Last Updated:

2024-05-11 10:36:24

Meryl Streep

American actress known for versatility and accolades



American actress known for versatility and accolades

Meryl Streep, born in 1949, is acclaimed for her acting skills and has won multiple awards, including 3 Oscars and 8 Golden Globes. With a career spanning over four decades, she has starred in various successful films and TV series, receiving recognition for her performances. Streep has also been honored with prestigious awards for her contributions to the performing arts.

Sigourney Weaver Marilyn Monroe Steven Spielberg Anne Hathaway Hillary Clinton Scarlett Johansson Robert De Niro Martin Scorsese Stanley Baldwin Stormy Daniels

1949-06-22

Birth of Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep, born Mary Louise Streep on June 22, 1949, in Summit, New Jersey, is an American actress known for her versatility and numerous accolades in the entertainment industry.

1963

Move to Bernardsville, New Jersey

In 1963, Meryl Streep's family moved to Bernardsville, New Jersey where she attended Bernards High School.

1969

Acting in the play Miss Julie at Vassar College

Meryl Streep gained attention across the campus for her performance in the play Miss Julie at Vassar College in 1969.

1971

Receiving BA in drama from Vassar College

In 1971, Meryl Streep received her BA in drama cum laude from Vassar College.

1975

Stage Debut in Trelawny of the Wells

In 1975, Meryl Streep made her stage debut in the play Trelawny of the Wells, marking the beginning of her illustrious acting career.

1976-12-17

First Big Rejection

At the age of 27, Meryl Streep auditioned for the role in 'King Kong' in 1976 but faced a harsh rejection. Her famous response to the rejection reflected her resilience and self-awareness.

1977

Feature Film Debut in Julia

Meryl Streep made her feature film debut in 1977 with the movie Julia, showcasing her acting prowess on the big screen.

1978-12

Meryl Streep's Breakthrough

In 1978, Meryl Streep landed her first film role in 'The Deer Hunter' as the girlfriend of the protagonist, marking a significant breakthrough in her acting career.

1979

Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 'The Deer Hunter'

Meryl Streep was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film 'The Deer Hunter' in 1979.

1980-04-14

First Oscar Win

Meryl Streep achieved her first Oscar win in 1980, marking a significant milestone in her career as a talented actress.

1981

The French Lieutenant's Woman

Meryl Streep starred in the drama as her first leading role. She developed an English accent for the part and won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

1982

Meryl Streep's Oscar-Winning Performance in Sophie's Choice

In 1982, Meryl Streep won an Academy Award for her role as a Polish Nazi camp survivor in Sophie's Choice. This performance solidified her as a role model for actresses in the industry.

1983

Silkwood

In 1983, Meryl Streep starred in Silkwood, portraying a factory-worker-turned-activist, showcasing her range and talent in rendering complex emotional states.

1984

Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 'Silkwood'

In 1984, Meryl Streep was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the film 'Silkwood'.

1985

Role in Out of Africa

In 1985, Meryl Streep starred in the film Out of Africa as the Danish writer Karen Blixen. Despite initial doubts about her casting, Streep's performance was highly praised and the film was a commercial success, solidifying her status as a Hollywood superstar.

1986

Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 'Out of Africa'

Meryl Streep received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance in 'Out of Africa' in 1986.

1987

Streep nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Ironweed

In 1987, Meryl Streep was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in the film Ironweed.

1988

Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 'Ironweed'

In 1988, Meryl Streep was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the movie 'Ironweed'.

1989

Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 'A Cry in the Dark'

Meryl Streep was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in 'A Cry in the Dark' in 1989.

1990

Postcards from the Edge

Streep had a role in the comedy-drama film Postcards from the Edge in 1990. The film explored themes of addiction and relationships.

1991

Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 'Postcards from the Edge'

In 1991, Meryl Streep received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her role in 'Postcards from the Edge'.

1992

Death Becomes Her

Streep starred in the black comedy film Death Becomes Her alongside Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis. She had a physically demanding role that required special prosthetics to age her character. The film was a commercial success but received mixed reviews.

1993

The House of the Spirits

Streep appeared in The House of the Spirits (1993) alongside Jeremy Irons, Glenn Close, and Winona Ryder, set in Chile during Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship. The film received negative reviews from critics.

1994

The River Wild

Streep starred in The River Wild as a mother on a whitewater rafting trip with her children who encounter two violent criminals. The film received mixed critical reactions, with Peter Travers of Rolling Stone praising Streep's performance.

1995

The Bridges of Madison County

Streep's most successful film of the decade was The Bridges of Madison County (1995), a romantic drama directed by Clint Eastwood. The film was based on a novel and tells the story of a love affair between a photographer and a farm wife. Streep's portrayal was influenced by Italian film stars like Sophia Loren.

1996

Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 'The Bridges of Madison County'

Meryl Streep was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in 'The Bridges of Madison County' in 1996.

1997

...First Do No Harm

Streep's performance in ...First Do No Harm (1997) earned her a second Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie.

