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[h3]Born Mary Louise Streep to father, Harry Streep Jr., a pharmaceutical executive and mother, Mary, a commercial artist. Harry loved to play the piano and Mary loved to sing, so Streep and her two younger brothers grew up surrounded by music. [/h3]

She was raised in suburban Bernardsville, New Jersey and as a youth, dreamed of becoming an opera singer, taking up singing lessons at age 12. She attended Bernardsville High School where she was a cheerleader and homecoming queen, before graduating in 1967. Streep had became interested in acting and went on to major in Drama and English at Vassar College. Following her graduation in 1971, she enrolled at the Yale University School of Drama in New Haven, Connecticut, graduating in 1975. She went on to study costume design and playwriting at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.

At the age of 22, Streep made her professional stage debut in ‘The Playboy of Seville’ (1971) and her Broadway debut was in ‘Trelawney of the Wells’ (1975). Her small screen debut was in the made-for-television movie ‘The Deadliest Season’ (1977) and her big screen debut in ‘Julia’ (1977), in which she gave an excellent performance in a small part in a flashback sequence. The following year, on 15 September 1978, she married sculptor Don Gummer. The couple have four children, Henry (b. 1979), Mary (aka Mamie) (b. 1983), Grace (b. 1986) and Louisa (b. 1991).

Wasting no time in achieving accolades, Streep was nominated for her first Oscar for her second feature film role in ‘The Deer Hunter’ (1978), one of the most powerful films of all time. She won her first Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie, for her role in ‘Holocaust’ (1978). She then won two Academy Awards, the first for Best Supporting Actress for her role in ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’ (1979), opposite [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/44:0/Dustin_Hoffman.htm]Dustin Hoffman [/urlnew]and the second for Best Actress as Sophie Zawistowski in ‘Sophie’s Choice’ (1982).

She went on to make highly acclaimed performances in several films throughout the remainder of the 1980s. These include her first starring role in a feature film, ‘The French Lieutenant’s Woman’ (1981) with Jeremy Irons; ‘Silkwood’ (1983) with [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/635:0/Kurt_Vogel_Russell.htm]Kurt Russell [/urlnew]and [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/768:0/Cher.htm]Cher[/urlnew]; ‘Out of Africa’ (1985) co-starring [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/43:0/Robert_Redford.htm]Robert Redford[/urlnew]; ‘Heartburn’ (1986) and ‘Ironweed’ (1987), both with [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/1496:0/Jack_Nicholson.htm]Jack Nicholson[/urlnew]; and as Lindy Chamberlain, with Sam Neill in ‘Evil Angels’ (1988), the fact-based film drama, known in America as ‘A Cry in the Dark’, for which she won the 1989 Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Award. She won six People’s Choice Awards for Favourite Motion Picture Actress between 1984 and 1990, the year she was named World Favourite.
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Some people viewed Streep’s career as having declined slightly in the early 1990s, due to the lack of suitable parts. There was ‘Postcards from the Edge’ (1990), with [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/272:0/Shirley_MacLaine.htm]Shirley MacLaine [/urlnew]and [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/1015:0/Dennis_Quaid.htm]Dennis Quaid[/urlnew], and the farcical black comedy ‘Death Becomes Her’ (1992), with [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/516:0/Goldie_Hawn.htm]Goldie Hawn [/urlnew]and [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/294:0/Bruce_Willis.htm]Bruce Willis[/urlnew]. The romantic drama ‘The House of Spirits’ (1993) had an all-star cast including Glenn Close, Jeremy Irons, Winona Rider, [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/279:0/Antonio_Banderas.htm]Antonio Banderas [/urlnew]and Vanessa Redgrave and was set in pre-World War II South America. Streep was back on top form with ‘The Bridges of Madison County’ (1995), for which she received an Academy Award nomination, and ‘Marvin’s Room’ (1996) with [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/1581:0/Leonardo_DiCaprio.htm]Leonardo DiCaprio[/urlnew], [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/512:0/Diane_Keaton.htm]Diane Keaton[/urlnew] and [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/5:0/Robert_De_Niro.htm]Robert De Niro.[/urlnew]

Streep returned to television work, as executive producer of ‘…First Do No Harm’ (1997), a fact-based story in which she also starred. On 16 September 1998, she was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. ‘Music of the Heart’ (1999) was a role that required her to learn to play the violin, which she did by practicing six hours a day for eight weeks.

