Anne Hathaway, renowned for her role in "The Devil Wears Prada," where her character, Andy Sachs, took a bold stand against senior management, is making a real-life statement. The actress recently walked out of a Vanity Fair photoshoot in solidarity with the Condé Nast Union, which had initiated a 24-hour strike protesting widespread layoffs and cost-cutting measures.
The Princess Diaries star, preparing for the photoshoot, discovered that the union, representing employees at Condé Nast, including iconic publications like Vogue, GQ, and Teen Vogue, was staging a walkout. In support of the union's cause, Hathaway left the photoshoot before it even began.
According to a source, Hathaway was informed about the ongoing strike before the photography session commenced. Without hesitation, she stood up from hair and makeup and left the set. The move reflects her commitment to supporting the rights and demands of the Condé Nast Union members.
Condé Nast, a media powerhouse, owns several prominent publications in the United States, with Anna Wintour serving as the company’s Artistic Director and Global Chief Content Officer. Interestingly, Wintour's character served as inspiration for Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestly in "The Devil Wears Prada."
While there's no personal animosity between Hathaway and Wintour, the actress's decision to stand with the striking union members received appreciation. The Condé Nast Union's X account acknowledged Hathaway's solidarity, humorously stating that if Runway (the fictional magazine in "The Devil Wears Prada") had a union, the movie would have been significantly shorter.
The union, coinciding the walkout with Oscar nominations, aims to emphasize the crucial role union members play in covering major events. Ben Dewey, vice chair of the union’s Condé Nast Entertainment unit, highlighted concerns about regressive bargaining and alleged law-breaking in negotiations, citing the company's rescinding of a previous offer regarding layoffs.
The union's statement outlined Condé Nast's initial announcement of laying off 94 union workers with a severance package, only for the subsequent offer to maintain the layoffs and significantly reduce the severance package. Anne Hathaway's principled action adds a notable voice to the ongoing struggle for workers' rights within the media giant.
