Meryl Streep

(September 1999) Named Best Modern Actress in an Entertainment Weekly online poll, substantially beating out runner-up Michelle Pfeiffer.

Learned to play the violin, by practicing six hours a day for eight weeks, for her role in Music of the Heart .

Has a fear of helicopters.

Listed as one of 12 "Promising New Actors of 1977" in John Willis Screen World, Vol. 29.

(October 1997) Ranked #24 in Empire magazines "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list.

Received her Masters degree in Fine Arts from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

Received her Bachelors degree cum laude from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Was romantically involved with actor John Cazale for two years, culminating with his death at age 42 in 1978 from lung cancer. She is very reluctant to discuss the relationship with anyone. The couple had been sharing a loft at 146 Franklin Street in Manhattans Tribeca district.

Attended and graduated from Bernards High School in Bernardsville, New Jersey.

Before succeeding as an actress, she was a waitress at the Hotel Somerset in Somerville, New Jersey.

Was a cheerleader and homecoming queen in high school.

She left her just-claimed Oscar for Kramer vs. Kramer on the back of a toilet during the 1979 festivities.

Replaced Madonna for the lead role of Roberta Guaspari in Music of the Heart .

In 2001, her son, Henry W. Gummer ("Hank") was a student at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.

Sister-in-law of Maeve Kinkead.

Tennessee Williams wanted her for a film version of "A Streetcar Named Desire" in the 1980s. When Streep proved unavailable, the project was refashioned for television and the role of Blanche given to Ann-Margret.

Has a deviated septum, which she refuses to have fixed.

The childrens television series "Sesame Street" has featured a character named "Meryl Sheep" in her honor.

Was originally supposed to play the role of Iris Hineman in Minority Report , but had to back out. She was replaced by Lois Smith.

Her character Karen Silkwood from her film Silkwood was ranked #47 on the American Film Institute Heroes list of the 100 years of the Greatest Screen Heroes and Villians.

Presented Paul McCartney with the 1990 Grammy Lifetime Achievement award. Attended The Beatles concert at Shea Stadium in 1965 with an "I love Paul" sign, which she mentioned when presenting the award to McCartney.

Older sister of Harry Streep and Dana Streep.

Spent a year as a transfer student at Dartmouth College where she participated in theater.

Originally applied to Law School but slept in on the morning of her interview and took it as a sign she was destined for other things.

Sigourney Weaver and Christine Estabrook were fellow classmates at Yale Drama School.

Back at Yale Drama School, she and Sigourney Weaver appeared in a play staged in a swimming pool together. The play was called "The Frogs".

(May 2004) May 27, 2004 was proclaimed "Meryl Streep Day" by Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields.

She was voted the 37th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly.

As a young actor, she performed at the Yale Repertory Theater with Christopher Lloyd.

According to Katharine Hepburn s official biographer A. Scott Berg, Meryl Streep was her least favorite modern actress on screen: "Click, click, click," she said, referring to the wheels turning inside Streeps head.

Has only been turned down for four roles: Michelle Straton in American Gigolo , Patsy Cline in Sweet Dreams , Miss Kenton in The Remains of the Day , and Elizabeth I in Elizabeth .

Mentioned by first name only (with two-time co-star Jack Nicholson ) in Michael Crichton s novel "State of Fear".

Nominated for the 1976 Tony Award for Best Actress (Featured Role - Play) in Tennessee Williams "27 Wagons Full of Cotton".

Premiere magazine ranked her as #46 on a list of the Greatest Movie Stars of All Time in their Stars in Our Constellation feature.

Took serious singing lessons. At age 12, she studied to become an opera singer.

Acting career began on the stage.

Is the second of four consecutive winners of the Best Supporting Actress Oscar to have the initials "M.S.". The others are: Maggie Smith - California Suite , Mary Steenburgen - Melvin and Howard , and Maureen Stapleton - Reds .

Received her honorary degree (Doctor of Arts) from Middlebury College during her nephews graduation.

She attended Harding Township Middle School in Harding, New Jersey for one or two years.

Sold her New York City townhouse for $9.1 million in February 2006. She was forced to slash the asking price for the eight-bedroom Manhattan property from $12 million to secure a sale. Streep bought the house for $2.2 million in 1995, according to the New York Post.

