Three new television spots to promote the theatrical release of “Hope Springs” have been launched. Instead adding them one by one to the video archive, I’ve made a compilation clip (alongside the first launched tv spot), so you can watch them in one place. Also added is a second interview clip with Meryl and Tommy Lee promoting the film, which can be watched here.

A vintage video interview has been currently released, unfortunately only bits, but maybe there’s more to come. Little information is known about this, except that Meryl was interviewed in 1987 by Reba Merrill, for whose book promotion these clips have been launched. Maybe this interview was conducted at the 1987 Deauville Film Festival to promote “Ironweed” as I recall excerpts from the same conversation in a segment about the festival, which can be watched here. Great to see another rare Meryl interview, there’s hoping for more.

Edit: Mystery solved – the interview was conducted during the shooting of “Ironweed”, according to an excerpt from the book, as published by Open Books Press on their website. In 1987, I went on location to upstate New York for the film Ironweed, which would be Oscar-nominated that year against Rain Man. I knew that I would not be allowed to interview or shoot behind the scenes footage of Jack Nicholson. That left me with his costar, Meryl Streep. I shot footage of Jack working, but no one knew because I had my cameraman turn his light off. Jack joked with the TV crew and me as long as the camera was not running. Meryl Streep, on the other hand, let us do our job of shooting behind-the-scenes footage of her. The film’s unit publicist arranged Meryl’s interview and when the scheduled time came we were set up and ready. What a surprise when Meryl arrived with wet hair, glasses and no make up. No one told her that this was a video interview, not print. I said: “This interview will last a long time and I don’t think you want to look that way on video.” I left the film set with all the interviews except the one with the star of the film. When I came back to Los Angeles I told the producers I did not have Meryl’s interview.

Here’s a new interview with Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones courtesy AARP Magazine with scans to follow. At first glance, they would seem the unlikeliest of couples. The classically beautiful Meryl Streep was her New Jersey high school’s homecoming queen and always compassionate and willing. Tommy Lee Jones, in contrast, came from rural Texas, where even in youth, his face seemed to mirror his hardscrabble environment, carved with lines like a peach pit. Equally harsh is his taciturn demeanor. Strange bedfellows unless you ask director David Frankel, who cast Streep and Jones as the leads in his upcoming film, Hope Springs, a portrait of a midlife couple grasping to regain their sexual passion. “Tommy’s an extraordinary actor first, but he’s also sexy,” says Frankel. “It was important to have someone play opposite Meryl whom she found really sexy, so you could imagine a sexual history between them that had died.” In fact, Streep, 63, and Jones, 65, have more in common than it appears. Both possess sharp literary intellects. They claim four Oscars between them but cite their offspring as their proudest accomplishment. Married for 34 years to sculptor Don Gummer, Streep has four children, ages 21 to 32. Jones, wed to third wife Dawn since 2001, has a son, age 29, and daughter, 20, from his second marriage. The complete interview can be read here.

This Sunday’s spotlight is Meryl’s most recently released film and third Oscar performance in “The Iron Lady”. Since most galleries are up to date already, the image library has been updated with new screencaptures from the film’s making of, including lots of bits from behind the scenes. The videos have been re-organized – most of the official featurettes have been combined and new lengthy a video from the making of has been added as well. Production notes and my review are after the cut. As always, please share your thoughts on “The Iron Lady” in the comments.

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!