Most Recent Role: Herself on The Today Show
Gender: Female
Birthplace: Summit, New Jersey, USA
Birthday: 6-22-1949
Birth Name: Mary Louise Streep
Meryl Streep is considered by many film critics to be the best living actress of all time and her fourteen Academy Award nominations (2 wins), 21 Golden Globe nominations (6 wins) and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations (2 wins) certainly credit this.
Born as Mary Louise Streep in Summit, New Jersey, USA, Meryl's first role was in the Academy Award winning movie Julia in 1977, playing a small yet pivotal part. Her next film role was alongside Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken in The Deer Hunter (1978). Meryl won critical acclaim for her role and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Her first Academy Award win however followed the next year for Kramer vs. Kramer in the form of a Supporting Actress. She continued to receive critical acclaim and in 1982 won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her heart-wrenching portrayal of a Holocaust survivor torn between two lovers in Sophie's Choice.
Meryl continued to go from strength to strength until 1990 when, after nine Academy Award nominations and six straight People's Choice Awards for Best Motion Picture Actress, she experienced a decline in her career which was regenerated in 1995 with an Oscar nominated performance opposite Clint Eastwood in The Bridges of Madison County.
More great movies such as Marvin's Room, One True Thing, and Music of the Heart followed and the n in 2003 with an Academy Award nomination for Adaptation she surpassed Katherine Hepburn, who ironically despised her, as the most nominated ever Academy Award actress. Her most recent movie was the box-office hit The Devil Wears Prada which is the highest grossing film of her career. It also earned Meryl the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical in a Motion Picture and her 14th Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
Meryl has had an equally successful career in the medium of television and has won two Primetime Emmy awards for Holocaust and Angels in America, in which she played the roles of four people.
Meryl has also been mildly successful in stage acting and has one Tony Award nomination for 27 Wagons Full of Cotton.
Her upcoming movie include Dark Matter, Rendition, First Man, Lions for Lambs, Wanted, and Mammia Mia.
Meryl is the sister of Harry Streep and has been married to Don Gummer since September, 1978. They have four children - Henry (Harry) Gummer (born 1979), Mary Willa (Mamie) Gummer (1983), Grace Jane Gummer (1986), and Louisa Jacobson Gummer (1991).
PRIMETIME EMMY WINS AND NOMINATIONS FOR OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE:
Holocaust (1978) (win)
First Do No Harm (1997) (nomination)
Angels in America (2003) (win)
GOLDEN GLOBE WINS AND NOMINATIONS:
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama:
The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) (win)
Sophie's Choice (1982) (win)
Silkwood (1983) (nomination)
Out of Africa (1985) (nomination)
A Cry in the Dark (1988) (nomination)
The River Wild (1994) (nomination)
The Bridges of Madison County (1995) (nomination)
Marvin's Room (1996) (nomination)
One True Thing (1998) (nomination)
Music of the Heart (199) (nomination)
The Hours (2002) (nomination)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy:
She-Devil (1989) (nomination)
Postcard from the Edge (1990) (nomination)
Death Becomes Her (1992) (nomination)
The Devil Wears Prada (2006) (win)
Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture:
The Deer Hunter (1978) (nomination)
Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) (win)
Adaptation (2002) (win)
The Manchurian Candidate (2004) (nomination)
Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television:
First Do No Harm (1997) (nomination)
Angels in America (2003) (win)
ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS AND WINS:
Supporting Actress:
The Deer Hunter (1978) (nomination)
Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) (win)
Adaptation (2002) (nomination)
Lead Actress:
The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) (nomination)
Sophie's Choice (1982) (win)
Silkwood (1983) (nomination)
Out of Africa (1985) (nomination)
Ironweed (1987) (nomination)
A Cry in the Dark (1988) (nomination)
Postcards from the Edge (1990) (nomination)
The Bridges of Madison County (1995) (nomination)
One True Thing (1998) (nomination)
Music of the Heart (1999) (nomination)
The Devil Wears Prada (2006) (nomination)
TONY AWARD NOMINATIONS:
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play:
27 Wagons Full of Cotton (1976)
TV Credits - Star(1)
Show Role
Angels in America Hannah Pitt / Ethel Rosenberg / Rabbi / Angel of Australia
TV Credits - Guest Star(40)
Show Role Episode
Anderson Cooper 360° Herself - Video clip Friday, December 5, 2003
At the Movies Herself 21st October, 2004
CBS This Morning Herself 23 February 1996
Coming Attractions Guest Star The Manchurian Candidate; The Stepford Wives; Dodgeball; The Bourne Supremacy
Coming Attractions Guest Star The Bourne Supremacy; The Villiage; A Series of Unfortunate Events; Sky Captain
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross Herself Meryl Streep, Adrian Lester, Chris Addison, The Last Shadow Puppets.
