Adrian Grenier Reacts to Not Returning for Sequel

The forthcoming sequel to The Devil Wears Prada has excited fans of the original 2006 film, although one notable figure from the first movie will not be in the mix.

Adrian Grenier — who played Nate, the boyfriend to Anne Hathaway‘s Andy — spoke to Page Six in his first public response to not returning for director David Frankel‘s The Devil Wears Prada 2, which 20th Century Studios is set to release theatrically May 1. A number of the original castmembers reprise their roles from the sequel, including Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, Emily Blunt as Emily Charlton and Stanley Tucci as Nigel Kipling.

“We’re all fans of the movie, whether or not we were in it,” Grenier said. “Obviously, it was a disappointment that I didn’t get the call to be in the sequel. But I also understand there was some backlash with Nate, the character, so that might have something to do with it.”

When asked whether he really thinks that negative public perception of Nate was the reason why his character doesn’t return, Grenier responded with a laugh, “As opposed to what?”

He then added, “Either way, it’s a disappointment, and either way, it leaves room for a beautiful spinoff in which Nate has his own film.”

Adapting Lauren Weisberger’s best-selling novel The Devil Wears Prada, centered on aspiring journalist Andy navigating a coveted job as an assistant to demanding fashion editor Miranda Priestly. Over the years, fans have taken to social media to criticize Nate for his apparent lack of support for his girlfriend as she deals with her job.

During a 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Grenier noted that the fan pushback against Nate initially surprised him.

“I didn’t see some of the subtleties and the nuance of this character and what it represented in the film until the wisdom of the masses came online and started to push against the character and throw him under the bus, and I got flak,” the Entourage alum said at the time.

The actor added, “I might’ve been as immature as him at the time, so I personally couldn’t see his shortcomings. But after time to reflect and much deliberation, I’ve come to realize the truth in that perspective.”