Devil Wears Prada 2 Clip Sparks Anti-Asian Backlash
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- 20th Century Studios released a 38-second clip on 16 April introducing the character Jin Chao, played by Helen J Shen, as the "former assistant's new assistant" to Anne Hathaway's Andy Sachs at fictional Runway magazine.
- The clip drew millions of views on social media alongside accusations of "blatant anti-Asian racism," with critics pointing to the character's dowdy clothing and glasses as an outdated stereotype contrasted with other characters.
- Viewers also flagged the character's recitation of academic credentials — "Yale, 3.86 GPA, lead soprano of the Whiffenpoofs, and my ACT score was 36" — as playing into the "nerdy bookworm" Asian stereotype.
- Additional social media posts took aim at the character's name, saying it sounds uncomfortably close to a racist slur.
- The Guardian has contacted the film's representatives for comment, with no response reported at time of writing.
- The sequel is due for release on 30 April in China and 1 May in the US and UK, and has previously been criticised for a brand partnership with Starbucks.
Why it matters: The backlash lands days before the sequel's 30 April China release — its first major market, with US/UK audiences following on 1 May — leaving Disney and 20th Century Studios with a growing pre-launch controversy alongside prior criticism over a Starbucks brand partnership and no on-record response yet.
