Meryl Streep

Cast · Writer

Born

June 22, 1949 · Summit, New Jersey, USA

Birth name

Mary Louise Streep

“Acting is not about being someone different. It’s finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there. I think I’m not a natural performer; I think I’m an actor.” Meryl Streep is a renowned American actress celebrated for her versatile acting skills, mastery of dialects, and expressive performances. With a record 21 Academy Award nominations, she has won Oscars for her roles in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), Sophie’s Choice (1982), and The Iron Lady (2011). Streep's early training included voice lessons and acting during high school. She graduated from Vassar College in 1971 and earned an MFA from Yale in 1975. She made her Broadway debut in 1975 and her film debut in Julia (1977). Her breakthrough came with The Deer Hunter (1978), and she gained acclaim for Holocaust (1978), winning an Emmy for her role. Streep's career flourished in the 1980s with acclaimed performances in Kramer vs. Kramer and Sophie’s Choice. She further established her range with roles in The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981), Silkwood (1983), and Out of Africa (1985). Though her image as a serious actress led to some criticism, Streep diversified her roles with comedies and action films like Postcards from the Edge (1990) and The River Wild (1994). She returned to dramatic roles in films like The Bridges of Madison County (1995) and The Hours (2002). Streep continued to receive accolades, including a 13th Academy Award nomination in 2003 for Adaptation. She starred in The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Julie & Julia (2009), and The Iron Lady (2011), winning her third Oscar. Her subsequent roles include Florence Foster Jenkins (2016) and The Post (2017). She appeared in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018), joined Big Little Lies (2019), and starred in Don’t Look Up (2021). Streep has received numerous honors, including the National Medal of Arts (2010), the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2014), and the Cecil B. DeMille Award (2017).