Leslie Fremar revealed the truth about a character from The Devil Wears Prada
1 may 2026 в 20:13
More than 20 years after «The Devil Wears Prada» first introduced audiences to the sharp-tongued assistant Emily Charlton, the real-life inspiration for this character has finally spoken out. Leslie Fremar, a former assistant to Anna Wintour at Vogue, recently confirmed that she was indeed the basis for the role played by Emily Blunt.
The renewed attention to the story coincided with the official release of «The Devil Wears Prada 2» in theaters, bringing the iconic fashion tale back to the forefront nearly two decades later.
While the plot drew inspiration from many real-life figures, Fremar’s role in Wintour’s office helped shape one of the film’s most memorable characters. Learn more about Fremar, her connection to «The Devil Wears Prada», - and what she is doing now.
Fremar worked at Vogue in the late 1990s, where she started as an assistant and quickly rose to become Wintour’s first assistant. During this time, she also collaborated with Lauren Weisberger, who later wrote «The Devil Wears Prada».
Although she is not the sole inspiration, Fremar publicly confirmed that she became the real-life basis for Emily Charlton, the assistant portrayed by Blunt in «The Devil Wears Prada».
The story itself is based on the experiences of author Weisberger, who worked at Vogue, so the characters were influenced by several real figures. Fremar noted that she perceived the portrayal as a «betrayal», - explaining that the book heavily relied on real dynamics and relationships in the workplace.
She recalled how she learned about the novel when Wintour called her into the office and said that her depiction was even harsher than expected. «I got a call from Anna’s office saying she wanted to see me. I was horrified. [Wintour] said, 'Who is Lauren Weisberger?' I replied, 'She was your junior assistant.' And she said, 'Well, she wrote a book about us, and you’re worse than I am.'»
Fremar also noted that the early version of the book seemed «quite harsh», - although she added that the final version was softened.
Now, Fremar is a high-profile stylist working with stars like Charlize Theron and Julianne Moore.
She has built a long career in fashion and styling in Hollywood and recently revisited her connection to «The Devil Wears Prada» publicly for the first time more than 20 years after the book’s release
The renewed attention to the story coincided with the official release of «The Devil Wears Prada 2» in theaters, bringing the iconic fashion tale back to the forefront nearly two decades later.
While the plot drew inspiration from many real-life figures, Fremar’s role in Wintour’s office helped shape one of the film’s most memorable characters. Learn more about Fremar, her connection to «The Devil Wears Prada», - and what she is doing now.
Fremar worked at Vogue in the late 1990s, where she started as an assistant and quickly rose to become Wintour’s first assistant. During this time, she also collaborated with Lauren Weisberger, who later wrote «The Devil Wears Prada».
Although she is not the sole inspiration, Fremar publicly confirmed that she became the real-life basis for Emily Charlton, the assistant portrayed by Blunt in «The Devil Wears Prada».
The story itself is based on the experiences of author Weisberger, who worked at Vogue, so the characters were influenced by several real figures. Fremar noted that she perceived the portrayal as a «betrayal», - explaining that the book heavily relied on real dynamics and relationships in the workplace.
She recalled how she learned about the novel when Wintour called her into the office and said that her depiction was even harsher than expected. «I got a call from Anna’s office saying she wanted to see me. I was horrified. [Wintour] said, 'Who is Lauren Weisberger?' I replied, 'She was your junior assistant.' And she said, 'Well, she wrote a book about us, and you’re worse than I am.'»
Fremar also noted that the early version of the book seemed «quite harsh», - although she added that the final version was softened.
Now, Fremar is a high-profile stylist working with stars like Charlize Theron and Julianne Moore.
She has built a long career in fashion and styling in Hollywood and recently revisited her connection to «The Devil Wears Prada» publicly for the first time more than 20 years after the book’s release
© Artemenko Olga
