Meryl Streep Award-Winning Actress and Icon
Meryl Streep (born June 22, 1949) is an American actress and one of the most respected and awarded performers in film history.
Born in Summit, New Jersey, Streep studied drama at Vassar College and the Yale School of Drama. She rose to prominence in the 1970s with films like *The Deer Hunter* and *Kramer vs. Kramer*, earning critical acclaim and her first Academy Award.
With over 20 Academy Award nominations and three wins, her performances span genres and decades—from powerful dramas like *Sophie's Choice* and *The Iron Lady* to musicals such as *Mamma Mia!*.
Beyond the screen, Streep is known for her activism, philanthropy, and unwavering support for the arts and women’s rights. Her influence reaches far beyond Hollywood, making her a cultural icon.
Date of Birth: June 22, 1949
Place of Birth: Summit, New Jersey, USA
Nationality: American
Known for: *Sophie's Choice*, *The Devil Wears Prada*, *The Iron Lady*, multiple Academy Awards
Career and Impact
Streep’s ability to completely transform into her characters has earned her widespread praise. She is considered a master of her craft, setting a standard for acting excellence for future generations.
Recognition and Legacy
Meryl Streep’s impact on cinema and culture is immeasurable. With a career spanning over five decades, she remains a symbol of artistic integrity and excellence.
Ongoing Influence
Streep continues to work in film and television, inspiring audiences and artists alike with every performance. Her legacy is firmly cemented in entertainment history.
Major Film, Television & Voice Credits
| Year | Title / Production | Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Film (features, animation & documentaries) | |||
| 1977 | Julia | Feature film | Screen debut; supporting role as Anne Marie. |
| 1978 | The Deer Hunter | Feature film | Breakthrough role as Linda; first Academy Award nomination (Best Supporting Actress). |
| 1979 | Manhattan | Feature film | Plays Jill Davis, the ex-wife of Woody Allen’s character. |
| 1979 | The Seduction of Joe Tynan | Feature film | Political drama opposite Alan Alda. |
| 1979 | Kramer vs. Kramer | Feature film | Portrays Joanna Kramer; wins first Academy Award (Best Supporting Actress). |
| 1981 | The French Lieutenant’s Woman | Feature film | Dual role (Sarah / Anna); Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. |
| 1982 | Still of the Night | Feature film | Psychological thriller directed by Robert Benton. |
| 1982 | Sophie’s Choice | Feature film | Plays Sophie Zawistowski; wins Academy Award for Best Actress. |
| 1983 | Silkwood | Feature film | Based on Karen Silkwood; Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. |
| 1984 | Falling in Love | Feature film | Romantic drama opposite Robert De Niro. |
| 1985 | Plenty | Feature film | Adaptation of David Hare’s play about post-war disillusionment. |
| 1985 | Out of Africa | Feature film | Plays Karen Blixen; Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. |
| 1986 | Heartburn | Feature film | Comedy-drama based on Nora Ephron’s autobiographical novel. |
| 1987 | Ironweed | Feature film | Stars opposite Jack Nicholson; Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. |
| 1988 | A Cry in the Dark (Evil Angels) | Feature film | Plays Lindy Chamberlain in true-crime drama; Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. |
| 1989 | She-Devil | Feature film | Dark comedy; Streep in one of her early broadly comic roles. |
| 1990 | Postcards from the Edge | Feature film | Adaptation of Carrie Fisher’s novel; Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. |
| 1991 | Defending Your Life | Feature film | Romantic afterlife comedy by Albert Brooks. |
| 1992 | Death Becomes Her | Feature film | Black comedy directed by Robert Zemeckis. |
| 1993 | The House of the Spirits | Feature film | Adaptation of Isabel Allende’s novel; ensemble cast. |
| 1993 | The River Wild | Feature film | Outdoor thriller; Golden Globe nomination (Best Actress – Drama). |
| 1995 | The Bridges of Madison County | Feature film | Romantic drama directed by and co-starring Clint Eastwood; Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. |
| 1995 | The Living Sea | Documentary | Narrator for IMAX documentary about the world’s oceans. |
| 1996 | Before and After | Feature film | Crime drama about parents confronting their son’s alleged crime. |
| 1996 | Marvin’s Room | Feature film | Family drama; ensemble with Diane Keaton & Leonardo DiCaprio. |
| 1998 | One True Thing | Feature film | Plays a terminally ill mother; Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. |
| 1998 | Dancing at Lughnasa | Feature film | Adaptation of Brian Friel’s play set in 1930s Ireland. |
| 1999 | Music of the Heart | Feature film | Based on violin teacher Roberta Guaspari; Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. |
| 2001 | A.I. Artificial Intelligence | Voice (film) | Uncredited voice of the Blue Mecha (special edition credit). |
| 2002 | Adaptation. | Feature film | Plays author Susan Orlean; Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. |
| 2002 | The Hours | Feature film | Ensemble drama; plays Clarissa Vaughan. |
| 2003 | Stuck on You | Feature film | Cameo playing herself in Farrelly brothers’ comedy. |
| 2004 | The Manchurian Candidate | Feature film | Political thriller remake; plays Senator Eleanor Prentiss Shaw. |
| 2004 | Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events | Feature film | Plays Aunt Josephine in adaptation of the children’s books. |
| 2005 | Prime | Feature film | Romantic comedy where she plays a therapist and overprotective mother. |
| 2006 | A Prairie Home Companion | Feature film | Ensemble film based on radio show; plays Yolanda Johnson. |
| 2006 | The Devil Wears Prada | Feature film | Iconic role as Miranda Priestly; BAFTA & Golden Globe wins, Oscar nomination (Best Actress). |
| 2006 | The Ant Bully | Voice (film) | Voices the Queen Ant in animated feature. |
| 2007 | Dark Matter | Feature film | Drama inspired by a real campus shooting. |
| 2007 | Evening | Feature film | Appears as the older Lila Wittenborn. |
| 2007 | Lions for Lambs | Feature film | Political drama directed by Robert Redford. |
| 2007 | Rendition | Feature film | Political thriller about extraordinary rendition. |
| 2008 | Mamma Mia! | Feature film (musical) | Plays Donna Sheridan; one of her biggest box-office hits. |
| 2008 | Doubt | Feature film | Portrays Sister Aloysius; Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. |
| 2009 | Julie & Julia | Feature film | Plays Julia Child; Golden Globe win and Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. |
| 2009 | It’s Complicated | Feature film | Romantic comedy with Alec Baldwin & Steve Martin. |
| 2009 | Fantastic Mr. Fox | Voice (film) | Voices Mrs. Felicity Fox in stop-motion adaptation. |
| 2011 | The Iron Lady | Feature film | Plays Margaret Thatcher; wins third Academy Award (Best Actress). |
| 2012 | Hope Springs | Feature film | Marriage-counselling comedy-drama opposite Tommy Lee Jones. |
| 2013 | August: Osage County | Feature film | Plays Violet Weston; Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. |
| 2014 | The Giver | Feature film | Dystopian adaptation; plays the Chief Elder. |
| 2014 | The Homesman | Feature film | Small but key role as Altha Carter in western drama. |
| 2014 | Into the Woods | Feature film (musical) | Portrays the Witch; Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. |
| 2015 | Ricki and the Flash | Feature film | Plays aging rock musician Ricki Rendazzo. |
| 2015 | Suffragette | Feature film | Plays Emmeline Pankhurst in drama about British suffrage movement. |
| 2016 | Florence Foster Jenkins | Feature film | Title role as New York socialite and off-key singer; Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. |
| 2017 | The Post | Feature film | Plays Katharine Graham; Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. |
| 2018 | Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again | Feature film (musical) | Reprises Donna in flashbacks / musical finale. |
| 2018 | This Changes Everything | Documentary | Appears as herself in documentary on gender inequality in Hollywood. |
