Hathaway reprising her role as Andy Sachs, (and Emily Blunt as Emily. The returning creative team includes director David Frankel and screenplay writer Aline Brosh McKenna.
The film also introduces fresh talent to the Runway fashion house universe, including Kenneth Branagh, Lucy Liu, and Justin Theroux. With the franchise now 20 years beyond the original release, this new chapter explores how the fashion industry has transformed while maintaining the series’ signature sharp wit and style-obsessed humor.
Did the Oscars Moment Steal the Night Better Than the Awards Themselves?
While Michael B. Jordan and other winners claimed major awards, many viewers immediately called the Wintour-Hathaway moment the funniest segment of the entire broadcast. The Oscars host Conan O’Brien orchestrated an unforgettable evening, but it was two titans of entertainment leaning into self-aware humor about a film that changed both their lives that truly stood out. In an age when celebrity moments often feel forced or overly produced, this unexpected callback proved that authenticity and timing still reign supreme on Hollywood’s biggest night.
