"The Devil Wears Prada 2" Faces Backlash for "Offensive" Asian Character
Ahead of its premiere, the sequel is already facing calls for boycott due to the "nerdy" character named Jin Chao.
by Em Enriquez
Published on Apr 28, 2026
The Devil Wears Prada cinematic universe is expanding. With a much-anticipated sequel premiering soon, fans of the 2006 flick are gradually being introduced to the new generation of clackers strutting around the Runway floor.
Among them is Jin Chao, played by American actress Helen J. Shen. In a minutes-long scene drop, she introduces herself to freshly minted features editor Andy Sachs as her new assistant. While the clip helped drive momentum for the film, it also drew the ire of some netizens who criticized Jin Chao's character for subscribing to Asian stereotypes.
Netizens Call Out "The Devil Wears Prada 2" for Offensive Asian Character
Upon exiting an elevator, Andy meets Jin Chao, who says she was interviewed for the position that very same day. As she tells her new boss how she was appointed, she senses some tension between them.
"If you don't want me, you can interview someone else. That's totally fine," she says before rifling through her mental resume. "I did go to Yale, 3.86 GPA, lead soprano of the Whiffenpoofs, and my ACT score was 36 on the very first time."
While the scene could easily be interpreted as a lighthearted, comical breather, some viewers took offense to how Jin Chao was characterized. One highlighted how her name itself phonetically comes off as the anti-Chinese jeer "ching chong."
"It's 2026 already, and they can't come up with a normal Chinese name," another added. In a report by the South China Morning Post, some correspondents expressed that her outer appearance was also a mockery of sorts to her fellow Chinese.
"I can rarely see anyone dressing like this in a second-tier Chinese city, and you are telling me a Chinese girl working in the fashion industry looks like this," the statement read.
Other netizens echoed the disdain for Jin Chao's characterization. One highlighted that Chinese audiences actually looked forward to the sequel but are likely to rescind their support. The same article by The South China Morning Post states that the 2006 original "received 8.2 out of 10 from over 800,000 raters. Some said the film 'enlightened them about career attitude' [and] 'cured them whenever they felt exhausted.'"
In a Reddit thread discussing Jin Chao's controversy, a user chimed in to explain why Helen's character was portrayed the way she was. "Missing from the conversation is that Helen's character is a mirror of Anne's character in the first movie and that she is being set up for her own glow up," they write.
They also highlight how the actress behind Jin Chao should not be "dragged into discourses that she didn't consent to participate in."
Who Is Actress Helen J. Shen?
Helen rose to fame in 2024 when she originated the role of Claire in Maybe Happy Ending. The musical theater star was born in New Jersey to parents who immigrated from Shanghai, China. For her work in Maybe Happy Ending, which helped spotlight Asian narratives on the Broadway stage, she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award and a Grammy Award.
Her participation in The Devil Wears Prada 2 marks her feature film debut. Stay updated on her through her Instagram account.
Em is queer and probably daydreaming somewhere. They're Preview's associate entertainment editor who's often spotted in cowboy boots and lemon-tinted sunnies.