Meryl Streep mentally "put a dress" on directors Clint Eastwood and Mike Nichols in order to garner inspiration for her hard-bitten role in The Devil Wears Prada. Streep, who plays fashion editor Miranda Priestly in the movie, has always been bemused that toughness in men is always accepted, but in women it is seen in a negative light.

But she chose to use this reality to inspire her steely character. She says, "Clint Eastwood would say 'Give me that' and it would be given to him. That same directive, that same tone of voice from a woman is intolerable. A woman who says 'Give me that' without adding 'Would you please' or 'Sorry, I hate to trouble you, but would you...' will be dubbed a bitch."

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)