This morning, “Today” has aired an interview with Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Bob Odenkirk, which was conducted earlier last December. The three stars of “The Post” talked about the relevance of the film, its parallels to today’s society, and, of course, the Weinstein scandal and its impact on Hollywood’s change. The full interview can be watched in the video archive with high definition screencaptures being added to the photo gallery.

Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Shonda Rhimes and more than 300 other women are taking a stand against sexual harassment and assault in the entertainment industry by launching Time’s Up—a movement that aims to promote equality and safety in the workplace. The initiative addresses legislation, corporate policy and hiring practices and aggregates resources. “Earning a living should not come at the cost of anyone’s safety, dignity or morale,” Rhimes said in a statement appearing in a Time’s Up email. “Every person should get to work in an environment free from abuse, assault and discrimination. It’s well past time to change the culture of the environment where most of us spend the majority of our day – the work place. 51% of our population is female, over 30% of our population is of color. Those are important, vital, economically powerfully voices that need to be heard at every level.” She also added, “Time’s Up is working to make sure the people walking the corridors of power within the workplace and in politics truly reflect the full mix of America—the real America that looks like and includes all of us. Look, this isn’t going to be easy but it is right. And fighting for what is right can seem hard. But letting what is wrong become normal is not easier—it is just more shameful.” You can read the whole article and Time’s Up letter at the The New York Times website.

Happy New Year everybody! Additional magazine scans, ranging from December 2017 to February 2018, and including Entertainment Weekly, Film Journal International and Britain’s Empire Magazine (including a stunning new Brigitte Lacombe editorial), have been added to the photo gallery. Also, a great new featurette on “The Post” has been released, which can be watched in the video archive, screencaptures have been added as well. Enjoy the new additions.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, “The Post” has been doing quite well during its limited release so far: Among new specialty offerings, director Steven Spielberg’s The Post, starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, is soaring in its holiday debut in nine theaters. Now in its second weekend, the Pentagon Papers drama – up for six Globes – is tipped to post a stellar location average of $86,111 for a cume of $2 million through Monday. Fox expands The Post nationwide on January 12. Before its wide release, the Golden Globes take place on Sunday, January 07 – earlier than usually – and the Critics Choice Awards are handed out a week later on January 11. Meryl is nominated for both awards as Best Actress. Also, as the Desert Sun reports, Steven Spielberg, Streep and Tom Hanks will be in the audience for an upcoming local screening of their film “The Post” on Thursday, January 04, which kicks off the Palm Springs International Film Festival. The screening is Thursday evening at Palm Springs High School. Spielberg, Streep and Hanks, along with the film’s screenwriters and producers, will participate in a 20-minute on-stage discussion before the start of the film, according to an announcement from the festival. Thanks to Glenn for the heads-up.

Our annual year in review comes a few days early, because Simply Streep is taking a Holidays break. With this last post, I’d like to thank all visitors, and those who have helped me with the site throughout the year, most notably Alvaro, Claudia, Frank, Glenn, Maria, Mouza, Lindsey and anyone I might have forgotten. It has been a great year, but it has been a weird, shameful and scandalous year as well. Meryl has filmed three movies – “The Post” and the upcoming “Mary Poppins Returns” and “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” and has won a Golden Globe and Emmy – but what stays in mind is a relentless 12 months of online shaming and accusations, not only by those usual suspects who love to tear down women, but also by those who should know better. So, sit back, let the year pass by and prepare to shake your head, more than once. To all the visitors, I wish you a Merry Christmas, a good time with your family and beloved ones and peaceful Holidays. See you all in 2018.

“The Post” is released in select cities today and expands nationwide on January 12. At this site you can check for tickets and showtimes. January will also bring us more promotion for the film in Europe, so check back for upcoming dates here. In case you’ve been among the lucky ones to see it today or over the holidays, make sure to share your opinion in the comment section. Steven Spielberg directs Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks in The Post, a thrilling drama about the unlikely partnership between The Washington Post’s Katharine Graham (Streep), the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, and editor Ben Bradlee (Hanks), as they race to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets that spanned three decades and four U.S. Presidents. The two must overcome their differences as they risk their careers – and their very freedom – to help bring long-buried truths to light. The Post marks the first time Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg have collaborated on a project. In addition to directing, Spielberg produces along with Amy Pascal and Kristie Macosko Krieger. The script was written by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer, and the film features an acclaimed ensemble cast including Alison Brie, Carrie Coon, David Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, Jesse Plemons, Matthew Rhys, Michael Stuhlbarg, Bradley Whitford and Zach Woods.