Early in her career, Streep received a letter from Bette Davis , whom most critics and cinema historians rank as the greatest American movie actress ever. Davis told Streep that she felt that she was her successor as the premier American actress. Davis, a double winner who was nominated 10 times for an Academy Award, all of them Best Actress nods, set the record for most acting nominations with her tenth in 1963 for What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? , a record later surpassed by Katharine Hepburn with her 11th nomination (and 3rd win) for The Lion in Winter . Hepburn extended her record with her 12th nomination (and fourth win) for On Golden Pond .

Her performance as Sophie Zawistowska in Sophies Choice is ranked #3 on Premiere magazines 100 Greatest Performances of All Time.

Her performance as Karen Silkwood in Silkwood is ranked #71 on Premiere magazines 100 Greatest Performances of All Time .

Her husband, Don Gummer , is a sculptor.

Her father was a drug company exec; her mother, an artist-turned-housewife who kept an art studio behind the house. Her father loved to play the piano and her mother to sing. Meryl was given singing lessons at a young age. Her mother died in 2001 and her father in 2004.

Son Henry Gummer is an actor, filmmaker and co-founder of a rock band. Daughter Mary Willa, whose stage name is Mamie Gummer , is an off-Broadway actress.

Friends with Jill Clayburgh. First met in their roles as mothers.

The longest she has gone without an Oscar nomination is five years, between Postcards from the Edge and The Bridges of Madison County .

Robert De Niro said she is his favorite actress to work with.

Was nominated for Best Actress in 1988 along with Cher. When Cher was announced, just before the cameras cut away from the other four actresses, Streep could be seen springing to her feet in delight and applauding for Cher. During her acceptance speech, Cher thanked Streep personally (addressing her as Mary Louise Streep), as they had worked together on Chers first film, Silkwood . As the camera briefly cut away to Streep sitting in the audience, she blew Cher a kiss.

She was considered for the role of Evita Peron in Evita , which went to Madonna.

Donated her wardrobe from The Devil Wears Prada to a charity auction.

Uses music, most often Classical, to get into character.

Is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Nominated for a 2007 Drama Desk Award for her performance in "Mother Courage and Her Children" (Outstanding Actress in a Play).

Daughter of Mary Streep and Harry Streep (a pharmaceutical executive).

Her accumulation of 19 Oscar nominations (3 wins) was accomplished over a period of only 36 years. Bette Davis scored 10 nominations (2 wins) over 28 years (all leading roles). Katharine Hepburn garnered 12 nominations (4 wins) after a relatively lengthy 48 years (all leading roles).

Occasionally mistaken for friend Glenn Close , Streep was pregnant with her fourth child while shopping in a Los Angeles baby store where the staff lavished her with huge amounts of baby paraphernalia. Just as she was about to leave they whispered, "We loved you in Fatal Attraction ".

Elected to the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2007 for her services to arts and entertainment (inaugural election). Official induction ceremonies held in May 2008.

She and her daughter Mamie Gummer portrayed the same role at different ages in Evening .

Ranked #6 on Entertainment Weekly magazines "The 50 Smartest People in Hollywood.

Nominated for a 2008 Grammy Award for "The One and Only Shrek" (Best Spoken Word Album for Children).

Has said she is a great fan of actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

With the announcement of the 66th Annual Golden Globe Award nominations and receiving two nominations, the actress surpassed Jack Lemmons count of 22 nominations and is now, besides holding the record for most Oscar nominations, the actor with the most Golden Globe nominations of all time with a total of 29 nominations.

She was close friends with late actress Natasha Richardson.

She attended Natasha Richardson s funeral along with husband Don Gummer.

Signs cheques with her real name - Mary Louise Gummer.

She was ranked #87 on Ellen DeGeneres most sexy movie actors list.

(June 2009) Received her honorary degree from Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey.

She gained as much as 15 pounds while filming the Julie & Julia movie.

Her fans call themselves "Streepers".

In the stage show "Fame", though other actors are mentioned in song lyrics, she is the only actress to have her name in a song title. The song is called "Think of Meryl Streep" and takes place after Carmen kisses Nick when he asks her how she relaxes, and Serena (who wants Nick for herself) sees them.

