7 Shocking Secrets About Gisele Bündchen's Cameo In The Devil Wears Prada: The Untold Story Of Serena

Despite appearing in a brief, yet memorable, cameo, Gisele Bündchen’s role in the 2006 cinematic landmark, The Devil Wears Prada, remains one of the film’s most fascinating behind-the-scenes stories. As of December 2025, new and retrospective interviews with the supermodel continue to shed light on her surprising reluctance to take the part, the specific conditions she set for her appearance, and her reflections on working alongside Hollywood legends like Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. This deep dive uncovers the seven most compelling facts about how one of the world's most famous models ended up playing a non-model employee at the fictional Runway magazine.

The film, which has cemented its status as a cultural phenomenon and a definitive look at the cutthroat New York fashion industry, features Gisele as Serena, a friend of Emily Charlton (played by Emily Blunt). Her presence added a layer of undeniable authenticity to the chaotic, high-fashion world of Miranda Priestly, yet the story of her casting is far more complex than a simple supermodel walk-on.

Gisele Bündchen: A Brief Biography and Profile

Gisele Bündchen is a Brazilian supermodel, actress, philanthropist, and bestselling author, widely regarded as one of the most successful and influential models of all time.

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• Full Name: Gisele Caroline Bündchen
• Date of Birth: July 20, 1980
• Place of Birth: Três de Maio, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
• Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
• Career Milestones: She rose to prominence in the late 1990s and became a Victoria's Secret Angel from 2000 to 2007. She is credited with pioneering the "horse walk" and ushering in a new era of Brazilian models.
• Other Ventures: Bündchen is a global environmentalist, a philanthropist, and the executive producer of the educational environmental cartoon, Gisele & the Green Team. She is also a bestselling author.
• Filmography Note: Her role as Serena in The Devil Wears Prada (2006) is one of her most notable acting appearances.

7 Surprising Revelations About Gisele’s Role as Serena

The character Serena, who appears in the scene where Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is learning the ropes and being introduced to the chaos of the Runway office, is often overlooked, but the backstory of her casting is a goldmine of insider information.

1. Gisele Initially Turned Down the Role

One of the most recent and surprising revelations, which Gisele Bündchen shared in a recent interview with British Vogue, is that she was initially hesitant to take the part. As a supermodel at the height of her career, she was wary of stepping into the acting world, fearing it would be a distraction or that she wouldn't be taken seriously. She admitted to being nervous about the cameo, hoping she wouldn't "screw this up."

2. She Insisted on NOT Playing a Model

This is perhaps the most critical and least-known fact about her casting. Gisele made a non-negotiable condition for her appearance: she would not play a model. She felt that playing a model would be too easy and predictable. Instead, she was cast as Serena, an employee at Runway magazine who works in the editorial or administrative side of the office, which gave her a slightly more grounded role within the film's narrative.

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3. Her Character Name is Serena

While often simply referred to as "the cameo," Gisele’s character has a name: Serena. She is seen interacting with Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt) and Andy Sachs, providing a brief glimpse into the social dynamics of the inner circle at the magazine. Her appearance is brief but perfectly placed to add a touch of real-world fashion royalty to the fictional world of Miranda Priestly.

4. The Scene Was an All-Star Ensemble

Gisele's single scene was a powerhouse of talent. She shared the screen with Meryl Streep (Miranda Priestly), Anne Hathaway (Andy Sachs), and Emily Blunt (Emily Charlton). For a supermodel with limited acting experience, being placed in a scene with three Oscar-nominated or winning actresses was a high-pressure environment, which contributed to her pre-filming jitters. Her ability to hold her own in the scene speaks to her natural screen presence.

5. Her Role is Classified as "Supporting"

Although it is a very small appearance, Gisele's credit in the film is sometimes listed as a "supporting role," rather than a simple uncredited cameo. This subtle distinction highlights the intention of director David Frankel and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna to integrate her into the fabric of the Runway office, rather than just having her walk by in a fashion montage.

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6. The Film Was Based on a Bestselling Novel

The foundation of the film is the 2003 novel by Lauren Weisberger, who was a former assistant to *Vogue* editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. This connection to a real-life fashion titan, coupled with the casting of a real-life supermodel like Gisele, blurred the lines between fiction and reality, giving the entire production an air of scandalous authenticity. The book's rights were sold to Doubleday for a reported $250,000, setting the stage for the iconic film.

7. Gisele’s Look Was Chic and Understated

In the scene, Gisele’s character Serena sports a chic, professional look: her hair is pulled back into a sophisticated bun, and her attire is polished, befitting a high-level magazine employee. This choice of styling reinforced her condition to be seen as an office professional, not a glamorous catwalk star, further distinguishing her character from the typical supermodel stereotype.

The Lasting Impact of The Devil Wears Prada Cameo

The involvement of a high-profile figure like Gisele Bündchen was a masterstroke of casting for The Devil Wears Prada. It wasn't just a fun celebrity sighting; it was a deliberate choice by the production team to validate the world they were creating. By featuring a genuine fashion icon—one who insisted on playing an editorial employee—the film successfully convinced audiences that the world of Runway was real, populated not just by fictional characters but by the kind of powerful, beautiful people who actually inhabit the upper echelons of the fashion industry.

Even years later, the film’s director, David Frankel, and screenwriter, Aline Brosh McKenna, continue to field questions about the casting and the film’s legacy. The seamless integration of Gisele as Serena, the non-model employee, remains a testament to the film's commitment to detail and the supermodel's desire to challenge expectations, solidifying her brief appearance as one of the most talked-about cameos in modern cinema history.

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