According to Variety, Meryl Streep will receive the Toronto International Film Festival’s Tribute Actor Award during this year’s festivities. “Meryl Streep is undoubtedly one of the most talented and versatile actors of her generation,” TIFF co-head Joana Vicente said in a statement. “Her tremendous contribution to cinema, television, and the stage spans five decades; from her early roles in “The Deer Hunter,” “Kramer vs. Kramer,” and “Sophie’s Choice” to later films including “The Devil Wears Prada,” “The Iron Lady,” and “The Post,” she has portrayed characters that are as compelling as they are timeless. TIFF could not be more thrilled to honor such a skilled and exemplary artist.” Streep will be presented with the award at the Tribute Gala on Sept. 9 at Fairmont Royal Oak. Streep stars in Steven Soderbergh’s “The Laundromat,” which will have its North American premiere at TIFF. The 44th annual TIFF runs Sept. 5-15. As previously announced, Participant Media will receive the TIFF Impact Award at the gala. The recipient of the inaugural Mary Pickford Award, honoring a female emerging talent in the industry, will be announced at a later date. In addition to “The Laundromat,” this year’s lineup also includes “Joker” starring Joaquin Phoenix, Jennifer Lopez in “Hustlers” as well as “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” a Mr. Rogers biopic starring Tom Hanks as the legendary children’s television host.

“Mary Poppins Returns” has been doing well at the box office over the Christmas days, grossing over $128 million so far on its $130 budget. The critical reception has been a mixed bag from very positive “instant classic” to “missing the original’s charm”. The film’s profile might be raised significantly if it wins Best Actress or even Best Picture Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globes tonight. Earlier this week, “Mary Poppins Returns” was honored with the award for Best Ensemble at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards Gala. Meryl Streep was not present at the gala. “In this outstanding sequel, Mary Poppins is back to help the next generation of the Banks family as they race to keep the bank’s executives from foreclosing on their home,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner, according to Variety. “Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda lead an excellent ensemble cast that also includes Colin Firth, Meryl Streep, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Dick Van Dyke, Angela Lansbury and many others.”

Today, “Mary Poppins Returns” has received a whopping 9 nominations for the 24th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards. A few things need to be said about the Critics Choice Awards – which are presented annually by the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) since 1995. In recent years, especially with its tv broadcast, their nominations have been “accused” of nominating as many stars as possible – splitting acting categories to “regular” acting, acting in comedy and action in action – and trying to predict the Academy Awards nominations by altering their slots every year to include as many possible front-runners as possible (this year, there are 7 nominations each for Best Actor and Actress). Now, this is in no way said to diminish the Critics’ Choice Awards or the number of nominations for “Mary Poppins Returns”, although 2 of the 9 nominations go to Emily Blunt in 2 in different performance categories, for the same performance. You probably get what I mean :-) The winners will be revealed at the star-studded Critics’ Choice Awards gala, broadcast live on The CW Network on Sunday, January 13, 2019 from 7:00 – 10:00 pm ET (delayed PT).

Best Picture
Best Actress – Emily Blunt
Best Production Design – John Myhre, Gordon Sim
Best Costume Design – Sandy Powell
Best Visual Effects
Best Actress in a Comedy – Emily Blunt
Best Song – The Place Where Lost Things Go
Best Song – Trip a Little Light Fantastic
Best Score – Marc Shaiman

The Golden Globe nominations have been announced today, and it’s been a good day for “Mary Poppins Returns”. While the film’s release is still two weeks ahead of us, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has nominated the Rob Marshall musical in three key categories: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Emily Blunt, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Lin-Manuel Miranda and Best Original Score – Motion Picture for Mark Shaiman. The Golden Globes will be handed out quite early next year, on January 06, 2019.

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Best Original Score

The Oscars have been handed out and it’s a wrap for the 2018 awards season. As expected, Best Actress went to the marvelous Frances McDormand and “Shape of Water” won Best Picture. There wasn’t much about Meryl at this year’s ceremony, except for a funny bit by Jodie Foster and Jennifer Lawrence, who presented the Best Actress segment. Pictures from the arrivals and the show have been added to the photo gallery with more to come. Edit: Lots of additional pictures have been added with many thanks to Ali, Claudia and Maria, your help has been very appreciated. Also, the Best Actress segment has been added to the video archive.