Studied acting with Michael Howard in New York City.

Through the television series "Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates Jr." , she learned that she is a distant relative of director Mike Nichols.

Resides in New York City and Salisbury, Connecticut.

(March 2010) She presented the leadership award to ex-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt.

Landed the breakthrough role of Linda in The Deer Hunter after Robert De Niro had seen her playing Dunyasha in Anton Chekhov s "The Cherry Orchard" at Manhattans Lincoln Center. Streep had been playing opposite Irene Worth , Raul Julia and Mary Beth Hurt.

On her 60th birthday, her husband brought her a toaster and one of her daughters brought her a rocking chair. Despite having to work until late on the day, her children cooked her a birthday meal when she returned.

Attended Emily Blunt s and John Krasinski s wedding with her husband, Don Gummer.

Kept the sunglasses she wore in The Devil Wears Prada and used them again during the "Money Money Money" sequence in Mamma Mia! .

As of 2015, she is the most nominated actress with 19 Academy Award nominations.

She was awarded the 2010 National Medal of the Arts for her services to drama.

Recipient of the 2011 Kennedy Center Honors, along with Barbara Cook , Neil Diamond , Yo-Yo Ma and Sonny Rollins.

She was considered for the role of Ellen Ripley in Alien , which went to her good friend Sigourney Weaver.

Is one of only four thespians to be nominated for acting honors by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences over five decades - 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s. Along with Laurence Olivier (1930s-1970s), Paul Newman (1950s, 1960s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s) and Katherine Hepburn (1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1980s).

Referenced in Weird Al Yankovic s song "Your Horoscope for Today".

Claimed to have had a photographic memory when she was younger, which allowed her to memorize her lines after one reading.

Spokesperson for the Center for Reproductive Rights Draw the Line campaign. The Center for Reproductive Rights is a global legal organization dedicated to advancing womens reproductive health, self-determination and dignity as basic human rights.

Gave birth to her first child at age 30, a son Henry Wolfe Gummer (aka Henry Gummer ) on November 13, 1979. Childs father is her husband, Don Gummer.

Gave birth to her second child at age 34, a daughter Mary Willa Gummer (aka Mamie Gummer ) on August 3, 1983. Childs father is her husband, Don Gummer.

Gave birth to her third child at age 36, a daughter Grace Jane Gummer (aka Grace Gummer ) on May 9, 1986. Childs father is her husband, Don Gummer.

Gave birth to her fourth child at age 41, a daughter Louisa Jacobson Gummer on June 12, 1991. Childs father is her husband, Don Gummer.

In 2013, she presented the Best Actor Oscar to Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln . The previous year, she had received her third Oscar (second for Best Actress) for The Iron Lady , and she give Lewis his third Best Actor Oscar. Both won their third Oscar for playing a Head of Government of a different nationality: Streep was an American actress playing a British Prime Minister, while Day-Lewis is a British actor playing an American President. In addition, Day-Lewis was not the only actor playing Abraham Lincoln that year. The role was played in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Benjamin Walker , who was married to Streeps daughter Mamie Gummer.

Was a finalist for the role of Ellen Ripley in Alien , but the role went to good friend and classmate Sigourney Weaver instead. However, Streep later got to make her own contribution to the character. Many of the special effects for Alien were created in England, after the cast; including Weaver; had returned home to the United States. The filmmakers needed a prosthetic cast of Ripleys head for some shots, so rather than call back Weaver, they used an available cast of Streep that had been made for a previous project and was still floating around the studio.

Her father was of German and Swiss-German descent, and his patrilineal ancestors had originally been surnamed "Streeb". Her mother had English, German, Irish, Scots-Irish (Northern Irish), and remote French, ancestry, and was descended from early settlers in Pennsylvania. One of Meryls maternal great-grandmothers, Mary Agnes McFadden, was born in Ireland.

Acting mentors were Jean Arthur and Joseph Papp.

She was awarded Commander of the Order of the Arts and Letters by French culture minister Jean-Jacques Aillagon in 2003.

She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7018 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on September 16, 1998.

As of 2014, has appeared in five films that nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Julia , The Deer Hunter , Kramer vs. Kramer , Out of Africa , The Hours . Winners in the category are The Deer Hunter , Kramer vs. Kramer and Out of Africa .

