On June 22, 1949, Meryl Streep was born in Summit, NJ. Today, she is considered one of the greatest actresses of our time. Known for her chameleon-like acting ability, she is a master of both the stage and the silver screen. It should come as no surprise that Streep currently holds the record for the most Academy Award nominations, as well as Golden Globe nominations, of any other actor. Streep is celebrating her 69th birthday today!
After attending Vassar College and the Yale School of Drama, Streep began acting on the New York stage in the late 1960s. In 1977, she had her film debut in “Julia.” Streep had a breakthrough performance opposite Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken in “The Deer Hunter.” The role led to her first of many Academy Award nominations. In 1979, her portrayal of a woman engulfed in an ugly custody battle over her son in “Kramer v. Kramer” earned Streep her first Academy Award.
Throughout the 1980s, Streep established herself as an actress who was in a class by herself. She riveted and moved audiences with her Oscar-winning portrayal of a Polish woman traumatized by the Holocaust in 1982’s “Sophie’s Choice.” In 1985, she starred opposite Robert Redford in “Out of Africa” and earned yet another Academy Award nomination.
It is no secret that many actresses who approach middle age struggle to land robust parts in Hollywood. However, Streep defied the odds and continued to rule the silver screen throughout the 1990s. She received Oscar nominations for a number of performances, including her roles in the film adaptations of the Carrie Fisher novel, “Postcards From The Edge” and “The Bridges of Madison County.”
In the early 2000s, there was still no slowing down for Streep. In 2002, she starred in two critically acclaimed films, “The Hours” and “Adaptation.” Among her many celebrated performances was her Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated performance as magazine editor Miranda Priestly in “The Devil Wear Prada.” Forever impressing us with her vast range, she showcased her vocal talent in “A Prairie Home Companion” and in the ABBA musical, “Mamma Mia.” In 2008, she was nominated (again) for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for her performance in “Doubt,” a film about sexual abuse in the Catholic church. In 2012, she won her third Academy Award for her masterful portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady.”
Streep continues to entertain us with her unrivaled ability to bring life to incredible characters. In January 2018, she received her record 21st Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of the Washington Post’s first female publisher, Kay Graham, in “The Post.”