She provided the voice of the Blue Mecha in Steven Spielberg’s ‘Artificial Intelligence: AI’ (2001) before playing real-life author Susan Orlean, with [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/30:0/Nicolas_Cage.htm]Nicholas Cage[/urlnew], in the quirky ‘Adaptation’ (2002). Next was ‘The Hours’ (2002) with [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/805:0/Nicole_Kidman.htm]Nicole Kidman [/urlnew]and [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/575:0/Julianne_Moore.htm]Julianne Moore[/urlnew], for which Streep received a BAFTA nomination for her leading role performance. She won her second Emmy Award for outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie, as well as a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television, for the television mini series ‘Angels in America’ (2003), in which she played multiple roles opposite Al Pacino, Emma Thompson and Mary-Louise Parker.

‘The Manchurian Candidate’ (2004) found Streep playing a more comical role than her usual intense performances and was a film she really enjoyed making for that reason. ‘Prime’ (2005), a romantic comedy with [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/882:0/Uma_Thurman.htm]Uma Thurman[/urlnew] and Bryan Greenberg, cast Streep in the role of psychoanalyst Lisa Metzger, whose client falls in love with her son. She played the inimitable magazine editor, Miranda Priestly, in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ (2006), for which she earned SAG and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress. She was cast as country music singer Yolanda Johnson in Robert Altman’s ‘A Prairie Home Companion’ (2006) and has been confirmed for the role of Donna in the film version of the [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/1709:0/ABBA.htm]ABBA[/urlnew] musical ‘Mamma Mia!’, which is currently in pre-production. Streep will co-star in the murder drama ‘Dark Matter’ (2007), based on the true story of a Chinese physics student who shot and killed six people on the campus of Iowa University.
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Streep was involved with the theatre from 1975 to 1981, when her film career really began to flourish. She received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role in the Broadway production of Tennessee William’s’ ’27 Wagons Full of Cotton’ (1976). She also received Drama Desk Award nominations for her roles in ‘The Cherry Orchard’ (1976) and ‘Happy End’ (1977). Returning to the stage in July 2001, for the first time in more than 20 years, she played Arkadina in Anton Chekov’s ‘The Seagull’ (2001). It was a New York production that also featured Natalie Portman, [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/437:0/Kevin_Kline.htm]Kevin Kline[/urlnew], [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/1326:0/Christopher_Walken.htm]Chrisopher Walken[/urlnew], [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/51:0/Philip_Seymour_Hoffman.htm]Philip Seymour Hoffman[/urlnew], Marcia Gay Harden and John Goodman. Five years later, she played the title role in ‘Mother Courage and Her Children’ (2006).

Having worked extensively in theatre, television and film for over three decades, Streep is considered by many as the most respected and talented actress of her generation. She certainly is a perfectionist when it comes to her work, preparing meticulously for a new role and is known for her ability to master different accents. She has a way of immersing herself so completely into her character that shows an intensity and love for acting. With many projects underway and due for release in the next few years, Streep is showing no signs of slowing down. We are certain to be blessed with many more performances injected with the magic of Streep.

Carey Latimore
Meryl Streep biography



- Height: 5’ 6” (1.68m).

- Appeared with Sigourney Weaver in a play called ‘The Frogs’, staged in a swimming pool, whilst a student at Yale Drama School.

- Was engaged to her co-star from ‘The Deer Hunter’ (1978), John Cazale, until he died of bone cancer on 12 March 1978.

