Sunday, January 27, 2008

Meryl Streep's Expressive Eyebrows

The Devil Wears Prada plays constantly here on South African Television. I've now seen it on three separate occasions, with three separate groups of people. 

I've started noticing all these things about Meryl Streep, and how she carries herself as Miranda Priestly: the way she puts her fingers below her ear when she talks to people she considers inferior, the way she talks so quietly, but with so much force behind her words, the way she holds objects, the way she releases objects, the way she barely moves her face when she talks...

Yesterday I tried to act like her. I stood up straight, and spoke softly. I looked at everyone around me like they were children and I was their parent. I would turn my head slightly to the left and place my fingers under my ear as I spoke. 

"What the fuck are you doing?" someone asked me, after I asked them softly if I could use the little boys room. "Oh. What? Me? I don't think I'm doing anything different," I said, barely moving my lips, raising my eyebrows and maintaining a stoic impression. 

"Well stop it, you're freaking me out," this someone responded.

Dear someone- I will not "stop it." I will continue to terrorize you as the ghost of Miranda Priestly. 

No comments: