Mia, why do you love Meryl? She's Meryl Freakin' Streep, that's why!
Mary Louise Streep, known better by Meryl, is a screen legend. She's also 60 years old and doesn't show signs of stopping, or even slowing down any time soon. She is bigger than she ever has been before (and that's not even from all the buttery foods she ate filming the upcoming Julie & Julia where she plays the famed chef Julia Child). Today I come to you with some explanation for all the Meryl movie reviews. My ode to Meryl, I suppose.
I think it’s safe to say that Meryl Streep swiftly, and sneakily, became my favorite actress this past year. I don’t know how, or even when, this happened. I used to love Reese Witherspoon, for a while I wanted to be Anne Hathaway. Other actresses just don’t compare anymore, and I’m at a point where it’s only Meryl. Sure, the others are smart and funny and no doubt, talented, but nobody has anything on Meryl. So, on her birthday, I’m going to try to figure out why she’s so awe inspiring.
Meryl Streep is smart. She attended Vassar, and Yale, and studied at Dartmouth, and has a degree from Princeton. The woman has to be a genius. She also knows how to work it. Her film choices are always perfect (okay. Not always but seriously, she has good judgment). She keeps her professional life and her family life separate, and is an all around educated lady. And she should be commended for that. For not getting swept up into Hollywood chaos and drama. For being married for 30 years and raising four well adjusted children. For not accepting anything less than the best she can give.
Meryl Streep can act. There have been far too many times as I sit in a darkened room that I forget the woman on the screen is Meryl. Sometimes I don’t even realize it is Meryl! She played an old rabbi in Angels in America and the dvd had to physically be rewound to prove it to me. The woman does an accent like she’s from every place under the sun. She’s committed so deeply to her work and it shows. She learned Polish and German for Sophie, and that wasn’t the first, or the last accent she’d do. She learned how to play the violin for Music of the Heart, and how to white water raft for The River Wild. Her talents always amaze me, and others are amazed too. It’s probably the reason she has two Oscars, has been nominated 13 other times, and has won a whole bunch of other awards. She never used her beauty or her blonde-ness to get a role, and she never played dumb (she clearly could have too. The woman is gorgeous). She gets the accolades for a reason, but never campaigns for them. She used her whole SAG award speech this year to talk about how great the rest of the nominees’ performances were. She’s humble about her abilities, but has no reason to be. It’s endearing.
Meryl Streep is funny. Yes, she can make me cry for hours under the covers watching movies like Sophie’s Choice or The Hours but everybody knows that about her. I have a friend who is wary to watch any of her movies because “Meryl Streep often depresses me… without even trying.” Clearly she hasn’t seen some of my favorite Meryl Movies. Death Becomes Her, Prime, A Prairie Home Companion, and any of her countless acceptance speeches for the countless awards (awards that she probably hides away because she is embarrassed of all the compliments), show how funny she actually is. And she LIKES doing comedies! Why people don’t more often is so far beyond me. She wants them people! “I love doing comedy, but people just don't give me enough of a chance. It's one of the reasons I enjoy The Manchurian Candidate so much. It's because I actually get a chance to be funny.” Nowadays she has taken more and more comedic roles and really opened up and shown how vibrant and cheerful she can be, and I have to say that while a beautifully sad Meryl inspires many deep thoughts and feelings, a funny, happy, laughing Meryl instantly brings a smile to my face.
Meryl Streep can sing. I have to give it up for her. If Mamma Mia! is the only movie people judge her voice on, somebody is going to say she sucks, even though she basically kicks The Winner Takes It All's metaphorical ass. They will be wrong. Mamma Mia is not the first time Meryl has sung a song on film. She has an amazing voice, and even auditioned for the role in Evita that ultimately went to Madonna. Anyway, I frequently listen to the music from A Prairie Home Companion and I frequently wish I could sing as well as she does in Alice at the Palace. Is there anything Meryl can't do? Probably not.
Meryl Streep is a mother. She’s Mamma Gummer first and foremost. Her marriage has lasted light years in Hollywood time and not one of her four children has ever done anything crazy or gone to rehab. She even said herself “I think I was wired for family. You know how they say people are wired for religion, or wired for this or that? I always knew I would like to, if I could find the right person, have a family. I can't imagine living single.” She’s achieved all this, and when she gets the chance to play a mother onscreen it is clear that she’s a great one in real life. Even before she was a mother, when she acted in Kramer vs. Kramer, she was innately a mother. She’s warm and loving and people respond to that. Especially young actresses, many of whom call her their inspiration, including Amy Adams, Anne Hathaway, Clare Danes, and Emily Blunt. But who wouldn’t be inspired by Meryl?
