Top 10 Meryl Streep

There’s no one quite like Meryl Streep. A Masters graduate from Yale School of Drama, the actress has carved out a reputable career as one of the most successful women in Hollywood. Streep stands tall, shoulder-to-shoulder with several of her successful male counterparts, and has always endeavoured to take on the more challenging and thought-provoking roles out there, while at the same time proving her fun side with box office fluff such as Mamma Mia! We chart Streep’s amazing thirty-year span...

Her Top 10 Films

The Deer Hunter (1978)

After several stints on the small screen in TV shows such as Holocaust and The Deadliest Season, Meryl Streep landed a part alongside Robert De Niro in the big-screen war-drama The Deer Hunter. At 29, Streep’s breakthrough role came relatively late by Hollywood’s standards, but the actress made sure she silenced any critics with an Oscar nod for Best Actress in a Supporting Role - missing out to veteran actress Maggie Smith for her work in California Suite.

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Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Having almost-but-not-quite won the Oscar for The Deer Hunter, Streep’s moment finally came in 1979 when she won the gong for Best Supporting Actress in Robert Benton’s Kramer Vs. Kramer. Originally cast as Ted’s (Dustin Hoffman) one night stand in the story, Streep was elevated to spouse status when Hollywood Royalty Jane Fonda turned down the part of Joanna Kramer.

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The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)

Based on the novel of the same title by John Fowles, this five-time Oscar-nominated film draws on few elements from the book. Where the book looks at events as they occur in the Twentieth Century, the film adopts a story within a story, providing audiences with two different settings in both Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. Despite veering away from the literature, Streep bagged the BAFTA Award for Best Actress.

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Sophie's Choice (1982)

This screen adaptation of William Styron’s novel focuses on one woman’s experience of the Holocaust. Rebel Without A Cause’s Natalie Wood was the original choice for Sophie, but Streep snapped up the role, welcoming yet another Oscar win. In preparation for the part, Streep took up German and Polish lessons to perfect her accent. Furthermore, the actress is rumoured to have insisted on doing the very final scene in one take to avoid reliving any emotional stress.

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Silkwood (1983)

The real-life story of US citizen Karen Silkwood’s attempts to expose her employers for contamination was adapted into a film in 1983 with Streep at the helm. The film was well received by critics and went on to be a box office success in the U.S. It also earnt Streep her fifth Oscar nomination (behind two wins and two nominations). Streep would later cook up a storm with writer/director Nora Ephron on Julie & Julia.

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Out of Africae (1985)

Streep teamed up with director Sydney Pollack and screen icon Robert Redford in 1985 to tell the passionate story of a Danish woman’s affair in the rural landscape of Africa. Streep perfected her character’s Danish accent by listening intently to recordings of Karen Blixen, also known as Isak Dinesen - the author of the original novel. The film scooped seven Oscars and was branded a commercial success.

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The Bridges of Madison County (1995)

10 years later Streep returned to her romantic roots with the Oscar-nominated The Bridges Of Madison County. Originally, Pollack was linked to the project but Clint Eastwood stepped in as director, producer and leading male in this dramatic story, based on the best-selling novel by Robert James Waller. The stalwart actress cut a curvaceous figure for the part, gaining an alleged 15-20 pounds to play a convincing middle-aged housewife.

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Adaptation (2002)

Adaptation is a curious story based on writer Charlie Kaufman's struggle to adapt the best-selling book The Orchid Thief into a screenplay, whilst filming Being John Malkovich. Acclaimed director Spike Jonze’s adept use of dramatic irony and embellished fact served as the backbone for Streep’s 13th Oscar-winning performance. The part of New York journalist Susan Orlean proved the actress’ ability to take a risk on interesting and diverse parts even in her fifties.

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The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

It is rumoured that Streep based her frosty performance of style editor Miranda Priestly on real-life fashion mogul and editor of Vogue, Anna Wintour. Kitted out in couture, Streep’s soft spoken yet steely demeanour garnered the acclaimed actress yet another Oscar nod, after 13 nominations (including two wins) previously. When Priestly opens up to Andy (Anne Hathaway) about her looming divorce, Streep suggested wearing no make-up to convey her character’s vulnerability.

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Mamma Mia! (2008)

In 2008 Streep hit a high note in the all-singing all-dancing cast of Mamma Mia! The musical adaptation sees Streep and her showbiz pals stretching their vocals on a Greek Island. Thanks to phenomenal box office takings and its status as the highest grossing musical of all time, this film lands firmly on our list, bumping Nora Ephron’s Julie & Julia from the running. However, this culinary delight receives a deserved mention for Streep’s Oscar-nominated performance as the charismatic chef, Julia Child.

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Jennifer Trevorrow