Put these designer heels down if you have not seen “The Satan Wears Prada 2” — spoilers lie forward!
Partway via “The Satan Wears Prada 2” — the legacy sequel to the beloved 2006 authentic, based mostly on Lauren Weisberger’s novel of the identical title — a serious pop star makes an look. So what precisely is Woman Gaga doing on this extremely anticipated 2026 launch?
For context, “The Satan Wears Prada 2” takes place many years after the unique and finds Andrea “Andy” Sachs (Anne Hathaway) out of a job after mass layoffs at a serious Manhattan newspaper. When she’s requested to guide the options division at Runway Journal underneath her outdated boss — Anna Wintour stand-in Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) — she jumps on the alternative and is finally additionally reunited with Miranda’s unfailingly loyal right-hand man Nigel Kipling (Stanley Tucci) and Andy’s former co-assistant Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt), now a bigwig at Dior. As all of them put together to fly out to Milan to stage a Runway vogue present within the Pinacoteca di Brera museum, Nigel asks Miranda if she will be able to name in a favor with a serious musician. Miranda balks, however apparently, she does it … and that is the place Woman Gaga joins the movie.
Miranda enters Gaga’s dressing room earlier than the efficiency, and it is clear the 2 ladies are at odds for some cause, although it is by no means defined why; Gaga merely says she solely confirmed up as a result of Nigel threatened that she’d by no means get a Runway cowl once more if she declined. To steal a line from one other pop famous person, there’s apparent “unhealthy blood” between the 2, however once more, the film would not give us a cause. Nonetheless, it makes good sense that the movie requested Gaga to seem.
Woman Gaga is smart throughout the world of The Satan Wears Prada 2, however her cameo feels shallow
Not solely does Woman Gaga carry out a brand new tune, “Form of a Lady,” throughout the in-universe runway present for Runway in “The Satan Wears Prada 2,” however she additionally contributed a number of songs to the movie’s soundtrack — together with “Glamorous Life” and “Runway” (a collaboration with fellow Grammy winner Doechii). Sure, Gaga’s efficiency is enjoyable in “The Satan Wears Prada 2,” however that is as a result of Gaga is such a charismatic and interesting performer that she may in all probability enliven a routine colonoscopy. (All the world, level in actual fact, simply bought to see that charisma on full show throughout Dangerous Bunny’s excellent Tremendous Bowl halftime present.) The remainder of the film, nevertheless, would not do her justice.
To be clear, Gaga has appeared in some stone-cold cinematic stinkers earlier than, together with “Jokie: Folie á Deux” and “Home of Gucci” — and he or she’s additionally acquitted herself admirably as an actress, most notably in Bradley Cooper’s remake of “A Star is Born.” The canonical spat between Gaga and Miranda supplies some gentle amusement and an enormous “wow” second when viewers first see her, however her cameo feels — pun very a lot supposed — shallow.
That factors to a a lot bigger structural drawback with “The Satan Wears Prada 2,” which is that it throws a ton of stuff on the wall and, reasonably than seeing what sticks, merely strikes on; the Miranda-Gaga beef being an enormous thriller could be so much funnier if the film did not maintain introducing plot threads and dropping them. Finally, although, the Gaga cameo jogged my memory of a distinct legacy sequel that enlisted a serious diva for a shock efficiency, and that is not a praise.
Woman Gaga in The Satan Wears Prada 2 harkens again to a different terrible legacy sequel
In 2010, Michael Patrick King determined, for causes I am going to by no means totally perceive, to launch “Intercourse and the Metropolis 2,” a flat, lifeless continuation of the story made well-known by the unique HBO collection created by Darren Starr and led by Sarah Jessica Parker. Whereas Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw feels unfulfilled in her marriage to John “Mr. Large” Preston (Chris Noth), she begins the film by attending a marriage between her two associates Stanford Blatch (the late, nice Willie Garson) and Anthony Marentino (Mario Cantone). Sure, the one two main, authentic queer characters from “Intercourse and the Metropolis” get married, although they canonically hate one another, as a result of they’re each homosexual males. That is a utterly separate challenge, although.
As a shock for everyone on the marriage ceremony, it seems that ultra-diva Liza Minnelli is there to officiate the vows and carry out. Not like Woman Gaga in “The Satan Wears Prada 2,” Minnelli would not sing an authentic however performs Beyoncé’s “Single Girls (Put a Ring on It)” with backup dancers. It’s at all times a present to see Minnelli carry out, however this scene is dreadful, and I am deeply sorry to say that it popped into my thoughts, utterly unbidden, whereas I watched Gaga sing “Form of a Lady” in Milan. That’s, once more, not a praise; each Gaga and Minnelli deserve higher cameos in higher films. Cease losing our greatest residing divas on these unhealthy sequels, Hollywood administrators! I am begging you!
“The Satan Wears Prada 2,” Gaga cameo and all, is in theaters now.