Great Performances Edith Varney Secret Service
Great Performances Leilah Uncommon Women and Others
Great Performances Performer Garrison Keillor’s Independence Day Special: A Prairie Home Companion at Tanglewood
Hollywood Greats Herself Dustin Hoffman
Inside the Actors Studio Herself Meryl Streep
Intimate Portrait Herself Diane Keaton
King of the Hill Aunt Esme Dauterive A Beer Can Named Desire
Late Show with David Letterman Guest Show #1312
Late Show with David Letterman Guest Show #1334
Late Show with David Letterman Guest Show #2578
Live with Regis and Kelly Herself Kyra Sedgwick/Meryl Streep
Live with Regis and Kelly Herself Meryl Streep/Heidi Klum
Live with Regis and Kelly Herself Meryl Streep/Brandon Routh
Omnibus Herself 15 June 1980
Omnibus (UK) Herself Kiss Me, Petruchio
PBS American Masters Narrator Isaac Stern: Life's Virtuoso
PBS American Masters Narrator Harold Clurman: A Life of Theatre
The Daily Show Self Meryl Streep
The Directors Herself Sydney Pollack
The Directors Herself Wes Craven
The Ellen DeGeneres Show Herself Meryl Streep/Jason Lee
The Oprah Winfrey Show Guest 8 November 2002
The Primetime Emmy Awards Winner The 56th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
The Simpsons Jessica Lovejoy Bart's Girlfriend
The Today Show Herself July 16, 2008
The Today Show Herself June 5, 2006
The Today Show Herself September 30, 1994
The View Herself Streep/Pennington
The View Herself Streep/Pennington
The View Herself June 30, 2006
Tinseltown TV Herself 20 September 2003
Unscripted Herself Unscripted 10
Unscripted Herself Unscripted 09
Unscripted Herself Unscripted 08
Movie Credits (From MovieTome)(61)
Film Role Release Date
Whisper In The Dark Melissa Bearings 2008
Mamma Mia! Star 2008
Dark Matter Star 2008
Lions for Lambs Star 2007
Rendition Star 2007
Evening Star 2007
Hurricane on the Bayou Star 2006
The Devil Wears Prada Miranda Priestley 2006
A Prairie Home Companion Star 2006
Prime Lisa Metzger 2005
Conquistadora Narrator 2005
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Aunt Josephine 2004
The Manchurian Candidate Eleanor Shaw 2004
Stuck On You Herself 2003
Monet's Palate Narrator 2003
The Hours Clarissa Vaughn 2002
Adaptation. Star 2002
New York at the Movies Narrator 2002
Artificial Intelligence: A.I. Star 2001
Nobel Peace Prize Concert Presenter 2001
School Narrator 2001
The Papp Project Herself 2001
The Ant Bully Star 1999
Music of The Heart Roberta Guaspari 1999
One True Thing Kate Gulden 1998
Dancing at Lughnasa Kate Mundy 1998
Eternal Memory: Voices from the Great Terror Narrator 1998
Assignment: Rescue Narrator 1997
Marvin's Room Lee 1996
The Bridges Of Madison County Francesca Johnson 1995
The Living Sea: IMAX Star 1995
The Living Sea Narrator 1995
The House of the Spirits Clara 1994
The River Wild Gail 1994
Death Becomes Her Madeline Ashton 1992
Defending Your Life Julia 1991
Age 7 in America Narrator 1991
Postcards from the Edge Suzanne Vale 1990
She-Devil Mary Fisher 1989
Rabbit Ears: The Fisherman and His Wife Storyteller 1989
Ironweed Helen Archer 1988
The Tailor of Gloucester Narrator 1988
A Cry in the Dark Lindy Chamberlain 1988
Heartburn Rachel Louise Samstat/Forman 1986
Out of Africa Karen Blixen-Finecke 1985
Plenty Susan Traherne 1985
Falling in Love Molly Gilmore 1984
Rabbit Ears: The Velveteen Rabbit Storyteller 1984
In Our Hands Herself 1984
Silkwood Karen Silkwood 1983
Sophie's Choice Sophie Zawistowska 1982
Kiss Me, Petruchio Katherine 1981
The French Lieutenant's Woman Sarah and Anna 1981
Kramer vs. Kramer Joanna Kramer 1979
Manhattan Star 1979
The Deer Hunter Linda 1978
Julia Anne Marie 1977
Everybody Rides the Carousel Stage 6 (voice) 1975
Doubt (working title) Star N/A
The Last Station Star N/A
Julie & Julia (working title) Star N/A
