The Devil Wears Prada 2 is accused of ‘blatant racism’ as criticism mounts over sequel’s ‘lazy’ and ‘stereotypical’ portrayal of an Asian character

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The creators of the upcoming film ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2‘ are receiving increasing backlash in East Asia due to their depiction of an Asian character, which many feel relies on harmful stereotypes.

As someone who keeps a close eye on both film and fashion, I’m thrilled to share that the stars of ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ – Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci – are reuniting! Director David Frankel is bringing us a sequel to his iconic 2006 film, giving us another peek behind the curtain of the glamorous, and often cutthroat, world of fashion. It’s fantastic to see these talented actors revisiting their beloved roles!

Movie fans are disappointed with 20th Century Studios’ introduction of Jin Chao, a new character played by Helen J. Shen. Many feel the studio didn’t handle the character, an energetic Asian intern, well.

A first look at the character Chao, released in April, quickly caused concern among viewers in East Asia. This was mainly due to the negative meanings associated with her name and the way she was presented as an extremely intelligent, numbers-focused character.

Some social media users have pointed out that the name sounds similar to “Ching Chong,” a historically racist slur used against Chinese immigrants in Western countries during the 1800s.

Hong Kong’s Oriental Daily News reports that her name is considered a racially offensive term, implying disrespect and negativity towards the way people with Chinese accents speak.

Some have pointed out that the character relies on harmful stereotypes about East Asians, shown through their clothes, behavior, work habits, and education level, and that this amounts to obvious racism.

One X user pointed out a pattern: a character portrayed as dressing and acting young, highly educated from an Ivy League school, successful in her career, but also overly eager to please and secretly doubting herself. The user argued this isn’t a typical stereotype of Asian American women, but rather a fantasy often held by white women.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve seen many successful campaigns, and ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ was shaping up to be one of them. Honestly, it was going incredibly well, but right before the movie came out, something really damaging happened. They introduced some shockingly racist content aimed at Asian people, and it completely derailed all the positive momentum they’d built. It was a total disaster – a real case of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

One person questioned the casting in a potential sequel to The Devil Wears Prada, claiming it relied on harmful stereotypes. They pointed out that the actress chosen, Jin Chao, appeared to embody very specific and potentially offensive tropes – small eyes, yellow skin tone, and glasses – and asked why a more diverse range of Asian women weren’t considered.

Another person accused 20th Century Fox of trying to profit from the popular Asian market by unnecessarily adding an Asian actress to the film’s cast.

The upcoming sequel to ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ is facing criticism for its portrayal of an Asian assistant named ‘Jin Chao.’ Many viewers feel the name and stereotypical depiction are offensive and perpetuate harmful tropes. Critics are calling out the filmmakers for a lack of sensitivity and awareness.

One angry fan declared they were refusing to watch the upcoming Devil Wears Prada sequel with Anne Hathaway, expressing disappointment because they loved the original film.

A sixth commenter pointed out that the negative reaction wasn’t limited to China, noting many Japanese internet users also disliked a scene introducing an Asian character in The Devil Wears Prada 2.

The controversial video, published on April 16th, shows Chao excitedly meeting Anne Hathaway’s character, Andrea Sachs. In the scene, the intern is wearing simple grey clothes and glasses while explaining why she’s a good fit for the job.

She said it was perfectly okay if they decided to interview other candidates. She then highlighted her qualifications, mentioning she attended Yale with a 3.86 GPA, was a lead singer in the Whiffenpoofs, and achieved a perfect score of 36 on the ACT on her first attempt.

The trailer has been viewed over 25 million times, and a significant number of negative reactions have come from viewers in China, Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.

The movie is causing a stir after appearing to poke fun at Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez, who recently sponsored the Met Gala.

Although official reviews aren’t out yet, people who’ve seen advance screenings have pointed out a resemblance between a new character, Sanchez, and Emily Blunt’s character from ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ – the ambitious assistant who works for Miranda Priestly.

Now, Emily has moved on from her job at Runway magazine and is working for Christian Dior. However, she’s still striving for success and is currently dating a wealthy and arrogant tech billionaire, portrayed by Justin Theroux.

According to Variety, the character of Benji in Theroux’s work appears to be inspired by both Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. The show uses flashbacks to depict him initially as overweight, then transforming as he gains immense wealth and begins to spend extravagantly on his romantic partner.

Benji’s first wife is portrayed as someone who donates her divorce settlement to charitable causes, likely referencing the example of MacKenzie Scott, Jeff Bezos’s ex-wife.

In the second season of Prada, Emily and Benji explore the possibility of buying Runway magazine, a storyline many believe references reports that Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have attempted to acquire Condé Nast, the company that publishes Vogue.

Sanchez had previously expressed a desire to have an ownership share in Conde Nast. Many were surprised when Anna Wintour chose Sanchez to be featured on the digital cover last year, showcasing her in her wedding dress.

I was fascinated to learn that Aline Brosh McKenna, the writer behind Prada 2, really did her homework! She actually spoke with people who’ve worked at Condé Nast, both past and present, to get the details right for the script. It really shows you how much effort she put into making it feel authentic.

A representative for Emily Blunt stated to Variety that reports her character was inspired by Macarena Sánchez Bezos are false. Disney declined to comment on the claims.

The sequel to The Devil Wears Prada will be available in China on April 30th, and in the United States and United Kingdom starting May 1st.

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2026-04-28 17:41