1998

One True Thing

Later in 1998, Streep played a housewife dying of cancer in One True Thing. The film received positive reviews, with critics praising Streep's instinctive and natural performance.

1999

Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 'One True Thing'

In 1999, Meryl Streep received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her role in 'One True Thing'.

2000

Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 'Music of the Heart'

Meryl Streep was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in 'Music of the Heart' in 2000.

2001-12-11

Nobel Peace Prize Concert

Meryl Streep co-hosted the annual Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, honoring the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, the United Nations, and Kofi Annan.

2002

Meryl Streep awarded Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters

In 2002, Meryl Streep was honored with the title of Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government, the highest cultural award bestowed by them.

2003

Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 'Adaptation'

In 2003, Meryl Streep was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 'Adaptation'.

2004

AFI Life Achievement Award

In 2004, Meryl Streep was honored with the AFI Life Achievement Award for her significant contributions to the film industry and her outstanding acting career.

2005

Prime

Meryl Streep starred in the comedy film Prime as Lisa Metzger, a Jewish psychoanalyst, receiving praise for her performance.

2006-08

Mother Courage and Her Children at The Public Theater

In August and September 2006, Meryl Streep starred onstage at The Public Theater's production of Mother Courage and Her Children at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park. The production featured a new translation by playwright Tony Kushner and songs in the Weill/Brecht style by composer Jeanine Tesori.

2007

Meryl Streep's Work in 2007

Meryl Streep's projects and performances in the year 2007.

2008-10

Mamma Mia! Soundtrack Success

After Streep starred in Mamma Mia!, her rendition of the titular song rose to popularity on the Portuguese music charts, peaking at number eight in October 2008.

2009

Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 'Julie & Julia'

Meryl Streep received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance in 'Julie & Julia' in 2009.

2010

Meryl Streep elected honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters

In 2010, Meryl Streep was chosen as an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, recognizing her contributions to the arts.

2011-02-26

Meryl Streep wins Best Actress at 84th Academy Awards

Meryl Streep won the Best Actress award at the 84th Academy Awards for her role in The Iron Lady, solidifying her status as one of the most acclaimed actresses in Hollywood.

2012-10-04

Donation to The Public Theater

On October 4, 2012, Streep donated $1 million to The Public Theater in honor of its late founder, Joseph Papp, and her friend, author Nora Ephron.

2013

August: Osage County

A film adaptation of Tracy Letts's play where Meryl Streep played a razor-tongued matriarch dealing with family issues, earning her 18th Oscar nomination.

2014

Into the Woods

Streep played a witch in the 2014 Disney film adaptation of the Broadway musical inspired by Grimm Brothers' fairy tales, earning her multiple award nominations for Best Supporting Actress.

2015

Suffragette

In the 2015 period drama, Streep played Emmeline Pankhurst, a British political activist and leader of the suffragette movement, helping women win the right to vote.

2016

Meryl Streep nominated for Best Actress at 89th Academy Awards

Meryl Streep received a nomination for Best Actress at the 89th Academy Awards for her performance in Florence Foster Jenkins, adding to her record-breaking total number of nominations.

2017-05-02

Meryl Streep supports campaign for Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov

Meryl Streep showed her support on May 2nd, 2017, for the campaign advocating the release of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov.

2018-01-15

Meryl Streep receives Golden Globe nomination for “Only Murders in the Building”

Meryl Streep was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in the TV series 'Only Murders in the Building' in 2018.

2019

Little Women

An adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic where Meryl Streep portrayed Aunt March.

2020-10-19

Meryl Streep joins 'In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hulaween Takeover'

On October 19th, 2020, Meryl Streep participated in the event 'In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hulaween Takeover'.

2021

Don't Look Up

A dramedy film where Meryl Streep played a narcissistic U.S. president in a story about an impending comet strike.

2022

Meryl Streep's Work in 2022

Meryl Streep's projects and performances in the year 2022.

2023-10-21

Meryl Streep honored at Spain’s Princesa de Asturias Awards

Meryl Streep was recognized and celebrated at the prestigious Princesa de Asturias Awards ceremony held in Spain.

2024-04-06

Meryl Streep joins the Academy of American Poets’ “Poetry & the Creative Mind” Virtual Benefit

Meryl Streep participates in the virtual benefit event organized by the Academy of American Poets, focusing on poetry and creativity, on April 6th, 2024.

2024-04-28

Meryl Streep Honors Nicole Kidman at 49th AFI Life Achievement Award

Meryl Streep pays tribute to Nicole Kidman at the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony held on April 28th, 2024.

2024-05-01

Meryl Streep attends “The Devil Wears Prada” screening at “Movies at the Palace”

On May 1st, 2024, Meryl Streep participated in a screening event for the movie 'The Devil Wears Prada' at 'Movies at the Palace'.

2024-05-02

Meryl Streep to Receive Honorary Palme d’Or in Cannes

Meryl Streep is set to receive the Honorary Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

2024-05-03

Meryl Streep to Receive Cannes Honorary Palme D’Or

Meryl Streep is set to receive the Cannes Honorary Palme D’Or on May 3, 2024.