This is kind of off-topic, but a funny one – and a nice opportunity to raise the word on the great Catherine O’Hara. The actress – who co-starred with Meryl in 1986’s “Heartburn” – was a member of the classic Canadian comedy show “SCTV” in the 1970s and 1980s, performing an array of characters and impersonations (brilliantly from Katharine Hepburn to Brooke Shields). In 1981, she did an impression of Meryl Streep. If there’s one person to impersonate Miss Streep, let it be Catherine O’Hara. More background information below the video.

The “Film Farm Report” evolved into a film review show where a couple of farmers enthuse about films where people are blown up. Recognizing that movies are hardly integral to seeing things get blown up, Farm Report finally became the show it was always meant to be: Big Jim and Billy Sol talk briefly with celebrity guests, and then blow them up. In an interview with the Toronto Star in 1986, Catherine recalled re-watching her impersonation in Meryl’s presence during the wrap-party of “Heartburn”:

Mike Nichols called me over to explain the skit to her. So it was like ‘Well, uh, Miss Streep… John Candy and Joe Flaherty did these two country bumpkin characters and they would have guests on their little talk show and then, umm, blow them up. So I went on as you and, well, I got blown up.” Then, Mike decided to run a tape of the SCTV sketch at the Heartburn wrap party. “People kept coming up to me and saying ‘Meryl is watching it! Meryl is watching it!’ And her face is like this close to the monitor. Afterward she came up to me and said ‘I saw what you did to me!’ But she laughed. It’s a compliment to be impersonated. ‘Very funny, just wait until you see my version of you!’

I first thought this was a screen test for “The Iron Lady” :-), but it’s Meryl Streep in 1991 presenting the first part of the documentary “Age 7 in America”. An adaption of a British TV series, this documentary chronicles the lives of a group of economically, racially & socially diverse 7-year olds living throughout America in 1990. The filmmakers have returned every seven years to chronicle the children’s growth. The first part has been uploaded to Vimeo, a clip and captures of Meryl’s opening can be found in Simply Streep’s image and video archives. Enjoy! Thanks to Tina for originally finding it!

No final word so far if Meryl is indeed going to play Margaret Thatcher, although it sounds pretty much a done deal according to this article from the Telegraph: Although the prospect of Meryl Streep playing Margaret Thatcher may have pleased some admirers of the Conservative former prime minister, her children have been horrified to discover more about the film. Mandrake hears that the screenplay of The Iron Lady depicts Baroness Thatcher as an elderly dementia-sufferer looking back on her career with sadness. She is shown talking to herself and unaware that her husband, Sir Denis Thatcher, has died.

“Sir Mark and Carol are appalled at what they have learnt about the film,” says a friend of the family. “They think it sounds like some Left-wing fantasy. They feel strongly about it, but will not speak publicly for fear of giving it more publicity.” Cameron McCracken, the managing director of the film-maker Pathé, confirms: “It is true that the film is set in the recent past and that Baroness Thatcher does look back on both the triumphs and the lows of her extraordinary career. “It is a film about power and the price that is paid for power. In that sense, it is the story of every person who has ever had to balance their private life with their public career.” He says Lady Thatcher’s health will be featured, but insists that it will be “treated with appropriate sensitivity”. He adds of the film: “Although fictional, it will be fair and accurate.”

Prepare for a longer post :-) Here come some news that I didn’t pay much attention to at first. The Los Angeles Times has reported today about a new comedy “being shopped around Hollywood” called “Mommy & Me”, starring Meryl Streep and Tina Fey, and to be directed by Stanley Tucci. Doesn’t sound all to bad (sans the title probably), but if you read between the lines, there actually isn’t a project.

There’s no script and no writers yet on the film, which is obviously at the shopping/development stage, but the central idea is that of a mother-daughter comedy that will give the two actresses a chance to flash their comedic and dramatic chops.

