Sometimes, I just like to shut out the world, slip into something slinky, and have a little me time, a little Meryl time. Last night I locked myself into the master suite of my New York penthouse, lit some aromatherapy candles and spent 30 minutes just running my fingers up and down the row of DVD's that sits high on my bookshelf, my two Oscars serving as bookends to the vast collection. I've got all the essentials: everything from Adaptation to Sophie's Choice. So, I decided to revisit one of my past works, as I am often wont to do. It keeps me grounded, keeps me real. This time I chose that little avant-garde piece I did this past year: The Devil Wears Prada. When I took on the role of Miranda Priestly for this film, this moving picture, this lovechild of gaping artistic vision and stiff, throbbing dedication, I really had to dig deep into my inner two-time Oscar-winning self. I wanted the audience to question: who is this Miranda Priestly woman? What makes her tick? And, of course, could Meryl Street be any more fabulous? This was quite emotionally taxing. During filming, I would rush off the set, buckling under the pressure of being the world's most critically acclaimed actress. I would lock myself in my trailer, stare at myself in one of my full length mirrors and slap myself in the face. "Get a grip, Meryl," I would say. "This one's for the Academy!" And then I'd slap myself again. Anne Hathaway eventually had to kick down the door to my trailer. She found me sobbing in a corner, clinging to the Emmy that I keep in my purse. The Devil Wears Prada was my most challenging film to date. (It also brought forth one of my most daring nude scenes - a scene that, sadly, David Frankel decided to cut "for pacing.") As it stands, I'd say the film is a perfect centerpiece for one of Hollywood's most illustrious careers: mine. It is perhaps my best work since The River Wild. Last night, as the ending credits rolled, I fell back into my bed and pulled the satin sheets close to my body. "Oh Meryl," I said. "Why, you've done it again"

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