Meryl Streep is, with very little room for debate, the greatest actress of our time.
She leaps into her roles as if it takes no effort at all to transform into an entirely new person. She takes it upon herself to learn many of the skills her characters possess. These tasks that would take the average human months or years to master, Meryl does in a matter of weeks before filming a role.
These 10 things about Meryl Streep will only leave you even more impressed and infatuated with the Kramer vs. Kramer actress.
It will be a while until we see another Meryl Streep in our midst, if ever, although her daughters will definitely look exactly like her when they are her age.
Either way, it's a good thing Meryl is still cranking out amazing films for us to enjoy!
What is your favorite Meryl Streep role of all time? Is it from her earlier work, or one of her later films?
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1. She Has More Academy Award Nominations Than Any Other Female
Her long list of awards on IMDb will leave your fingers tired from scrolling. It includes her staggering 30 Golden Globe nominations, with nine wins (a record), and her 20 Academy Award nominations and three wins.
This leaves her with the most Academy Award nominations of any woman in history.
2. She's Worth $90 Million
Meryl's iconic work hasn't been without reward. The amazing actress has racked up quite the empire with her work from Julia to The Iron Lady.
Celebrity Net Worth has her at $90 million.
3. She Quit Opera To Become A Cheerleader
When Meryl was a teenager, she studied with Estelle Liebling, an opera teacher in New York. She didn't like it very much, because she was more concerned with being a cheerleader.
So she quit the opera lessons and took up smoking — at least that's what she told Forbes.
4. She Slept Through A Law School Exam
Yep, at age 23, Meryl was thinking of becoming an environmental lawyer. However, she slept through an exam and took that as a sign that the career path wasn't for her.
She probably would have been great at it, but then what would we do without Meryl on the screen?
5. She's The Spokeswoman For The National Women's History Museum
Meryl became the spokesperson for the museum after the CEO wrote her a letter telling her how thoughtful and kind she is.
The actress believes strongly that women's role in history deserves a voice, and that it's incredibly important that it be heard.
6. She Donated Her Entire Salary For The Iron Lady
Meryl donated every penny of her Iron Lady salary to the National Women's History Museum, telling Ellen DeGeneres, "we think that women's history needs to be told."
She's working to get the museum built, as it is currently a virtual museum.
7. She Became Fluent In Polish For Sophie's Choice
Before she even started her iconic role in Sophie's Choice, Meryl spent weeks learning Polish for hours a day, then spoke the language on set. Then she spoke it fluently with a German accent!
The woman can do anything she sets her mind to. She learned an entire language so well that locals on set thought she was from there.
8. She's Been Awarded The Presidential Medal Of Freedom
On November 24, 2014, President Barack Obama awarded Meryl with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest civilian honor one can receive.
Meryl was awarded alongside Stevie Wonder and 18 other people who have done amazing things to help the country progress.
9. 2 Of Her Daughters Are Following In Her Footsteps
Her daughters Mamie and Grace are pursuing acting careers. Both have pretty impressive resumés themselves. You may have seen Grace on American Horror Story, or Mamie on The Good Wife.
10. She's Been Married Since 1978
Meryl and her husband, sculptor Don Gummer, have been happily married since 1978. According to an article from Women's Day archived in Simply Streep, their courtship was fast.
After the death of John Cazale, Meryl's partner of three years, she met Don through her brother. Don helped her through some trying times. He built her a room in his loft, and they were married two months later.
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