As previously said, I didn’t give much to it, given the fact of not a single written word for a script, and because it’s the third unconfirmed role for Meryl within two weeks. But – give the internet some hours – every source from Entertainment Weekly to New York Magazine to People is reporting on this new project – fairly quoting its current status. Then, according to the Wrap, there’s even confirmation by CAA (the agency that represents both Streep and Tucci) that such project is currently being shopped. If this idea of a film is really being made into a feature, it very well might be the first project of Meryl we knew about before it was even written! Most certainly, it adds a new level to the fast paced community of online movie news. Let’s wait and see.

I’m not sure how reliable these news are – but in terms of unofficial movie news, I guess nothing is :-) According to Cinema Blend, in quoting Deadline New York, Streep and Nichols are very much involved, but Bridges isn’t attached to “Great Hope Springs” anymore.

Continuted from Cinema Blend: It’s a bummer not just because it would have been awesome to see The Dude and Julia Child team up as an age-appropriate couple, but because it’s pretty hard to find an actor in Streep’s age range who’s remotely up to her challenge. She and Stanley Tucci made a great team both in Devil Wears Prada and Julie & Julia but Tucci is actually 11 years her junior. At 60 Streep is seven years older than Tom Hanks but more than a decade younger than Robert Redford, Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman – all the actors who were her contemporaries in the 70s. Bridges and Streep are nearly exactly the same age, which is just another reason they would have been perfect together.

Yesterday, Meryl was in attendance in Poltu Quatu, Sardegna, Italy, to receive the 2010 Rodolfo Valentino Award. Clips of her acceptance speech can be now watched in the video archive, with thanks to Nora & Tina.

The Rodolfo Valentino award is given each year by a jury of critics to movie personalities who have success all over the world. The winners of 2010, Meryl and Andy Garcia, join a selected group of outstanding personalities, including Pedro Almodovar, Robert Altman, Bernardo Berolucci, Francis Ford Coppola, Bette Davis, Jeremy Irons, Sophia Loren and Roman Polanski, among others. Pictures from the ceremony have been uploaded to the image library.

Some of you may remember Iain Johnstone’s book, “Streep“, which was released last Summer and is currently available in a revised edition. Back then I’ve made a deal that in exchange for mentioning the book, I would receive a copy of the interview that Mr. Johnstone and Meryl did in 1983 at the National Film Theater in London (as it was mentioned in the book). To make a long story short – as good things take time – I’m proud to finally share this rare treat with you!

Back in 1983, Meryl visited London to promote “Sophie’s Choice” and to talk about her films. The NFT produced a fourty minutes television broadcast in which she was interviewed by Mr. Johnstone. Enjoy watching the interview, and kindly do not copy these on other websites or sharing portals. Thanks! Screencaps have been also uploaded to the Image Library. My most sincere thanks go to David for helping me with this – thank you!

As you can see, Simply Streep is running a brand new layout! It has taken quite a while to bring it online – and also to convert and update all remaining pages, but here it finally is and I hope you enjoy the new look. Some parts have been modified, most notably the filmography pages – you can now rate each of Meryl’s films and also write your own comments, so don’t hestitate to share your thoughts. Also, you can now search the full site via the search form next to the navigation on top. The video archive will be converted as we speak, and once this is done, expect a great surprise!

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Meryl is currently in negotiations to star as Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady,” a biopic of the controversial and long-governing former British prime minister. Jim Broadbent is in talks to play Margaret Thatcher’s husband, Denis, for the pic, which is being co-produced and co-financed by Pathe and Film4. The film is said to be directed by Phyllida Lloyd, who last helmed the big screen version of “Mamma Mia”.

This project, like the previous mentioned “Great Hope Springs” is not official yet. A couple of years ago there already was a mention of Streep playing Thatcher, although these were simply misleading, since the actual news were based on a quote by Oliver Stone, saying that Meryl would be his first choice to play Thatcher. Still, if this new project will be done, Meryl will be in magnificent company with Jim Broadbent, who won an Academy Award in 2002 for his performance in “Iris”.

Meryl’s speech at the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award honoring Mike Nichols has been added to the video archive. Apparently, her speech was shortened for the television broadcast.