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The first pictures of Meryl in costume as “Suffragette” leader Emmeline Pankhurst have been released after scenes were filmed yesterday. Parkhurst was a British political activist and leader of the suffragette movement who ultimately helped women win the right to vote. Pictures from the set can be watched in the image library, with additional information below.
Streep appeared to be shooting a scene where she spoke from a balcony, much like Pankhurst did to address the crowd of fellow women suffragettes. Writing in her novel My Own Story, she opened up about such meetings: ‘These were all publicly announced, and each time the police, mingling with crowds, made strenuous efforts to arrest me. ‘By strategy, and through the valiant efforts of the bodyguard, I was able each time to make my speech and afterwards to escape from the house. All of these occasions were marked by fierce opposition from the police and splendid courage and resistance on the part of the women.’ Emmeline spent decades fighting for women’s suffrage, only to die just a few weeks before the British Government passed the Representation Of The People Act which extended the vote to all women over 21. Meryl is only in the UK for two weeks to shoot her small role as Emmeline. The movie starts Carey Mulligan. Helena Bonham Carter, Romola Garai, Anne Marie Duff and Ben Whishaw also star in the film. The movie was written by Abi Morgan and is being directed by Sarah Gavron Suffragette is set for a January 2015 release.
