With the release of The Devil Wears Prada 2 just days away, director David Frankel has broken his silence on why Adrian Grenier—who played Andy Sachs’ boyfriend Nate in the original—is not returning for the sequel. The highly-anticipated follow-up, set for UK release on 1 May 2026, sees Anne Hathaway’s Andy Sachs reunite with Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly, Emily Blunt’s Emily Charlton and Stanley Tucci’s Nigel Kipling as they fight to save Runway magazine.
Grenier had previously expressed “disappointment” at not being asked to reprise his role, but acknowledged that the negative fan reaction to his character might have been a factor. Following the news, the actor starred in a Starbucks advert poking fun at his absence, telling a barista: “I wasn’t asked to return for a certain sequel, but I’m good, really, it’s all good energy.”
Now Frankel has explained the situation to Entertainment Weekly, revealing that he had considered including Grenier in a cameo. “I had an idea about sneaking him into a cameo,” he said. “And, in the end, it was just too late in our production schedule to make it happen.” The director praised Grenier’s commercial, calling it “really funny and so self-effacing”.
Frankel declined to reveal the original cameo plan, but added: “I think I’m thrilled that he did a Starbucks commercial. I love the humility and the comedy of it!” Grenier, for his part, has left the door open for a return, stating: “If they call, I’m free.”
