Human Artist Revealed Behind Viral ‘Devil Wears Prada 2’ Meme Mistaken for AI
The meme from The Devil Wears Prada 2 that audiences slammed as sloppy AI-generated art was, in fact, hand-painted by a professional illustrator. This surprising revelation comes as the sequel, reviving the iconic 2006 film and its original cast, stormed the box office this weekend.
Viewers of the new film spotted a quick clip mocking editor-in-chief Miranda Priestley, played by Meryl Streep, featuring a meme depicting Priestley as a fast-food worker with the caption: “Would you like some lies with that?” The meme’s deliberate “plastic” and imperfect style led many to assume it was AI “slop,” part of the movie’s satire on modern media’s chaotic digital culture.
Artist Alexis Franklin Confirms She Created the Meme By Hand
Contrary to popular belief, the artist behind the meme, Alexis Franklin, took to Instagram to confirm that the image was painted by hand. She explained the project was commissioned by director David Frankel. “Absolutely no disrespect to Queen Meryl, but this is something I would’ve painted in my free time, so when they asked me to do this it was nothing but fun,” Franklin wrote.
Franklin shared a time lapse video of her painting process, sparking hundreds of comments praising her work and the filmmakers’ choice to use human artistry over AI.
“It’s refreshing it’s not AI,” one viewer wrote. Another added, “AI replacing artists 🙅🏻♀️ artists replacing AI 🙂↕️.”
The digital painting took Franklin several days of on-and-off work and she said she was “fairly compensated” for the commission. She intentionally gave the meme an “artificial” cheap, plastic look reminiscent of early 2010s meme aesthetics, but was not specifically trying to mimic AI art.
“Technically I was trying to make it look artificial, but emulating AI was not on my mind when I painted it,” Franklin told NBC News. The blurring of some text and rough details sparked discussion online about whether it was intentional AI mimicry. Franklin found it amusing that some viewers mistook normal human “micro-errors” in her work as attempts to fake AI sloppiness.
Artist Faces Skepticism Amid Rising AI Doubts
Despite her openness, Franklin has faced accusations of faking the work, with some doubting her ownership even after viewing her time lapse and long-standing portfolio predating widespread AI art. This reflects a growing cultural phenomenon where the line between AI and human-created imagery blurs amid fears of being duped online.
Franklin observed this distrust stems from “mass hypervigilance” as people don’t want to be fooled, leading them to suspect AI influence even when authentic craftsmanship is shown.
“AI is so prevalent now, it feels like people have forgotten how it got that good — it studied us,” Franklin said. “The techniques it uses are ours!”
Why This Matters Right Now
This moment underscores ongoing tensions in creative industries battling AI’s rapid rise. As AI art and generative technologies flood media, human artists struggle to maintain credit and appreciation for genuine work, especially when a hand-painted piece can be mistaken for AI trash.
For South Carolina and the wider US, where digital innovation accelerates and cultural production is a major economic sector, this story highlights challenges artists face amid shifting technology landscapes. It fuels ongoing debates about AI’s role in creativity, artists’ rights, and the value of authentic artistry.
What to Watch Next
As The Devil Wears Prada 2 continues to dominate theaters, Franklin’s revelation may inspire more filmmakers to favor human artists in projects satirizing or referencing digital culture. Industry observers will watch closely for how AI skepticism affects artists and how projects publicly credit authentic work.
Meanwhile, Franklin’s experience signals a need for clearer public understanding about the boundary—and overlap—between human and AI art, especially as AI tools grow more sophisticated and commonplace nationwide.