Meryl Streep is adored. In 2004 the American Film Institute bestowed upon Meryl their Lifetime Achievement Award (laughable seeing how, since then she’s completed fourteen projects, racked two more Oscar nominations --bringing her to fifteen total, the record -- and has three other upcomings in her IMDB list, not including the two under “in development”). Anyway, it is clear through the speeches her colleagues and friends made that every person she meets adores her. She is thrown accolades left and right for every little thing she does. She is easily liked and snatches you quickly with her wit and poise, and almost without realizing it you are a Meryl Streep Fan. It’s easy. The woman has a Sesame Street character in her honor. It’s a no brainer to love Meryl.
Meryl Streep is human. Yes, she has two Oscars and is typically touted as the greatest actress of all time but she also is so genuine. She refuses to get her nose fixed (she does have a wicked awesome profile because of it, I don’t blame her), she has a fear of helicopters, and she left her just claimed Oscar on the back of a toilet. She isn’t selfabsorbed (typically people say the exact opposite) and she’s an advocate for freaking everybody except herself. All this just happens to come with some kick-ass talent. She’s a role model. She went on Letterman with a really bad cold, as to not let him down. She’s easily embarrassed by all the accolades she receives saying, “I don't want to spit in the eye of good fortune, but it was weird. I felt like I'd butted in line in front of Lucille Ball, Audrey Hepburn, Katharine Hepburn. Hello? How did this happen? I was only the sixth woman to receive it, but they found 26 men to give it to. I thought that was embarrassing. [on her Lifetime Achievement Award from the AFI].” All in all, the woman is a powerhouse but she’s down to earth. One quote I always hear of hers is “I try to lead as ordinary a life as I can. You can’t get spoiled if you do your own ironing.” I think that says it all.
So there it is. Meryl Streep is so many things. Many more than I could have possibly spoken about, of course. I had to try. One thing is clear though… nobody comes close. Meryl Streep is going to be my favorite for a very long time.
As a p.s. of sorts, I leave you with a quote from Jim Carrey's opening speech at Meryl's AFI Ceremony:
There is no bad film on this woman, nothing. There are no flaws. That’s what I want to know, where are the flaws? You know. What are you, man? WHAT ARE YOU?! SHAPESHIFTER?! BODYSNATCHER?!
Seriously though, whether you’re a friend a colleague or just a person in a dark movie theater being moved by your many, many beautiful performances I think we can all agree that no one has ever deserved this honor more. And I know how easily embarrassed you are so, about compliments and things like that, this is going to be a very confronting night for you so I don’t want to lay it on too thick or anything like that. so I’ll just say this: (singing) YOU’RE SIMPLY THE BEST! YOU’RE BETTER THAN ALL THE REST! YOU’RE BETTER THAN EVERYONE, MAYBE EVEN HIIIIM (points to deniro)!
Also, video from the ceremony of actresses talking about Meryl:
I think it’s safe to say that Meryl Streep swiftly, and sneakily, became my favorite actress this past year. I don’t know how, or even when, this happened. I used to love Reese Witherspoon, for a while I wanted to be Anne Hathaway. Other actresses just don’t compare anymore, and I’m at a point where it’s only Meryl. Sure, the others are smart and funny and no doubt, talented, but nobody has anything on Meryl. So, on her birthday, I’m going to try to figure out why she’s so awe inspiring.
Meryl Streep is smart. She attended Vassar, and Yale, and studied at Dartmouth, and has a degree from Princeton. The woman has to be a genius. She also knows how to work it. Her film choices are always perfect (okay. Not always but seriously, she has good judgment). She keeps her professional life and her family life separate, and is an all around educated lady. And she should be commended for that. For not getting swept up into Hollywood chaos and drama. For being married for 30 years and raising four well adjusted children. For not accepting anything less than the best she can give.
Meryl Streep can act. There have been far too many times as I sit in a darkened room that I forget the woman on the screen is Meryl. Sometimes I don’t even realize it is Meryl! She played an old rabbi in Angels in America and the dvd had to physically be rewound to prove it to me. The woman does an accent like she’s from every place under the sun. She’s committed so deeply to her work and it shows. She learned Polish and German for Sophie, and that wasn’t the first, or the last accent she’d do. She learned how to play the violin for Music of the Heart, and how to white water raft for The River Wild. Her talents always amaze me, and others are amazed too. It’s probably the reason she has two Oscars, has been nominated 13 other times, and has won a whole bunch of other awards. She never used her beauty or her blonde-ness to get a role, and she never played dumb (she clearly could have too. The woman is gorgeous). She gets the accolades for a reason, but never campaigns for them. She used her whole SAG award speech this year to talk about how great the rest of the nominees’ performances were. She’s humble about her abilities, but has no reason to be. It’s endearing.
