Meryl Streep is widely regarded as one of the greatest living actresses of our time. She has been nominated for a record 21 Academy Awards, winning three, and a record 33 Golden Globe Awards, winning eight. She is also known for her versatility and ability to master various accents and dialects, from Polish to Australian, from British to Danish.
But how did she become such a legend? Let’s take a look at her life and career, from her humble beginnings to her latest achievements.
Early Life And Education
Meryl Streep was born as Mary Louise Streep on June 22, 1949, in Summit, New Jersey. Her father, Harry William Streep Jr., was a pharmaceutical executive, and her mother, Mary Wilkinson Streep, was an artist. She has two younger brothers, Harry and Dana, both of whom are also actors.
Streep started voice training at age 12 and took up acting in high school. She graduated from Vassar College in 1971 with a degree in drama and costume design. She then studied drama at Yale University, where she earned a master of fine arts degree in 1975. She also attended Dartmouth College as an exchange student for a semester.
Stage And Screen Debut
Streep made her stage debut in 1975 in Trelawny of the Wells, a play by Arthur Wing Pinero. She received a Tony Award nomination the following year for a double-bill production of 27 Wagons Full of Cotton and A Memory of Two Mondays, both by Tennessee Williams. She also appeared in several other Broadway and off-Broadway plays, such as The Cherry Orchard, The Seagull, and Measure for Measure.
Streep made her feature film debut in 1977 in Julia, a drama based on the memoirs of Lillian Hellman. She played a small role as a friend of the titular character, played by Jane Fonda. She won her first Primetime Emmy Award in 1978 for the miniseries Holocaust, in which she played a German woman married to a Jewish artist during the Nazi era. She also received her first Oscar nomination for The Deer Hunter that same year, a war drama starring Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken.
Rise To Stardom
Streep’s breakthrough came in 1979, when she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing a troubled wife in Kramer vs. Kramer, a divorce drama co-starring Dustin Hoffman. She followed this with a series of acclaimed performances in the 1980s, such as a Polish immigrant and Holocaust survivor in Sophie’s Choice (1982), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress; a Danish writer and lover of Karen Blixen in Out of Africa (1985), a biographical drama co-starring Robert Redford; and an Australian mother accused of murdering her baby in A Cry in the Dark (1988), a true crime drama co-starring Sam Neill.
Streep also ventured into comedy and musical genres, such as She-Devil (1989), a satire co-starring Roseanne Barr; Postcards from the Edge (1990), a semi-autobiographical film based on the novel by Carrie Fisher; and Death Becomes Her (1992), a dark comedy co-starring Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis.
Continued Success
Streep continued to receive awards and critical acclaim for her film work throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Some of her notable roles include a feminist activist and lawyer in The Bridges of Madison County (1995), a romantic drama co-starring Clint Eastwood; a nun and principal in Doubt (2008), a drama co-starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams; and a fashion magazine editor in The Devil Wears Prada (2006), a comedy co-starring Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt.
Streep also showed her musical talents in films such as Mamma Mia! (2008), a musical based on the songs of ABBA; Into the Woods (2014), a musical based on the Broadway show by Stephen Sondheim; and Florence Foster Jenkins (2016), a biographical comedy-drama about a tone-deaf opera singer.
Streep reclaimed her stardom in the 2010s with leading roles in films such as The Iron Lady (2011), a biographical drama about Margaret Thatcher, for which she won her third Oscar; The Post (2017), a historical drama about the Pentagon Papers, co-starring Tom Hanks; and Little Women (2019), a film adaptation of the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott, co-starring Saoirse Ronan and Emma Watson.
Television And Other Projects
Streep has also appeared in several television projects, such as the miniseries Angels in America (2003), for which she received her second Primetime Emmy, HBO’s Big Little Lies (2019), and Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building (2023).
Streep has been the recipient of many honorary awards, such as the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2004, the Kennedy Center Honor in 2011, and the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2017. She has also been involved in various humanitarian and environmental causes, such as UNICEF, Amnesty International, and Mothers and Others.
Personal Life
Streep married sculptor Don Gummer in 1978, after a brief relationship with actor John Cazale, who died of lung cancer in 1978. Streep and Gummer have four children: Henry, Mamie, Grace, and Louisa, all of whom are also actors. Streep and Gummer separated in 2017, but remain friends.
Streep is known for her modesty and privacy, as well as her sense of humor and wit. She has said that she does not consider herself a star, but rather an actress who loves her craft. She has also said that she does not believe in perfection, but rather in authenticity and honesty.
What Are Some Of Meryl Streep Achievements?
Meryl Streep is one of the most celebrated and honored actresses in the world. She has received numerous awards and nominations for her work on stage, screen, and television. Some of her achievements are:
She has won three Academy Awards, two for Best Actress and one for Best Supporting Actress, out of a record 21 nominations.
She has won eight Golden Globe Awards, more than any other actor, out of a record 33 nominations.
She has won three Primetime Emmy Awards, two for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie and one for Outstanding Narrator, out of five nominations.
She has won two BAFTA Awards, both for Best Actress in a Leading Role, out of 15 nominations.
She has won two Screen Actors Guild Awards, one for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role and one for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, out of 18 nominations.
She has received seven Grammy Award nominations, six for Best Spoken Word Album and one for Best Song Written for Visual Media.
She has received one Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play.
She has received many honorary awards, such as the AFI Life Achievement Award, the Kennedy Center Honor, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, the National Medal of Arts, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom .
She has been made a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government.
She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
These are just some of the many achievements that Meryl Streep has accomplished in her illustrious career. She is truly a legend and an inspiration to many.
How Many Movies Has Meryl Streep Been In?
Meryl Streep has been in 73 movies as of 2020. She has also appeared in several television shows, miniseries, and podcasts. She is one of the most prolific and acclaimed actresses in Hollywood history.
What Is Meryl Streep's Net Worth?
Meryl Streep’s net worth as of 2024 is estimated to be between $100 million and $170 million. She is one of the highest-paid and most acclaimed actresses in Hollywood history. She has earned her fortune through her acting career, which spans over five decades and includes roles in various genres and media. She has also been involved in humanitarian and environmental causes, and has donated some of her earnings to various charities.
Conclusion
Meryl Streep is a living legend who has inspired generations of actors and audiences with her talent, versatility, and charisma. She has proven herself to be a master of her craft, as well as a compassionate and generous human being. She is truly the queen of accents and awards, and one of the greatest actresses of all time.