Universal Pictures has released the first trailer for next year’s “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again”, and I’m sure many will be delighted at first and disappointed afterwards that Meryl Streep’s Donna Sheridan seems to be not playing a big part in it after all. But check for yourself and read the official synopsis below: Ten years after Mamma Mia! The Movie grossed more than $600 million around the world, you are invited to return to the magical Greek island of Kalokairi in an all-new original musical based on the songs of ABBA. With the film’s original cast returning and new additions including Lily James (Cinderella, Baby Driver), the musical comedy will open on July 20, 2018. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is produced by Judy Craymer and Gary Goetzman, producers of the original film. Craymer is also the creator and producer of the worldwide smash-hit stage musical. Ol Parker, writer of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, writes and directs the sequel from a story by Catherine Johnson, Richard Curtis and Parker. Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus return to provide music and lyrics and serve as executive producers. Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Phyllida Lloyd, Richard Curtis and Nicky Kentish Barnes also serve as executive producers.

Reprising their roles from Mamma Mia! The Movie are Academy Award® winner Meryl Streep as Donna, Julie Walters as Rosie and Christine Baranski as Tanya. Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper reunite as Sophie and Sky, while Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgård and Oscar® winner Colin Firth return to play Sophie’s three possible dads: Sam, Bill and Harry. As the film goes back and forth in time to show how relationships forged in the past resonate in the present, James will play the role of Young Donna. Filling the roles of Young Rosie and Young Tanya are Alexa Davies (A Brilliant Young Mind) and Jessica Keenan Wynn (Broadway’s Beautiful). Young Sam will be played by Jeremy Irvine (War Horse), while Young Bill is Josh Dylan (Allied) and Young Harry is Hugh Skinner (Kill Your Friends).

Five new magazine scans have been added to the photo gallery, all American publications on this week’s theatrical release of “The Post”. Many thanks to Alvaro for sending them in. Enjoy reading.

A fantastic batch of new production stills from “The Post” have been added to the photo gallery. Also, with many thanks to Frank, here’s an update on the recent critics awards announcements: “The Post” has won Best Picture and Best Ensemble by the North Texas Film Critics Association Meryl Streep is Runners-up as Best Actress (2nd Place), Tom Hanks comes 3rd place as Best Actor and Steven Spielberg landed in 4th place as Best Director. The ensemble of “The Post” was Runners-up by the Southeastern Film Critics Association and the Indiana Film Critics Assosiation and is nominated by The Online Film Critics Society. Meryl and Tom are both Runners-up by the Dallas Fort Worth Film Critics Association (both on the 5th Place), the film came in 2nd place for Best Picture and Spielberg once again 4th place for Best Director”. Additionally, “The Post” has been included in the Top 10 lists by the Indiana and Southeastern critics. Congratulations and thanks to Frank for the heads-up.

As a regular visitor to Simply Streep, you may know that I never post anything that is not related to Meryl Streep’s work. It’s the base on which I maintain this site, because its focus has always been the work, and since Miss Streep herself is fiercely private, I feel it is something to honor, even more today when nothing is private anymore. I have stayed away from commenting any of the Harvey Weinstein stories, the false accusations and countless vile emails and comments I receive from people who don’t bother to read beyond a headline, even after actress Rose McGowan singled out Meryl Streep in a now-deleted tweet, calling her a liar for not speaking out against Weinstein. But today, Meryl Streep did something that really surprised me, something I’d like to re-post here to put speculations to a rest. In a statement to the Huffington Post, Streep said that it hurt that McGowan believed she knew about the mogul’s alleged behavior. The full statement can be read below in its entirity:

It hurt to be attacked by Rose McGowan in banner headlines this weekend, but I want to let her know I did not know about Weinstein’s crimes, not in the 90s when he attacked her, or through subsequent decades when he proceeded to attack others.

I wasn’t deliberately silent. I didn’t know. I don’t tacitly approve of rape. I didn’t know. I don’t like young women being assaulted. I didn’t know this was happening.

“I don’t know where Harvey lives, nor has he ever been to my home.

I have never in my life been invited to his hotel room.

I have been to his office once, for a meeting with Wes Craven for “Music of the Heart” in 1998.

HW distributed movies I made with other people.

HW was not a filmmaker; he was often a producer, primarily a marketer of films made by other people- some of them great, some not great. But not every actor, actress, and director who made films that HW distributed knew he abused women, or that he raped Rose in the 90s, other women before and others after, until they told us. We did not know that women’s silence was purchased by him and his enablers.

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