The Devil Wears Prada: 7 Times Emily stretched it a bit too far to impress Miranda

The Devil Wears Prada is not a fashion story. It offers a hard-edged glimpse of ambition, loyalty, and survival in a brutish worker's world. While Miranda Priestly and Andrea Sachs take most of the spotlight, Emily Charlton quietly commandeers scenes with her fierce dedication and sarcasm.

As Miranda's senior assistant, Emily will go to any lengths to keep on her boss's good side, even at great cost to her own health, friendships, and dignity. However, there were times Emily got a little too far: when her pursuit of the perfect assistant took an almost self-destructive bent.

From starving herself before Paris Fashion Week to emotionally manipulating Andy out of a life-altering opportunity, Emily's extremes are the absurdities and tragedies of high-stakes work culture made flesh. Here are 7 moments in which she crossed every limit.

Note: This article reflects the author's personal opinions.

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The Devil Wears Prada: 7 Times Emily stretched it a bit too far to impress Miranda

1. Starving herself for Paris Fashion Week

The urge to attain Miranda's admiration grew to such an extent that Emily undertook somewhat drastic dieting processes to fit into couture for Paris. She said, “I’m just one stomach flu away from my goal weight,” and one could interpret that statement to mean she was willing to do anything to fit into the garments.

To add to the irony, her sacrifices were for nothing, as Andy took her spot for Paris! By all accounts, a tragic reminder of toxic workplace pressure, lightened with glamour and sprinkled with a designer handbag.

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2. Guilt-Tripping Andy for getting ahead

Emily did not take it too well when Andy was chosen in her stead to go on the Paris trip. Even though she was too sick to go, she lashed out at Andy as if this had been some sort of betrayal. Rather than being happy for her friend in getting that rare opportunity, she instilled guilt in her.

This portrayed how much Emily was wrapped up in the idea of pleasing Miranda, so much so that she could not see past her own ambition. Nowadays, this would probably cause an HR storm.

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3. Memorizing every detail about Miranda’s schedule

Emily treated Miranda’s calendar as though it were the holy grail. She knew run-of-the-mill appointments and even which kind of coffee Miranda preferred when she was feeling irritable. While admirable, that painted a picture of someone who sacrificed her own identity just to remain relevant in Miranda’s world.

Work-life balance is being touted these days, but the extreme dedication displayed by Emily goes back to how far some go to stay indispensable.

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4. Snapping at Nigel and other coworkers

Working hard to stay ahead in a high-stress setting, Emily tended to be nasty a lot of the time, particularly to Nigel and even Andy. She was always barking orders and throwing side eyes that could cut steel. It was her display of devotion to Miranda, but it poisoned the work atmosphere.

What is interesting is that beneath all of that sass, Emily was simply afraid of messing up. This scene reveals how stress from above can trickle down and impact not only work attitude but also the way colleagues treat each other.

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5. Trying to work while sick and barely standing

Even though she was ill and barely able to stand, Emily continued to work. She was afraid of losing her position, particularly with Paris looming. That scene where she stumbles through the office, clearly ill, is heartbreaking and surprising. She disrespected her health simply to remain in Miranda's view. In the current world, with increasing emphasis on body and mind health, this moment feels different.

It is a stark illustration of hustle culture gone awry and how dangerous it can get when individuals feel that they can't stop, even when they need to.

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6. Mocking Andy’s outfits to stay in Miranda’s good books

In The Devil Wears Prada, Emily adored teasing Andy's fashion sense. From labeling her clothes "tragic" to ridiculing her whole fashion sense, it was all for being in Miranda's good books. What she did not know was that fashion is a learnable skill, but niceness is not.

Today, her actions would be labeled as workplace bullying. Interestingly, Emily Blunt recently explained how she improvised most of her snarky dialogue, which brought the character to iconic but also excruciatingly real life for anyone ever ridiculed on the job.

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7. Pushing through an injury just to go to Paris

Emily literally was hit by a car and cared more about missing Paris than about her wounds. That hospital scene, when she is drugged out and strapped to the bed, upset as all heck, exactly depicts her priorities. Talk about commitment! This part, although delivered in a comedic light, highlights how career stress can cloud personal boundaries.

Years afterward, Emily Blunt acknowledged that she drew inspiration for her performance from actual assistants she encountered while researching the part. That adds an added dimension of cringeworthy realism to her character.

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In The Devil Wears Prada, Emily Charlton may at times have gone too far, but behind her actions lay a deep need to matter in a world that gave precedence to perfection over people. Her sarcastic humor entertained, yet her sacrifices held forth the grim reality amidst the industry’s glamorous façade. Over time, Emily has become the epitome of ambition and its price at a personal level.

Awaiting the sequel, one thing is for certain and that is Emily's progress still reflects the extent to which people will go to feel acknowledged.