Meryl Streep, Collecting Our Hearts For Decades
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 12:00PM 
It's always staggering to really stop and breathe in the whole of her career, how long this screen giant has wowed and wooed us. Consider that in 1980 (I nabbed this old pic to the left from the wondrous Simply Streep site), she already had an Oscar and the world was already in love with her! And that was just the very beginning.
There have been bumpy patches in the marriage between audience and star, as there are in all relationships, but for the most part we've all lived happily ever after with Mary Louise Streep (Gummer). The moviegoing public, both domestic and international -- and probably even intergalactic if alien cultures have been observing our screens and stages -- has remained hopelessly besotted with Meryl since the late 1970s when she first sprang up, fully formed, an instant movie star.
Today is Meryl's 62nd birthday and she's been famous for just over half of those! We ♥ her.
Many movie stars peak just as they ascend (sad but true) and are defined by one to three (if they're lucky) signature roles. The beauty of Meryl's career is that she simply refused to peak. It's like she wasn't climbing any mountains of stardom but just floating above us all, serenely. Ironically, given her chameleon reputation, the world's most acclaimed actress's signature role is actually MERYL STREEP.
Here's a video The Film Experience crafted for her 60th birthday... time to share it again!
The eighth wonder of the world.
Birthday, Meryl Streep
Reader Comments (27)
Great video! It's so well edited...
Meryl Streep is the best actress alive, in my opinion, and I really mean ACTRESS! She is the definition of female actor.
Congratulations for the video, Nathaniel!
Happy Birthday, Meryl!
Nathaniel,
I have been hard on you lately for my belief that you were beating down Streep, I have to admit this fine tribute to her has changed my mind ... hope your full devotion always continues.
Thank you and ... Happy Birthday, Meryl!!!
I wonder what makes Meryl so everlasting in her career. My mom said it’s because she’s beautiful even until now and she acts perfectly and she’s just a smart woman from her look and I told her she graduated from Yale’s drama school and she was like, “told you”.
Meryl you're not only the world's most amazing actress but in my eyes you are a beautiful human being as well!You INSPIRE me every single day to be the best that I was meant to be!Happy, happy birthday-Forever love you!
You said it best, Nathaniel!
Meryl is the best simply because she never allowed to look at something she did as her best. She's always looking for improvement. She's always looking to experiment, to discover a new shade of color in her performances. That's why she's the best.
And yes, her signature role is Meryl Streep. A cool awesomeness that will make her like no one we'll ever see again. And that makes her such a good thesp and such a wonderful person.
May she celebrate many! Deeply hers,
- Jorge
The best thing I can say about Meryl Streep aside from her cinematic triple crown (Sophie, Silk, Iron) is that she didn't get plastic surgery. She looks younger than many of her peers.
When she wins her 3rd overall Oscar and 2nd for Best Actress Nathan will do a comparison write-up on her 'other' Ingrid Bergman?
Ah, that video...loved it.
She should do a [good] movie musical.
3rtfu11
what does cinematic triple crown (Sophie, Silk, Iron) mean? You referring to her change in looks for Sophie, Silkwood and Ironweed?
Just Curio
Nathaniel, this is a very fine birthday tribute to Streep whose glorious career is really unique in movie history. Let us hope for many more years of accomplishment.
med,
I'm not a Meryl Streep fan at all but these three performances are not only approved by me but some of the finest acting in film history and remember I hate her.
The only thing that could have made that montage better is if you included a "That's all" from TDWP at the end to wrap it all up!
But that's the thing Matt. It's NOT all! ;)
I won't repeat myself. Meryl knows how I feel about her.
In our era, does anyone really compare to her? She's one of the true greats, and one of the few we are lucky enough to have around these days. I hope to see her keep acting for a few decades more.
Because grace and class are timeless. And Meryl Streep owns it in spades, more than anyone else in Hollywood. And because while other celebrities and huge stars fling themselves desperately at the public and become famous and rich off blatant self-promotion, Streep even at her most outgoing remains slyly serene and enigmatic. And I love her for that.
Great piece, Nathaniel. I love your last sentence 'the eight wonder of the world.' Bravo, bravo! No one compares (or even comes close) to Meryl Streep. I feel so lucky to have witnessed her towering talent for more than 30 years. Many happy returns, Meryl.
MERYL STREEP IS SIMPLY ONE (IF NOT THE BEST) THING TO EVER HAPPEN TO THE FILM INDUSTRY AND TO THE WORLD SINCE I CONSIDER HER NOT ONLY THE BEST ACTRESS BUT ALSO AN AMAZING HUMAN BEING!
HAPPY B-DAY MERYL!!
<3333
was the world already in love with her in 1980? i recall she was admired more than loved for a long time and then suddenly - and i can't even pinpoint when - everybody adored her. which is as it should be
This post made me think of "Mama Mia" which made me think of Dominic Cooper--- who I saw today in a preview of that movie about the body double of Saddam Hussein's son. DAMN, he looks hotter every movie he is in!! who'd of thunk it? This is a movie i would NEVER want to see, but one look of dominic in that speedo was enough to convince me that I will be "wasting" 2 hours of my life this summer with this project (the name of which totally escapes me).
par -- do i exaggerate? she did go through an "admire" stage but that usually dissolves straight into love if the performer sticks around. witness the Cate Blanchett fanaticism from many.
Blachette is the new Streep except more talented, exciting and interesting...I don't care that 3 of her 5 nominations are in the Supporting category whatever gets her the most nominations the fastest is what matters.
It just came to me
Blanchett vs Streep
Spielberg live-action for Blanchett
Wes Anderson live-action for Blachett
for Streep voice work only for these two directors
Blanchett wins here
i think (and this is just me) 3rtfu11 needs to get real.
brandz ... you are 100% correct.
I agree with you Nat, that streep has always been admired, but until the 2000's was not loved
If I am on my deathbed and I know the end is coming soon and I have any time to think back over the course of my life, I would imagine that there would be only a few artists, singers and misc. famous people that might populate just a few of those thoughts. However, I can only imagine one actor out of them all that would enter my thoughts as someone that affected me enough to be significant in my life, and that would be Meryl Streep. I have never felt about any movie star / actor / celebrity the way that I feel about her. She has been the most significant reason that film is one of my true passions and if she were to go before me (or chose to stop working in film), it would be devastating on every level.
Meryl is my idol in so many aspects in life. Her strength and skill prompted me to Drama classes in University and the ability to feel the magic of being on stage and forgetting everything except your character. I have this huge painting of Meryl, I had a local artist paint it, and I can honestly talk about Meryl for days. She is a beautiful person in every aspect...and if I had lunch with her then died as soon as I left the restaurant, I would die happy. Yes, I am FANatical about my Meryl...anyone who rags on her somehow manage to make me deaf until they are done talking lol.
Meryl is my idol in so many aspects in life. Her strength and skill prompted me to Drama classes in University and the ability to feel the magic of being on stage and forgetting everything except your character. I have this huge painting of Meryl, I had a local artist paint it, and I can honestly talk about Meryl for days. She is a beautiful person in every aspect...and if I had lunch with her then died as soon as I left the restaurant, I would die happy. Yes, I am FANatical about my Meryl...anyone who rags on her somehow manage to make me deaf until they are done talking lol.-discount Paul Frank Leather Shoes