Boycott calls grow over Devil Wears Prada 2 character

The backlash centres on Qin Zhou, a character played by Chinese American actor Helen J Shen, who appears as an assistant to Andrea Sachs. The controversy began after 20th Century Studios uploaded a clip on Friday. Several people have argued that the name 'Qin Zhou' is phonetically similar to a historically racist term used to mock Chinese people. According to The Korea Herald, Hong Kong’s Oriental Daily News described the phrase as a symbolic racist slur historically used to ridicule Chinese immigrant workers.

In the clip, Qin Zhou appears in a buttoned-up striped shirt and a checked skirt and rattles off her Yale education and 3.86 GPA, a look that social media users have criticised as leaning into a familiar 'nerd' stereotype. One user on X described the character as a 'stereotype-riddled discrimination: an awkward Asian woman who's a bespectacled, communication-impaired type who, upon first meeting, immediately starts bragging about her Yale degree and GPA'. Another user on Reddit said the name sounds like Zhen Chou, meaning 'really ugly'.

Many have pointed to a contrast between the film’s marketing and its on-screen portrayal, noting that it enlisted K-pop star Jang Won Young to build buzz. Calls for a boycott in China have spread ahead of the film’s planned release on 1 May. The sequel will see the return of the core original cast, including Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci. Newcomers include Kenneth Branagh, Lucy Liu, and Simone Ashley. The plot is kept secret, but rumours suggest it takes place amid the decline of the magazine industry. A new trailer shows Miranda involved in a high-profile scandal, with some fans nervous about the sequel’s quality after spotting a meme from the first movie. Lady Gaga was also spotted on set, suggesting a secret cameo.