Is one of 6 actresses to have been pregnant at the time of winning the Academy Award; the others are Eva Marie Saint , Patricia Neal , Catherine Zeta-Jones , Rachel Weisz and Natalie Portman. Neal is the only to have not accepted her award in person as a result of her pregnancy. Streep was 5 months pregnant with her daughter Mamie Gummer when she won the Best Actress Oscar for Sophies Choice .

Was the 82nd actress to receive an Academy Award; she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Kramer vs. Kramer at The 52nd Annual Academy Awards on April 14, 1980.

In 2013, David Letterman revealed that the director Harmony Korine had been banned from appearing on Lettermans show during the late 1990s when Letterman personally caught Korine rifling through Meryl Streeps purse in a dressing room. Streep and Korine had both been scheduled to appear on Lettermans show that night, but only Streep did.

According to biographer Diana Maychick when companion John Cazale was too weak to read the newspapers, Streep read the paper to him imitating well-known broadcaster Warner Wolfs voice.

She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama on November 24, 2014.

Meryl Streep sings in Silkwood , Heartburn , and Postcards from the Edge , all of which were directed by Mike Nichols.

Donated her entire salary for The Iron Lady to the Womens History Museum.

Is one of 27 actresses to have received an Academy Award nomination for their performance in a musical; hers being Into the Woods . The others, in chronological order, are: Bessie Love for The Broadway Melody , Grace Moore for One Night of Love , Jean Hagen for Singin in the Rain (1952) , Marjorie Rambeau for Torch Song , Dorothy Dandridge for Carmen Jones , Deborah Kerr for The King and I , Rita Moreno for West Side Story , Gladys Cooper for My Fair Lady ), Julie Andrews for Mary Poppins , The Sound of Music , and Victor Victoria , Debbie Reynolds for The Unsinkable Molly Brown , Peggy Wood for The Sound of Music , Carol Channing for Thoroughly Modern Millie , Kay Medford for Funny Girl , Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl , Liza Minnelli for Cabaret , Ronee Blakley for Nashville , Lily Tomlin for Nashville , Ann-Margret for Tommy , Lesley Ann Warren for Victor Victoria , Amy Irving for Yentl , Nicole Kidman for Moulin Rouge! , Queen Latifah for Chicago , Catherine Zeta-Jones for Chicago , Rene Zellweger for Chicago , Jennifer Hudson for Dreamgirls , Penlope Cruz for Nine , Anne Hathaway for Les Misrables , and Emma Stone for La La Land .

Ever since her first Oscar nomination, 66 actresses have been one of her four co-nominees in the same category, spanning an age gap of 81 years (five generations) from Katharine Hepburn to Emma Stone. Among them, 11 actresses were co-nominated twice: Cate Blanchett , Debra Winger , Helen Mirren , Jane Alexander , Jessica Lange , Judi Dench , Julianne Moore , Kate Winslet , Kathy Bates , Sandra Bullock , and Emma Stone. So far, her greatest rival, with three Oscar co-nominations, is still Glenn Close.

Her role in Music of the Heart is the only performance for which Wes Craven directed an actor to an Oscar nomination.

Is one of 13 actresses who won their Best Supporting Actress Oscars in a movie that also won the Best Picture Oscar (she won for Kramer vs. Kramer ). The others are Hattie McDaniel for Gone with the Wind , Teresa Wright for Mrs. Miniver , Celeste Holm for Gentlemans Agreement , Mercedes McCambridge for All the Kings Men , Donna Reed for From Here to Eternity , Eva Marie Saint for On the Waterfront , Rita Moreno for West Side Story , Juliette Binoche for The English Patient , Judi Dench for Shakespeare in Love , Jennifer Connelly for A Beautiful Mind , Catherine Zeta-Jones for Chicago and Lupita Nyongo for 12 Years a Slave .