- Earned $5 million for her role as Amanda Priestly in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ (2006).

- Has a fear of helicopters.

- 27th May 2004 was declared Meryl Streep Day by Manhattan Borough President, C. Virginia Fields.

- Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 16 September 1998.

- ‘Sesame Street’ (1969), the children’s television series, named a character ‘Meryl Sheep’ in her honour.

- With 14 Academy Award nominations, Streep is the most nominated actor in Academy Award history (11 for Best Actress and 3 for Best Supporting Actress).

- She is tied with Rosalind Russell as the actress with the most Golden Globe Awards, with 5 wins, and is also the second most nominated actress for Golden Globe Awards, with 21 nominations. Streep is tied with Jack Nicholson for most Golden Globes overall by an actor/actress, with 6 wins.

- Her only Woody Allen film was ‘Manhattan’ (1979).

- Forgot her newly-claimed Oscar for ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’ (1979) on the back of a toilet at the Oscar party. It was duly returned to her.

- Is called ‘my generation’s genius’ by fellow actress Diane Keaton.

- Received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Middlebury College during her nephew’s graduation in 2004.
Meryl Streep biography



As Actor

First Man (2007) - announced

Mamma Mia! (2008) – pre-production

The Last Station (2008) – pre-production

Lions for Lambs (2007) – pre-production

Chaos (2008) – pre-production

Dirty tricks (2008) – pre-production

Rendition (2007)

Evening (2007)

Dark Matter (2007)

The Ant Bully (2006)

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

The Music of Regret (2006)

A Prairie Home Companion (2006)

Prime (2005)

Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)

The Manchurian Candidate (2004)

Angels in America (2003) (TV mini series)

The Hours (2002)

Adaptation (2002)

Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001)

King of the Hill (animated TV series) (1999 episode)

Music of the Heart (1999)

Chrysanthemum (1999)

One True Thing (1998)

Dancing at Lughnasa (1998)

…First Do No Harm (1997) (TV)

Marvin’s Room (1996)

Before and After (1996)

The Bridges of Madison County (1995)

The Simpsons (animated TV series) (1994 episode)

The River Wild (1994)

The House of Spirits (1993)

Death Becomes Her (1992)

Defending Your Life (1991)

Postcards from the Edge (1990)

She-Devil (1989)

Rabbit Ears: The Fisherman and His Wife (1989) (Video)

Evil Angels (1988)

The Tailor of Gloucester (1988) (Video)

Ironweed (1987)

Rabbit Ears: The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1987) (Video)

Rabbit Ears: The Tale of Mr Jeremy Fisher (1987) (Video)

Heartburn (1986)

Out of Africa (1985)

Plenty (1985)

Falling in Love (1984)

Little Ears: The Velveteen Rabbit (1984)

Silkwood (1983)

Sophie’s Choice (1982)

Still of the Night (1982)

Alice at the Palace (1982) (TV)

The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981)

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

The Seduction of Joe Tynan (1979)

Uncommon Woman… and Others (1979) (TV)

Manhattan (1979)

The Deer Hunter (1978)

Holocaust (1978) (TV mini series)

Julia (1977)

Secret Service (1977) (TV)

The Deadliest Season (1977) (TV)

As Executive Producer

First Do No Harm (1997) (TV)

Soundtrack

Postcards from the Edge (1990) (Performer: ‘You Don’t Know
Me’, ‘I’m Checking Out’)

STAGE PERFORMANCES

Mother Courage and Her Children (2006)

The Seagull (2001)

Alice in Concert (1980/1)

Taken in Marriage (1979)

The Taming of the Shrew (1978)

Alice in Concert (1978)

The Cherry Orchard (1977)

Happy End (1977)

Measure for Measure (1976)

Henry V (1976)

Secret Service (1976)

A Memory of Two Mondays (1976)

27 Wagons Full of Cotton (1976)

Trelawney of the Wells (1975)

The Playboy of Seville (1971)
Meryl Streep biography

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