Meryl Streep, Debbie Harry from Blondie, Steven Van Zandt of the E Street Band and Buddy “Cake Boss” Valastro are among the inductees for the 2017 class of the New Jersey Hall of Fame. Gov. Phil Murphy announced the 21 inductees – seven women and 14 men – at the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton on Tuesday. All inductees, living and dead, will be honored at a ceremony celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the hall of fame at the Paramount Theater in Asbury Park on May 6. “The hall exists to celebrate some of the most famous and most impactful,” Murphy said. “The New Jersey Hall of Fame is where their story is told and retold to inspire.” Along with Streep and Valastro, several of the inductees were not among the 51 nominees announced in November, and the hall said it could select additional inductees based on who is available for the induction ceremony. (Celebrity foodie Anthony Bourdain was originally nominated but said that he could not make the ceremony and was replaced by businessman Joe Buckelew.) The complete article can be read here. Many thanks to Frank for the heads-up.

According to Variety, The Society of Camera Operators is awarding Meryl Streep its President Award for Lifetime Achievement for her body of work, and her commitment to the craft of camera operating. The group noted that Streep has been nominated a record breaking 21 times for an Academy Award and has won three times. She received a Best Actress nomination on Jan. 23 for “The Post.” “Ms. Streep’s successes ranging from ‘Kramer Vs. Kramer,’ ‘Sophie’s Choice,’ ‘The Devil Wears Prada,’ ‘Mamma Mia,’ ‘The Iron Lady,’ ‘Florence Foster Jenkins’ and ‘The Post,’ which can currently be seen in theaters, are examples of her expansive creative genius, and the depth and variety of her performances,” the group said. Streep will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award on Feb. 3 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel.

I am honored beyond measure by this nomination for a film I love, a film that stands in defense of press freedom, and inclusion of women’s voices in the movement of history- Proud of the film, and all her filmmakers. Thank you from a full heart. (Meryl Streep)

The nominations for the 90th Annual Academy Awards have been announced this morning, and “The Post” has scored less than expected with 2 nominations, but those in the major categories of Best Picture and Best Actress! Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks were overlooked for nods as Director and Actor, as were multiple possibilities for costumes or score. But hey, it’s been 15 years since Meryl Streep has headlined a film nominated for Best Picture, which was 2002’s “The Hours”. Meryl Streep shares the Best Actress category with Sally Hawkins for “The Shape of Water”, Saoirse Ronan for “Lady Bird”, Margot Robbie for “I, Tonya” and recent frontrunner Frances McDormand for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”. “The Shape of Water” has received the most nominations of the year with 13. A ful list of nominees can be read here. The 90th Annual Academy Awards will be handed out on March 04, 2018.

Once again, hundreds of additional pictures from last week’s promotional tour for “The Post” as well as from the awards season have been added to the photo gallery, including some great finds from the Golden Globes and the National Board of Review. For all updated albums, have a look at the previews below. Many thanks to Claudia, Mouza and Maria for their generous contributions. Very appreciated! Also, “The Post” will continue its promotion in Italy this weekend. Streep, Hanks and Spielberg will be on the Italian talkshow “Che Tempo Che Fa” on Sunday and there will be a press conference on Monday. Many thanks to Simona for the heads-up.

The Post was the big winner at the National Board of Review Awards on Tuesday night in New York City. The Steven Spielberg-directed film about Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham’s race to publish the Pentagon Papers in 1971 took home awards for best film, best actor for Tom Hanks and best actress for Meryl Streep. The film’s timely message about the power of women in leadership roles and the importance of press freedom were among the reasons it was honored. For Spielberg, the timing of the film wasn’t accidental. Screenwriter Liz Hannah completed a draft a week before the 2016 election, and after Spielberg received the script for producers Amy Pascal and Kristie Macosko Krieger, he kicked production into high gear. Robert De Niro, in his introduction for Meryl Streep, went off on President Trump, referring to him as “the jerkoff-in-chief” among other insults. The two-time Oscar winner brought up president as he discussed the “parallels” between The Post and the current political climate, describing it as “fascinating” to watch the drama that “took place nearly 50 years ago” but still resonates now. “At the time of that story, Donald Trump was suffering from bone spurs. Today the world is suffering from the real Donald Trump,” De Niro said as he began bashing Trump. “This fucking idiot is president. It’s the Emperor’s New Clothes. The guy is a fucking fool. … Our government today, with the propping of our baby-in-chief — the jerkoff-in-chief, I call him — has put the press under siege, ridiculing it and trying to discredit it through outrageous attacks and lies. And again, just like in 1971, the press is distinguishing itself with brave, exacting journalism.” A complete article on the event can be read over at The Hollywood Reporter. Pictures have been added to the photo gallery.