| 2018 | Mary Poppins Returns | Feature film (musical) | Plays eccentric cousin Topsy. |
| 2019 | The Laundromat | Feature film | Satirical drama inspired by the Panama Papers. |
| 2019 | Little Women | Feature film | Plays Aunt March in Greta Gerwig’s adaptation. |
| 2020 | Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth | Voice (short film) | Narrator for Apple TV+ animated short. |
| 2020 | Let Them All Talk | Feature film | Plays author Alice Hughes in Steven Soderbergh’s film. |
| 2021 | Don’t Look Up | Feature film | Plays U.S. President Janie Orlean in satirical disaster film. |
| 2022 | Sell/Buy/Date | Feature documentary (producer) | Executive producer credit on Sarah Jones’ documentary. |
| 2026 (planned) | Untitled sequel to The Devil Wears Prada | Feature film (announced) | Reported to reprise Miranda Priestly in film currently described as in post-production. |
| Television & streaming (series, miniseries, TV films & voice) | |||
| 1976 | Everybody Rides the Carousel | Animated TV film (voice) | Early voice role in adaptation of Erik Erikson’s stages of life. |
| 1977 | The Deadliest Season | Television film | Early television movie about violence in professional ice hockey. |
| 1977–1979 | Great Performances | Television series | Appears in episodes including “Secret Service” and “Uncommon Women and Others”. |
| 1978 | Holocaust | Miniseries | Plays Inga Helms Weiss; wins first Primetime Emmy Award. |
| 1981 | Kiss Me, Petruchio | Television documentary | TV special documenting stage production of The Taming of the Shrew. |
| 1982 | Alice at the Palace | Television film | Musical adaptation of Alice in Wonderland; Streep plays Alice. |
| 1990 | Voices That Care | TV special (music video) | Appears in all-star charity performance for Gulf War troops. |
| 1994 | The Simpsons | Animated series (voice) | Guest voice of Jessica Lovejoy in episode “Bart’s Girlfriend”. |
| 1997 | …First Do No Harm | Television film | Plays a mother seeking ketogenic therapy for her son’s epilepsy; also executive producer. |
| 1999 | King of the Hill | Animated series (voice) | Guest voice in episode “A Beer Can Named Desire”. |
| 2003 | Angels in America | Miniseries | Plays multiple roles (including Hannah Pitt & Ethel Rosenberg); wins Primetime Emmy Award. |
| 2003 | Freedom: A History of US | Docu-series | Provides narration / multiple voices in PBS history series. |
| 2013 | The Roosevelts: An Intimate History | Documentary series (voice) | Narrates Eleanor Roosevelt’s letters and writings. |
| 2014 | The Roosevelts (related PBS airings) | Documentary series | Ongoing narration in rebroadcast / extended cuts. |
| 2015 | Five Came Back | Documentary series (narrator) | Netflix docu-series; narrates story of World War II film-makers. |
| 2019 | Big Little Lies (Season 2) | Television series | Plays Mary Louise Wright; Primetime Emmy nomination (Supporting Actress). |
| 2022 | Extrapolations | Streaming drama anthology | Appears in Apple TV+ climate-change anthology series. |
| 2023–2024 | Only Murders in the Building | Streaming comedy-mystery | Plays actress Loretta Durkin in Seasons 3–4 of Hulu/Disney+ series. |
Major Awards & Distinctions
- Widely regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses, with 3 Academy Award wins (for Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie’s Choice and The Iron Lady) and more than 20 Oscar nominations, the most for any performer in history.
- Multiple Primetime Emmy Awards, including wins for the miniseries Holocaust and Angels in America, underscoring her impact on both television and streaming drama.
- AFI Life Achievement Award, Kennedy Center Honors and numerous Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards recognising her long-term contribution to cinema and the performing arts.
References
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Meryl Streep – Biography & major roles
- Wikipedia: Meryl Streep
- Wikipedia: Meryl Streep on screen and stage – film & TV credits
- IMDb: Meryl Streep – Filmography