Meryl Streep is funny. Yes, she can make me cry for hours under the covers watching movies like Sophie’s Choice or The Hours but everybody knows that about her. I have a friend who is wary to watch any of her movies because “Meryl Streep often depresses me… without even trying.” Clearly she hasn’t seen some of my favorite Meryl Movies. Death Becomes Her, Prime, A Prairie Home Companion, and any of her countless acceptance speeches for the countless awards (awards that she probably hides away because she is embarrassed of all the compliments), show how funny she actually is. And she LIKES doing comedies! Why people don’t more often is so far beyond me. She wants them people! “I love doing comedy, but people just don't give me enough of a chance. It's one of the reasons I enjoy The Manchurian Candidate so much. It's because I actually get a chance to be funny.” Nowadays she has taken more and more comedic roles and really opened up and shown how vibrant and cheerful she can be, and I have to say that while a beautifully sad Meryl inspires many deep thoughts and feelings, a funny, happy, laughing Meryl instantly brings a smile to my face.
Meryl Streep can sing. I have to give it up for her. If Mamma Mia! is the only movie people judge her voice on, somebody is going to say she sucks, even though she basically kicks The Winner Takes It All's metaphorical ass. They will be wrong. Mamma Mia is not the first time Meryl has sung a song on film. She has an amazing voice, and even auditioned for the role in Evita that ultimately went to Madonna. Anyway, I frequently listen to the music from A Prairie Home Companion and I frequently wish I could sing as well as she does in Alice at the Palace. Is there anything Meryl can't do? Probably not.
Meryl Streep is a mother. She’s Mamma Gummer first and foremost. Her marriage has lasted light years in Hollywood time and not one of her four children has ever done anything crazy or gone to rehab. She even said herself “I think I was wired for family. You know how they say people are wired for religion, or wired for this or that? I always knew I would like to, if I could find the right person, have a family. I can't imagine living single.” She’s achieved all this, and when she gets the chance to play a mother onscreen it is clear that she’s a great one in real life. Even before she was a mother, when she acted in Kramer vs. Kramer, she was innately a mother. She’s warm and loving and people respond to that. Especially young actresses, many of whom call her their inspiration, including Amy Adams, Anne Hathaway, Clare Danes, and Emily Blunt. But who wouldn’t be inspired by Meryl?
Meryl Streep is adored. In 2004 the American Film Institute bestowed upon Meryl their Lifetime Achievement Award (laughable seeing how, since then she’s completed fourteen projects, racked two more Oscar nominations --bringing her to fifteen total, the record -- and has three other upcomings in her IMDB list, not including the two under “in development”). Anyway, it is clear through the speeches her colleagues and friends made that every person she meets adores her. She is thrown accolades left and right for every little thing she does. She is easily liked and snatches you quickly with her wit and poise, and almost without realizing it you are a Meryl Streep Fan. It’s easy. The woman has a Sesame Street character in her honor. It’s a no brainer to love Meryl.
Meryl Streep is human. Yes, she has two Oscars and is typically touted as the greatest actress of all time but she also is so genuine. She refuses to get her nose fixed (she does have a wicked awesome profile because of it, I don’t blame her), she has a fear of helicopters, and she left her just claimed Oscar on the back of a toilet. She isn’t selfabsorbed (typically people say the exact opposite) and she’s an advocate for freaking everybody except herself. All this just happens to come with some kick-ass talent. She’s a role model. She went on Letterman with a really bad cold, as to not let him down. She’s easily embarrassed by all the accolades she receives saying, “I don't want to spit in the eye of good fortune, but it was weird. I felt like I'd butted in line in front of Lucille Ball, Audrey Hepburn, Katharine Hepburn. Hello? How did this happen? I was only the sixth woman to receive it, but they found 26 men to give it to. I thought that was embarrassing. [on her Lifetime Achievement Award from the AFI].” All in all, the woman is a powerhouse but she’s down to earth. One quote I always hear of hers is “I try to lead as ordinary a life as I can. You can’t get spoiled if you do your own ironing.” I think that says it all.
So there it is. Meryl Streep is so many things. Many more than I could have possibly spoken about, of course. I had to try. One thing is clear though… nobody comes close. Meryl Streep is going to be my favorite for a very long time.
As a p.s. of sorts, I leave you with a quote from Jim Carrey's opening speech at Meryl's AFI Ceremony:
There is no bad film on this woman, nothing. There are no flaws. That’s what I want to know, where are the flaws? You know. What are you, man? WHAT ARE YOU?! SHAPESHIFTER?! BODYSNATCHER?!
Seriously though, whether you’re a friend a colleague or just a person in a dark movie theater being moved by your many, many beautiful performances I think we can all agree that no one has ever deserved this honor more. And I know how easily embarrassed you are so, about compliments and things like that, this is going to be a very confronting night for you so I don’t want to lay it on too thick or anything like that. so I’ll just say this: (singing) YOU’RE SIMPLY THE BEST! YOU’RE BETTER THAN ALL THE REST! YOU’RE BETTER THAN EVERYONE, MAYBE EVEN HIIIIM (points to deniro)!
Also, video from the ceremony of actresses talking about Meryl:
Click to view