“Acting is not about being someone different. It’s finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there.” — Meryl Streep
Trivia time:
It is so easy to look at Meryl’s record-breaking 21 Oscar nominations and assume she was instantly handed the keys to Hollywood. But she faced some brutal rejection early on. In her 20s, she auditioned for the 1976 remake of “King Kong”. The producer, Dino De Laurentiis, looked at her and asked his son in Italian, “Why did you bring me this ugly thing?” Meryl, who understood Italian perfectly, looked right at him and replied: “I’m sorry I’m not beautiful enough to be in King Kong.” She didn’t let one producer’s opinion of her “look” dictate her worth. She leaned into her talent and built one of the greatest careers in acting history.
Just look at the insane range between three of her most iconic roles:
Donna Sheridan (Mamma Mia!): Pure, uninhibited joy. She is physically loose, loud, messy, and entirely grounded in her wild, loving heart.
Miranda Priestly (The Devil Wears Prada): The masterclass in high status and stillness. She never yells; she just lowers her voice to a terrifying whisper.
The Witch (Into the Woods): A huge, theatrical character driven by deep, tragic human need.
How she changes the game:
Meryl proves that true transformation is physical and psychological. She completely changes her rhythm and how she takes up space in the room depending on who she is playing. And she always roots the character in deep human truth.
If you get a rejection because you don’t fit a specific “type,” remember Meryl. Your talent and your craft will always outlast a casting director’s superficial opinion!
Which Meryl Streep characters is your absolute favorite?
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