United States movie stars Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway attended a gala night at Taikoo Li Qiantan in Shanghai on Friday, to promote the upcoming film The Devil Wears Prada 2.

The night marked a remarkable reunion of the iconic duo on the red carpet, with Hathaway donning a layered gown created by Chinese designer Susan Wang and Streep wearing a floral-themed brooch by Chinese jeweler Cindy Chao on her blue Saint Laurent outfit.

Overwhelmed by the welcome of Chinese fans, Hathaway mounted the stage in tears and greeted those in attendance in Chinese, speaking about her gratitude for their support throughout her career, starting with The Princess' Diaries.

"China and Chinese fans have given me so much support. You have embraced me.You have supported my films ... I just want to say how much it means to me, to be here sharing tonight with you," she said.

Earlier in the day, at a roundtable interview at The Peninsula Hotel, Streep shared her reflections on reprising her iconic role as Miranda Priestly.

"I never in my wildest dreams imagined that we would do a sequel 20 years later at this age," Streep told China Daily.

The actress, who is 76, said she appreciated the character's age alignment with her own.

"I like that Miranda is 76 years old. I like that very much, because I am 76 and I like to see that woman on the screen," she said.

Streep revealed that her character, who is said to be loosely based on Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, has seen their off-screen relationship evolve into friendship.

"Over the years since we made the first film, we became friends, and we just shot the Vogue cover together," she said.

The original 2006 film based on Lauren Weisberger's novel was a global box office hit and earned two Academy Award nominations. The sequel promises to explore a new narrative of fashion, power, and personal choice in a radically transformed digital age.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 is set to premiere in China on April 30, ahead of its North American release. It will be available in 2D, CINITY, IMAX, Dolby Cinema, and China Giant Screen formats.