She won an Oscar for playing Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady , making her one of 18 actors to win the Award for playing a real person who was still alive at the evening of the Award ceremony (as of 2015). The other sixteen actors and their respective performances are: Spencer Tracy for playing Father Edward Flanagan in Boys Town , Gary Cooper for playing Alvin C. York in Sergeant York , Patty Duke for playing Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker , Jason Robards for playing Ben Bradlee in All the Presidents Men , Robert De Niro for playing Jake La Motta in Raging Bull , Sissy Spacek for playing Loretta Lynn in Coal Miners Daughter , Jeremy Irons for playing Claus Von Bullow in Reversal of Fortune , Susan Sarandon for playing Sister Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking , Geoffrey Rush for playing David Helfgott in Shine , Julia Roberts for playing Erin Brockovich in Erin Brockovich , Jennifer Connelly for playing Alicia Nash in A Beautiful Mind , Jim Broadbent for playing John Bayley in Iris (2001/I) , Helen Mirren for playing Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen , Sandra Bullock for playing Leigh Anne Tuohy in The Blind Side , Melissa Leo for playing Alice Eklund-Ward in The Fighter , Christian Bale for playing Dickie Eklund in The Fighter and Eddie Redmayne for playing Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything .

President of the Official Competition jury at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival in 2016.

Her daughter, Grace Gummer , stars as Nora Ephron in "Good Girls Revolt" . Streep starred in three films written by Ephron: Silkwood , Heartburn and Julie & Julia .

Campaigned for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Presidential Election.

She played a character based on Carrie Fisher in Postcards from the Edge , and then became godmother to Fishers real-life daughter, Billie Lourd.

After getting nominated for her first Academy Award in 1979, the biggest gap that Streep has seen in further nominations, was five years, between 1991 and 1996.

She presented director Mike Nichols his AFI Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.

Is one of 16 actresses to have received a Best Actress Oscar nomination for a performance where they acted out a labor and/or birth; hers being for Evil Angels . The others in chronological order are Luise Rainer for The Good Earth , Jane Wyman for Johnny Belinda , Eleanor Parker for Caged , Elizabeth Taylor for Raintree County , Leslie Caron for The L-Shaped Room , Shirley MacLaine for Irma la Douce , Vanessa Redgrave for Isadora , Genevive Bujold for Anne of the Thousand Days , Marsha Mason for Cinderella Liberty , Ann-Margret for Tommy , Ellen Burstyn for Same Time, Next Year , Jessica Lange for Sweet Dreams , Samantha Morton for In America , Ellen Page for Juno , and Gabourey Sidibe for Precious (2009/II) .

She is one of only 4 actors to have been Oscar nominated for a performance in a film from Walt Disney Pictures, for Into the Woods . The only other actors to have achieved this feat are Julie Andrews , Richard Farnsworth , and Johnny Depp.

She has worked with 10 directors who have won a Best Director Oscar: Fred Zinnemann , Michael Cimino , Woody Allen , Robert Benton , Mike Nichols , Sydney Pollack , Robert Zemeckis , Jonathan Demme , Robert Redford , and Steven Spielberg.

Friends with Diane Keaton , and Viola Davis.

["Entertainment Tonight" (1981) ] I had it (smoking), it stinks.

[on her role in The Manchurian Candidate (2004) ] I loved being,someone so certain. Because certainty is just so attractive in people.

[on The Iron Lady (2011) ] It was one of those rare, rare films,where I was grateful to be an actor and grateful for the privilege of,being able to look at a life deeply with empathy.

I gotta thank everybody in England that let me come and trample over,their history.

[on her college life] A kid who had read only seven books in high school,and was now face-to-face with class valedictorians and full time,intellectuals, girls whose idea of a Saturday night was an extra chunk,of free time to conduct a biology experiment.

The formula of happiness and success is just being actually yourself, in,the most vivid possible way you can.

I have a theory that movies operate on the level of dreams, where you dream yourself.

I think the best role models for women are people who are fruitfully and confidently themselves, who bring light into the world.

The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy, we can all sense a mysterious connection to each other.

I have always regarded myself as the pillar of my life.

Grace, respect, reserve, and empathetic listening are qualities sorely missing from the public discourse now.

The interesting thing about being a mother is that everyone wants pets, but no one but me cleans the kitty litter.

The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy.

I have a very busy life, and not many people who have a career and four kids go out a lot to the movies.

I believe in imagination. I did Kramer vs. Kramer before I had children. But the mother I would be was already inside me.

Motherhood has a very humanizing effect. Everything gets reduced to essentials. .