Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep
Streep in 2018
Born
Mary Louise Streep

(1949-06-22) June 22, 1949 (age 75)
Summit, New Jersey, U.S.
Alma mater
OccupationActress
Years active1975–present
WorksFull list
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1978; sep. 2017)​
Partner(s)John Cazale
(1976–1978)[1]
Children
MotherMary Wilkinson Streep
AwardsFull list
Signature

Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep (born June 22, 1949) is an American actress. Known for her versatility and adept accent work, she has been described as "the best actress of her generation".[2][3] She has received numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over four decades, including a record 21 Academy Award nominations, winning three,[4] and a record 34 Golden Globe Award nominations, winning eight.[5]

Streep made her stage debut in 1975 in Trelawny of the Wells, and the following year she received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for a double-bill production of 27 Wagons Full of Cotton and A Memory of Two Mondays. She made her feature film debut in Julia (1977) and received her first Oscar nomination for The Deer Hunter (1978). She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing a troubled wife in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), followed by the Academy Award for Best Actress for starring as a Holocaust survivor in Sophie's Choice (1982). She continued to gain awards and critical acclaim for her film work throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Commercial success varied, with Out of Africa (1985), Death Becomes Her (1992), and The Bridges of Madison County (1995) earning the most money during that period.

Streep reclaimed her stardom in the ensuing decades with leading roles in The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Doubt, Mamma Mia! (both 2008), Julie & Julia, It's Complicated (both 2009), and Into the Woods (2014). She won her third Oscar for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady (2011). For her work on television, she won three Primetime Emmy Awards for her roles in the miniseries Holocaust (1978) and Angels in America (2003), as well as the narration in the documentary series Five Came Back (2017). Her other television work include the drama series Big Little Lies (2019) and the comedy-mystery series Only Murders in the Building (2023–24).

Streep has been the recipient of many honorary awards, including the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2004, a Gala Tribute from the Film Society of Lincoln Center in 2008, and the Kennedy Center Honor in 2011. President Barack Obama awarded her the National Medal of Arts in 2010 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014.[6] In 2003, the French government made her a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters.[7] She was awarded the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2017.[8]

  1. ^ Callahan, Maureen (April 23, 2016). "The tragic romance that shaped Meryl Streep's life". New York Post.
  2. ^ Hollinger 2006, pp. 94–95.
  3. ^
  4. ^ Gajanan, Mahita (January 23, 2018). "How Many Oscars Has Meryl Streep Won In Total?". Time.
  5. ^ Petski, Denise (December 11, 2023). "Meryl Streep Breaks Her Own Golden Globes Record With 'Only Murders In The Building' Nomination". Deadline. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  6. ^ Kate Andersen Brower (March 2, 2011). "Obama Honors Meryl Streep, James Taylor, Harper Lee at Ceremony". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on February 17, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
    - "Barack Obama jokes with Stevie Wonder and Meryl Streep at Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony". The Guardian. November 25, 2014. Archived from the original on July 4, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  7. ^ "Moore wins film award". The Age. February 23, 2003. Archived from the original on April 8, 2016. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  8. ^ "Meryl Streep Will Be Honored With the 2017 Cecil B. DeMille Award At The Golden Globes". AwardsDaily.com. November 3, 2016. Archived from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2016.