PBS has announced its latest Ken Burns project. Titled “The Roosevelts: An Intimate History,” the seven-part, 14-hour documentary will weave together the stories of Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, which is the first time their lives have been presented in a single narrative. The documentary will follow the political family’s story for more than 100 years, beginning with Theodore’s birth in 1858 to Eleanor’s death in 1962. Some Hollywood heavy hitters will be lending their voices to the project. Oscar-winner Meryl Streep will voice Eleanor Roosevelt via her personal letters and writings. Joining Streep are Paul Giamatti voicing Theodore Roosevelt and Edward Herrmann voicing Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Herrman is a two-time Emmy nominee for portraying FDR in “Eleanor and Franklin” in 1976 and 1977. Ken Burns says of Streep’s work on the documentary, “Ms. Streep is a magician. Here, she completely transformed herself into Eleanor Roosevelt, simply through her voice. It was remarkable to witness.” The cast is rounded out by Patricia Clarkson, Adam Arkin, Keith Carradine, Ed Harris, John Lithgow, Josh Lucas, Amy Madigan, Pamela Reed, Billy Bob Thornton and Eli Wallach. “The Roosevelts” will premiere in 2014. Many thanks to Frank and Glenn for the heads-up!

Some 30 additional pictures from this week’s “Hope Springs” press conference in Beverly Hills have been added to the image library.

The AARP Magazine’s website has published a slideshow and Meryl with the leading men throughout her career, including a very cool new promotional picture with Tommy Lee Jones from the current (or rather upcoming) “Hope Springs” promotion. “Robert De Niro, Robert Redford, Clint Eastwood, Dustin Hoffman. Meryl Streep has had all the big names – on screen, of course. Tommy Lee Jones is the latest. In Hope Springs, opening in August, he stars as her husband and gives us a reason to recall three decades of Meryl and her men.” You can flip through the slideshow here.

According once again to Deadline, Abigail Breslin is set to be Julia Roberts’ daughter in August: Osage County. The Oscar nominee will play Jean Fordham, the 14-year old angry and acerbic pot smoking child of Roberts’ Barbara character in the family drama. Roberts and Meryl Streep have already been cast in the film as has, as Deadline reported, Juliette Lewis. Based on Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play, August: Osage County chronicles several summer weeks in the life of a severely dysfunctional Oklahoma family and the crisis that gathers them back together. John Wells is directing and Letts is writing the adaptation of his play. George Clooney and Grant Heslov are producing along with Jean Doumanian and Steve Traxler. The Weinstein Co. is financing and distributing August: Osage County. Filming is scheduled to start in the fall in Oklahoma. Thanks to Holly for the news.

The Inquirer has posted parts of the interview from this week’s “Hope Springs” press conference in Los Angeles. Meryl Streep’s cell phone rang in the middle of our recent interview at the Four Seasons in Los Angeles. Yes, the greatest living film actress is a human being rather like the rest of us, with a cell phone that rings at the most inopportune moments. “Sorry, that’s one of my kids,” Meryl said with a laugh as she searched for the ringing phone in her purse. “I just know the ring. I’m going to turn it off. Sorry.” These displays of vulnerability and artistic bravado make each conversation with the three-time Academy winner memorable. This time around, Meryl—wearing glasses, a long-sleeved white blouse, pants and a necklace accented with pearls—laughed heartily when told about our recent interview with her son-in-law, Benjamin Walker (married to Mamie Gummer, her eldest daughter). Benjamin said, “The only thing more intimidating than an international film star like Meryl Streep is your mother-in-law.” “That’s a very good line,” she remarked with an infectious smile. We asked if Benjamin, a stage and film actor (“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”) who does stand-up comedy on the side, tries his comic shtick around her and the family. “He does stand up in front of me all the time,” she replied. “He’s very funny and extremely charming. He’s really a good man and that’s all I really wanted for Mamie.” The full article can be read here.

According to Deadline, Juliette Lewis is in negotiations to join “August: Osage County”. The actress would play the role of Karen, the self-deluding youngest daughter, in the dark family comedy being financed and distributed by The Weinstein Company. Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts have already been cast in the film. Based on Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play, August: Osage County tells the tale of a severely dysfunctional Oklahoma clan and the family crisis that brings them back together. Lewis’ involvement would mean Andrea Riseborough’s not playing the role of Karen. John Wells is directing; Letts is writing the adaptation of his play. George Clooney and Grant Heslov are producing along with Jean Doumanian and Steve Traxler. Claire Rudnick Polstein is executive producing. The movie is scheduled to start filming in September. Thanks to Glenn for the heads-up!

On July 16, 2012, Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones have participated in the press conference for “Hope Springs” at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles. Pictures can be found in the image library.

A first promotional interview with Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones has been released to promote the theatrical release of “Hope Springs”. This interview is rather short and I’m sure there’s plenty more to come these following weeks. You can watch the interview in the video archive. In “Hope Springs”, Kay (Streep) and Arnold (Jones) get on a plane for a week of marriage therapy to bring back the spice to their marriage. The film releases in US cinemas on August 10, 2012.

This Sunday we spotlight “Julie & Julia”, in memoriam to the late Nora Ephron, since this has become, unfortunately, her last film. New screencaptures and on-set pictures have been added to the image library. The video archive has been updated with three new clips and compilation videos of press interviews and television spots. Production notes and my review after the cut. As always, please share your thoughts on “Julie & Julia” in the comments.

As some of you may know, Lisa Kudrow’s originally based web series “Web Therapy” is running in its second season on Showtime, and the current episodes feature Meryl as therapist Camilla Bowner. These episodes haven’t been newly filmes but are taken from the webisodes that were launched in 2010. To my own surprise, there have never been screencaptures from these episodes on Simply Streep, so here they are, also including captures from outtakes and behind the scenes.