Meryl attended the Mamma Mia stage production with her daughter for her 10th birthday, and afterwards, Meryl wrote a letter to the upcoming film's casting crew, proclaiming her love for the show. She eventually landed the lead role of Donna. Seven men were required to help Meryl into her white spandex jumpsuit she wore in Mamma Mia as the suit was so tight. Meryl forgot her Oscar trophy and left it on a toilet seat during her celebrations in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion bathroom after her win for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Kramer vs. Kramer in 1980. Meryl won the Hasty Pudding Theatricals award for Woman of the Year in 1980. Meryl learned to play the violin in preparation for her role in the 1999 film Music of the Heart. Meryl has presented both Peter O'Toole, in 2003, and Robert Altman, in 2005, their Honorary Academy Awards. Meryl appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair's April 2001 issue. Meryl presented Paul McCartney his Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1990 Grammys. Helen named her favourite actresses working today as; Cate Blanchett, Emily Blunt, Dame Helen Mirren and Nicole Kidman. At the 1986 Oscar's ceremony Meryl was considered the lock-favourite to win the Best Actress gong for Out of Africa. However it was Geraldine Page, an eight-time nominee, who eventually won and it was Meryl who led the standing ovation Geraldine received. In January 2007, Meryl was voted the world's third sexiest older woman. The poll was to find the sexiest female stars who have passed 50-years-old. Meryl was not present at the 1990 Academy Awards ceremony where she was nominated for an award for Best Actress. Meryl was placed in the No.10 position on ex-fashion designer, Mr Blackwell’s, 47th annual report of the worst-dressed women of 2006. Meryl was considered for the role of Evita Peron in the film Evita, a role which eventually went to the singer Madonna Ciccone. Meryl voiced the Blue Mecha character in the Steven Spielberg film, A.I...
Meryl has a star on the Hollwood Walk of Fame, in honour of her contribution to motion pictures, at 7018 Hollywood Blvd. In preperation for her role as Sophie in the movie, Sophie's Choice, Meryl learned how to speak German fluently, as well as learning a Polish accent. Meryl's character, "Karen Silkwood" from her 1983 film Silkwood, was ranked No.47 on the American Film Institute's list of "Heroes of the 100 years of The Greatest Screen Heroes and Villains".
The children's TV series Sesame Street has featured a character named "Meryl Sheep", in her honor. With a total of twenty one Golden Globe nominations, Meryl is the second most nominated Golden Globe performer, behind Jack Lemmon. Meryl is a supporter of the US Democratic Party. Meryl co-hosted the annual Nobel Peace Prize Concert with Liam Neeson in Oslo, Norway in 2001. The winner of the prize was United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. In 2006, Meryl's performance as "Sophie Zawistowska" in the movie Sophie's Choice was ranked No.3 on Premiere Magazine's "100 Greatest Performances of All Time". With a total of fourteen nominations, Meryl is the most nominated actor or actress ever for an Academy Award. Meryl was ranked No.24 in Empire magazine's list of "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" in October 1997. She made her big screen debut in the movie Julia (1977). She's got a Masters degree in Drama from Yale University, in 1975. She's appeared in over 30 productions with the Yale Repertory Theatre. She studied drama and English at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New Hampshire. In high school she was both a cheerleader and a Homecoming Queen. When she was young Meryl dreamed of becoming an opera star.