Human Artist Behind 'Devil Wears Prada 2' Memes Proves AI Isn't the Only Option

The long-awaited sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2 has sparked a conversation about artistry in film, proving that human creativity can outshine AI-generated content. The movie, a follow-up to the 2006 classic, reintroduces Meryl Streep as the iconic fashion editor Miranda Priestly, who finds herself at the center of a PR crisis. The film’s opening scene includes a brief but memorable image of Priestly dressed as a fast food worker, captioned with the sarcastic phrase, “Would you like lies with that?”

Many moviegoers initially assumed the image was AI-generated due to its meme-like style and the prevalence of AI in modern digital content. However, digital artist Alexis Franklin clarified on social media that she created the artwork at the request of director David Frankel. Franklin shared a timelapse of her digital painting process on Instagram, accompanied by a caption that read:

"Absolutely no disrespect to Queen Meryl, but this is something I would’ve painted in my free time, so when they asked me to do this it was nothing but fun."

Franklin also posted the artwork on X (formerly Twitter), where she wrote:

"My Instagram post has been flooded with comments of relief that this gag in The Devil Wears Prada 2 was created by an actual human (me), so I figured I’d also post it here because I think these companies should get their flowers when they hire an artist."

The revelation quickly went viral, with Franklin’s X post garnering 3.7 million views. Social media users praised the film’s team for prioritizing human artistry over AI-generated alternatives, even when the latter might have been an easier choice.

Social Media Celebrates Human Creativity

Franklin’s artwork and her explanation resonated deeply with audiences, who celebrated the film’s commitment to real artistry. One viral response read:

"This is genuinely one of the coolest things I’ve seen a movie do. Would’ve been so easy to AI generate something for the movie but they held themselves to a higher standard which I really really respect."

Another user emphasized the demand for authentic art, stating:

"People do crave real art and not AI slop and this is a proof."

A third commenter expressed hope that other films would follow The Devil Wears Prada 2’s lead in portraying AI without relying on it:

"There’s a reason that it always disappoints me to no end when people assume that the only way to portray AI in a movie is by actually using AI. Clearly alternatives always exist."

AI-Style Artwork Was Purely Coincidental

Franklin later clarified that any resemblance between her artwork and AI-generated styles was entirely unintentional. Her organic, handcrafted approach to digital painting stood out in an era dominated by AI tools, reinforcing the value of human creativity in filmmaking.