Mamma Mia!

I'm curious about other people. That's the essence of my acting. I'm interested in what it would be like to be you. ~ Meryl Streep

Normally I write about artists, designers & photographers, mainly trying to explain how fascinated I am by their work and what it is that inspires me. However today is a bit different because I found myself reading an article about someone who I hugely admire and as I am overwhelmingly inspired by her I thought I should blog and remind others about the amazing talent that is Meryl Streep. There is so much to her that it is almost impossible to know where to start, the quality of her work and the way she conducts her life in and out of the media spotlight, she is a true star.

Meryl has a wealth of work in her portfolio and her range of work is so varied. You hear other female actors complaining of the lack of roles for them when they pass 40, but Meryl has proved that this is not the case if you have quality in your work, Helen Mirren is another example of this. However Meryl has a lighter approach to her work which I love and she seems to embrace the challenge of playing a part which is away from her comfort zone. Recently we have seen her in Mamma Mia, not shying away from being in a small budget film and finding herself singing songs from ABBA it was amazing to see Meryl managing to inject so much feeling into her performance. It was funny, moving and light hearted, Meryl was magical and lit up the film.

Then you have her acting in deeper roles such as Sophie's Choice, Kramer vs. Kramer, The Bridges of Madison County and Doubtto name just a few, these types of roles are what have won Meryl most awards. As a leading lady she sometimes out acts her male counter parts and you cannot but find yourself in awe at her versatility and passion. She is the most nominated actor in Oscars history, she been nominated for 15 awards and won 2 and this is where Meryl Streep shows her class as she responds to this statistic by saying “Yes, but I’ve lost it 13 times!”.

There is something real about Meryl Streep which is easy for all of us to connect with. She isn't surgically altered and lifted, hoping to keep back the aging years to maintain a fake youth, in fact she is doing the opposite and embracing her changing looks and the new acting parts that this brings her. She fights for causes she believes in, she has a family life which most of us know hardly anything about as it's not splashed on the front of celebrity magazines. I am amazed to learn as a suffering actor trying to catch a break she ended up sleeping rough in Green Park in London underneath The Ritz hotel and making a promise to herself to one day stay there, then at the age of 28 Meryl took a year away from acting to be with her 1st husband John Cazale as he died of bone cancer. Then Meryl married sculptor Don Gummer and took time out from her career to have 4 children, this would keep most people busy enough but Meryl was so passionate about acting and on hearing about the role of Sophie Zawistowska in Sophie's Choice she got on her hands and knees and literally begged director Alan J. Pakula for the part. She is remarkable and I think what is most inspirational about her is that she loves her profession and purely for the love of acting and not the media hype or the glitz and glamour that so many actors head to Hollywood for. Meryl Streep is a true icon both on and off the camera and I will remain mesmerised by her talent for years to come.