Meryl Streep was 'unnerved' by hype around Devil Wears Prada 2

Meryl Streep has admitted she found the intense hype surrounding The Devil Wears Prada 2 "unnerving".

The Oscar-winning actor has reflected on filming the highly anticipated sequel to the 2006 hit comedy The Devil Wears Prada, two decades after the original became a cultural phenomenon.

In a new interview with Harper's Bazaar, Streep said that while the cast were aware of the film's lasting impact, they were unprepared for the scale of attention generated by the follow-up.

"Even though we were aware of the impact of the first film two decades ago, I think none of us were prepared for the ambush of both goodwill and avid attention that engulfed us," she explained. "We needed police barriers and crowd control."

Filming in New York City last summer drew large crowds, with Streep joined on set by returning co-stars Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci.

"Buses of fans turned up, and paparazzi swarmed and in one case kept jumping in front of the camera and the shot and got in a kerfuffle with crew," she recalled. "Annie kept her cool, but I was unnerved."

Despite the challenges posed by large crowds, Streep has previously spoken of her excitement at revisiting her role as the fierce Miranda Priestly after 20 years. In a February interview with Vogue, the Mamma Mia! star described the experience as "jubilant".

"It felt jubilant, when I first got out on Sixth Avenue - where we filmed 20 years ago and nobody was interested," she shared. "I got changed, got out of my camper, and just heard this roar!"

"When we shot the wannabe Met Ball, it was even crazier," the actress continued. "People were dressed up as Miranda. Honestly, it really threw me."

The Devil Wears Prada 2 is due to be released in cinemas on 1 May.