Who did Hugh Grant make cry & Meryl's most dubious
Monday, April 18, 2016 at 11:46AM
Murtada here. Graham Norton always manages to coax stories out of his visiting guests that somehow they never divulge on this side of the Atlantic.This week his guests included Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant, selling Florence Foster Jenkins. Norton brings up a recent interview in which Grant claimed all his co-stars hated him. Julianne Moore, Rachel Weisz, Emma Thompson, Sandra Bullock and Drew Barrymore are name checked. Clearly the Music and Lyrics (2007) set was not a happy one as this is what Grant said about Barrymore:
She made the mistake of giving me notes. How would you take that?
Meryl's response is perfect and gets the biggest laugh. Deservedly. She knows how to land a line!
Meryl divulges the one movie in her oeuvre she isn’t happy with. I thought it would be Still of the Night (1982) which she has spoken about before. But it’s actually The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981).
It's a fun talk show moment. And wouldn't we all love to get a glimpse of Renee Zellweger's 48 pages long emails. Do it Hugh, put them on twitter! Is The French Lieutenant's Woman really Meryl's most dubious moment on screen?
Reader Comments (24)
I think it came in her New Greatest Actress Period,I personally would not hve nominated her for it either,glad she can be so candid.
I love The French Lieutenant's Woman. I know she wouldn't, but picking something more recent that was acclaimed but embarrassing (cough The Iron Lady cough) would have been more appropriate. I know she can't stand Still of the Night either.
I saw this interview and it was quite good. Clearly she likes Graham Norton (and Hugh Grant). It made sense to me what she said about how it was probably hard to embody the two characters in The French Lieutenant's Woman. But the movie works as a traditional period romance, and I love the moments when it gets blurry between the two periods (like when Sarah falls down and Meryl the actress playing her laughs for a brief moment and then resumes the scene; now I am wondering if some of those moments were happy accidents that Karel Reisz kept in the film). I really look forward to Florence Foster Jenkins.
When she said to Graham that he'd never guess because she won awards for it, I thought for sure The Iron Lady.
Hasn't she said that she likes The Iron Lady because in addition to focusing on a female head of state in Thatcher, it was a rare film that actually depicted the aging process? It also won her a third Oscar and she likes Phyllida Llloyd, so I doubt she would bag on that film.
Her worst is obviously The Giver. Love you, Meryl, but I have no idea why you did that god-awful movie!
One of the great mysteries of American late night television is how no one has even tried to re-create The Graham Norton Show. I realize that knowing the show only from occasional YouTube highlights means avoiding a lot of the dreck and the unfamiliar, but the format still seems conducive to memorable moments from A-list celebrities.
Why does it work? Is it the host? The eye-straining set? The research staff? The selection and pairing of guests? The couch, which looks both relaxing and uncomfortable?
James Corden does the "interview all the guests together" format as Graham Norton, but Corden isn't as funny as Norton, and the guest pairings haven't been as spot on. Maybe he needs to bring on Miriam Margolyes, as she'll be hilariously take the piss out of anyone.
Mama Mia has to be the worst!
Graham Norton has mastered the conversation between 3 or more stars that may not have any real connection. He's very charming. Worst Meryl: House of the Spirits, The Giver, Still of the Night.
Dancing at Lughnasa.
"The Giver" is really bad - like if "Hunger Games" got a rewrite by Jenny McCarthy - but I don't recall if Meryl was specifically bad *in* it. She doesn't feature much, at least.
I didn't love her in "Osage County", some big choices but I'm not sure it really paid off.
Norton is a bit of an institution here in the UK,he is also v funny and usuallly likes his guests,he famously said Lindsay Wagner did not get it,he has the best guests -- Hello Madonna.
Isn't Graham Norton's show weekly? That's why American TV can't quite replicate it. You think the studios want to waste all of the cast of one movie on one night instead of spreading them out over a week? Also, American chat show hosts are generally pretty smug and spend too much time trying to be funny so it's hard to get that feeling of communal enjoyment. Plus, Norton genuinely seems to love actors and such and is always keen to dig things up that nobody else would. I also think some, misguidedly, think it's a British show so why not have a laugh and do stuff they never would on Fallon.
Actors view their performances with their own set of lens so it's not surprising they sometimes see things differently than we do. I wouldn't even think French Lieutenant is Meryl's worst, not even by a mile. Maybe Still of the Night or even Mamma Mia. It's too bad she turned down performing in a play in London. Guess she's semi-retired now that she wants to 'enjoy other things in life'.
The Iron Lady was a not so good movie, but I still stand by her acting chops in it!
For me her worst movies were: House of the Spirits, The Giver ( she did it for her friend ),
Prime, and Still of the Night.
I like her performance in Prime.
I've seen all of her performances, and I've gotta say Dark Matter was pretty terrible. That, and Evening.
Prime is funny for a B movie. House of Spirits is almost a movie made for multiple dissertations. Glenn won that round. Her sister character was in on the joke. Meryl unplugged is the best. Has a million stories.
Graham Norton is simply the best at actually conversing with people on TV. Most other chat show hosts are too busy making it about themselves, always looking to one up the guest with another 'funny' line. Graham focuses on his guests, he always makes sure they shine, (and they are allowed to finish a sentence).
House of Spirits is my least favourite Streep performance.
I feel that Hugh Grant who was every bit as funny as Streep is getting overlooked here.
Drew Barrymore gave him notes? I don't blame him for finding that off=putting.
Meryl has some great moments in The French Lieutenant's Woman. The direction and screenplay made for a disappointing film, but she still has a handful of unforgettable scenes. The novel is fantastic.
I am happy to try my hand at film historian, but at the time, wasn't The House of the Spirits (1993) supposed to be a comeback film for Meryl? It really was a disaster with the Anglo casting of the Latin roles (although it made money in Europe). She followed that film up with River Wild (1994) and Bridges of Madison County (1995), and only then did she go on to greater success. Had she had followed up the The House of Spirits with a couple of additional miscast bombs, her career would have probably ended. I am on Netflix, BTW.
Oh, Meryl is a such a witty darling w that subtle comeback at Grant!! Lol, Lest us forget the Queen Meryl also has a sharp sense of humour :)
I was quite surprised that she din like her perf in TFLW. It was my 1st movie of her and I remember I was totally mesmerized by her just like Irons' character. I was totally flabbergasted when I found out tt she din win the Oscar that year (Dear Ol' Kate got her last sentimental win)
I re-watched TFLW last year (20 yrs after the last viewing on TV) and this time, to my surprise, I was actually more impressed by Irons' performance. It was his story, his struggles & his lifelong obsession w tt enigmatic and unattainable Lady (both Sarah & Anna) and Irons nailed the part to perfection!! It was no surprise Meryl landed noms & wins left, right and centre, but I cannot u/stand Y Irons only rec'v a nom nod from BAFTA. Its grossly unfair!
In hindsight, Meryl may had the showy & star making part in TFLW, but Irons is the heart & soul that anchors the film
I know I'm late to the party, but has nobody mentioned Julia? There were a few deer-in-the-headlights from young ingenue Meryl in that one.