4 min readMumbaiApr 22, 2026 11:11 AM IST
Anne Hathaway caught the internet by surprise recently when she casually dropped a word during the promotions of her upcoming film, David Frankel’s workplace dramedy The Devil Wears Prada 2. The word she slid in during an interview was “inshallah”, an Arabic word that translates to “if Allah wills” or “if God wills”.
Anne Hathaway’s Inshallah moment
Anne said the word during an interview with People. While discussing ageing, Anne said, “One of the things that I love about being in my 40s is I don’t get so swept up in things anymore. I used to really not understand that phrase, ‘Take it with a grain of salt.’ There’s no salt. Every high was so high, every low was so low. And now, I really value the chill. It’s hard won, and I really value it. I’ve never been this age. So let’s just like, you know, figure it out. You still never know what’s coming around the corner.”
And then she added the line of the year, “I just really want to hopefully live for, and enjoy a life. I want to have a long, healthy life. Inshallah, I hope so.”
That particular clip from the video has gone viral on the internet, including TikTok, X, and Instagram. Anne borrowing from Arabic to accurately articulate her new way of life is the healing the internet, particularly the brown internet, needed in such polarizing times.
“Inshallah, Princess of Genovia,” wrote an X user while sharing the clip. Another commented, “That Inshallah has taken me out.” A third user invoked Arabic to celebrate the moment and shared, “Masha Allah sister Anne.” “Her touching her forehead and saying it CORRECTLY is everything i can think about today,” stated another comment on the internet.
Not the first American to say ‘Inshallah’
Anne is certainly not the first American celebrity to use the Arabic word. Earlier, Grammy Award-winning popstar Drake said the word in his popular 2018 track “Diplomatic Immunity”, where he sings, “The TV playin’ Al Jazeera, Insha’Allah, I hope the mission keeps on gettin’ clearer, Whenever, wherever, OVO will always be together like Shakira.”
Even former US President Joe Biden said the word “Inshallah” in the 2024 US Presidential debate against current US President Donald Trump. While grilling Trump over not releasing his tax returns ever, Biden used the word when Trump refused to commit to a timeline. “You’ll get to see it,” said Trump, to which Biden hit back, saying, “When? Inshallah?”
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The word gained even more prominence when Anne Hathaway said it this week because of what happened during Sabrina Carpenter’s performance at Coachella last week. When she was interrupted by the Zaghrouta, a high-pitched ululation often used by Arabs during celebrations, by a fan, she said, “That is weird.”
About The Devil Wears Prada 2
Arriving nearly two decades after the 2006 original, the film brings back its iconic cast, including Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt, reprising their beloved roles in the high-fashion world of Runway magazine. Set once again against the backdrop of New York City’s elite fashion scene, the sequel revisits the characters that defined a generation. The film is slated for a worldwide theatrical release on May 1.
The premiere of the film was held recently and early reactions from members of the media and pop culture circles have been largely positive. Despite the high expectations surrounding the sequel, initial responses suggest that the film delivers on its promise.
