It turned out that actress Meryl Streep and the global editorial director of Vogue, Anna Wintour, are connected not only by a cult film. They are distant relatives. This was announced by representatives of the international company Ancestry, which specializes in genealogical research and DNA testing.
According to researchers, Streep and Wintour are fifth-generation cousins: they have a common great-great-grandmother and great-great-grandfather. Their family roots go back to Elizabeth Kinsey and Thomas Smith, who lived in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. However, the paths of their descendants diverged long ago: Anna was born in London, while Meryl was born in Summit, New Jersey.
The genealogical company made this discovery after analyzing “billions of historical records and family trees.”
Ironically, Wintour is considered the prototype for Miranda Priestly, the heroine of The Devil Wears Prada, played by Streep. For many years, Wintour reacted sharply to comparisons with this heroine, but over time she changed her position. She called the film “extremely exciting and very witty,” especially noting Meryl Streep’s acting.
In December 2024, Wintour diplomatically answered questions about a possible resemblance to Miranda.
“That’s up to the audience and the people I work with,” she noted.