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Why do we love Meryl?
Born Mary Louise (her mother nicknamed her Meryl) in a privileged New Jersey town, the greatest film actor of the past 30 years has led a charmed life. A classic "popular" girl who was a cheerleader and homecoming queen, Meryl excelled in her studies, going on to attend Vassar College and the Yale University's graduate school of drama. Her rise was swift, as she soon dominated the stage and moved on to the movies. Her first major film role came in the 1978 film The Deer Hunter, for which she would receive her first of 13 Academy Award nominations, more than any other actor in history. That film was also notable because Meryl appeared in it with her fiancé, actor John Cazale, who would die of bone cancer before the film's release. Meryl credits Cazale's death with giving her an uncommon strength, one she has displayed over the years in an amazing range of film roles. A Meryl Streep performance is notable for never being "Meryl Streep." Her gift for accents is legendary, her skill with mannerisms is breathtaking, her facility with becoming other people is almost unmatched in the history of film acting. Her impressive body of work only becomes more so when one realizes that Meryl has devoted herself to her family, ensuring that she spends ample time with her four children. Continuing in the "Superwoman" vein, she is devoted to many charitable causes, from environmental protection to world hunger relief to children's issues, she gives of her time and her talents to a multitude of worthy causes. Through it all, Meryl manages to project the image of a woman at peace with herself, in love with her family, warm, gracious, grounded, funny, generous, and kind. Despite the dearth of interesting roles for women over forty in Hollywood, Meryl's career is still in peak form. May she continue to grace our silver screens with her uncommon artistry for years to come.
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Biography:
Born - June 22, 1949
Summit, New Jersey
Achievements:
Academy Awards --
- 2003 - Nominated Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Adaptation
- 2000 - Nominated Best Actress in a Leading Role for Music of the Heart
- 1999 - Nominated Best Actress in a Leading Role for One True Thing
- 1996 - Nominated Best Actress in a Leading Role for The Bridges of Madison County
- 1991 - Nominated Best Actress in a Leading Role for Postcards from the Edge
- 1989 - Nominated Best Actress in a Leading Role for A Cry in the Dark
- 1988 - Nominated Best Actress in a Leading Role for Ironweed
- 1986 - Nominated Best Actress in a Leading Role for Out of Africa
- 1984 - Nominated Best Actress in a Leading Role for Silkwood
- 1983 - Won Best Actress in a Leading Role for Sophie's Choice
- 1982 - Nominated Best Actress in a Leading Role for The French Lieutenant's Woman
- 1980 - Won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Kramer vs. Kramer
- 1979 - Nominated Best Actress in a Supporting Role for The Deer Hunter
BAFTA Awards --
- 2003 - Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for The Hours
- 2003 - Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for Adaptation
- 1987 - Nominated Best Actress for Out of Africa
- 1985 - Nominated Award Best Actress for Silkwood
- 1984 - Nominated Best Actress for Sophie's Choice
- 1982 - Won Best Actress for The French Lieutenant's Woman
- 1981 - Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Actress for Kramer vs. Kramer
- 1980 - Nominated Best Actress for The Deer Hunter
- 1980 - Nominated Best Supporting Actress for Manhattan
Emmy Awards --
- 1997 - Nominated Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special for ...First Do No Harm
- 1978 - Won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series for Holocaust
Golden Globes --
- 2003 - Won Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for Adaptation
- 2003 - Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for The Hours
- 2000 - Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for Music of the Heart
- 1999 - Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for One True Thing
- 1998 - Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV for
...First Do No Harm
- 1997 - Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for Marvin's Room
- 1996 - Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for
The Bridges of Madison County
- 1995 - Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for The River Wild
- 1993 - Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical for
Death Becomes Her
- 1991 - Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical for
Postcards from the Edge
- 1990 - Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical for She-Devil
- 1989 - Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for A Cry in the Dark
- 1986 - Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for Out of Africa
- 1984 - Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for Silkwood
- 1983 - Won Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for Sophie's Choice
- 1982 - Won Best Motion Picture Actress - Drama for The French Lieutenant's Woman
- 1980 - Won Best Motion Picture Actress in a Supporting Role for Kramer vs. Kramer
- 1979 - Nominated Best Motion Picture Actress in a Supporting Role for The Deer Hunter
Screen Actors Guild Awards --
- 2003 - Nominated Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture for Adaptation
- 2003 - Nominated Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture for The Hours
- 2000 - Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for Music of the Heart
- 1999 - Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for for One True Thing
- 1997 - Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Cast for Marvin's Room
- 1996 - Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for The Bridges of Madison County
- 1995 - Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for The River Wild
Additional Honors --
- 2003 - Won Berlin Film Festival's Silver Bear Best Actress for The Hours -- Shared with: Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore
- 2003 - Won Chicago Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actress for Adaptation
- 2003 - Won Florida Film Critics Circle Award Best Supporting Actress for Adaptation
- 2003 - Won César Honorary Award (Honneur)
- 2000 - Named an Officer of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
- 1998 - Won Women in Film Crystal Award
- 1998 - Star on the Walk of Fame
- 1991 - Won American Comedy Award Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) for Postcards from the Edge
- 1984-1987, 1989, 1990 Won People's Choice Award Favorite Motion Picture Actress
- 1989 - Won - Cannes Film Festival Best Actress for A Cry in the Dark
- 1983 - Won Boston Society of Film Critic Award Best Actress for Sophie's Choice
- 1980 - Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year
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In her own words -- On life and choices:
"Actually, I'm sort of boring, except for this incredibly fascinating career I have. Day to day, you know, I'm just like everybody else."
"I am an actor, and an actor is a figment. I have distinguished myself by expressing other people's pain, joy, weakness and triumph in a process that remains pretty mysterious to me when I do it. I'm famous for being Somebody Else... In searching, desperately, for the thing we all have in common, I realized this: We all choose. This is where acting and life are the same. I do choose who, and how, and with whom to play. What I will and will not do. Acting is a series of choices. And so is life."
"I think the best role models for women and girls are people of either gender who are fruitfully and confidently themselves, who bring light into the world." |
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