The Devil Wears Prada 2 is drawing unexpected praise following its release, after a seemingly AI-generated meme featured in the film was revealed to be created by a human artist.

The sequel, which returned to cinemas this weekend, includes an image of Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly reimagined as a fast-food worker, complete with the caption, “Would you like some lies with that?” 

While many viewers initially assumed the visual was produced using artificial intelligence, it was later confirmed to be a hand-painted work.

Artist Alexis Franklin shared the artwork on Instagram, revealing she had been commissioned by director David Frankel to create the piece for the film. 

“I got to paint this at the request of David Frankel for The Devil Wears Prada 2,” she wrote, posting a time-lapse of the process. “Absolutely no disrespect to Queen Meryl, but this is something I would’ve painted in my free time.”

The revelation has sparked widespread discussion online, particularly as debates around generative AI continue to shape the entertainment industry. 

Social media users welcomed the decision to hire an artist for a piece that could have easily been generated digitally.

“So refreshing it not being AI,” one user commented, while another wrote, “OMG this one was actually made by an artist??? And it was made to look AI?”

The response highlights growing audience sensitivity around AI use in creative industries, with many praising the film for prioritising human artistry in its visual storytelling.