In December of 2002, Meryl Streep returned after a 2-year-absence from film with two highly acclaimed feature films, that had many critics writing about a “comeback”. In Spike Jonze’s “Adaptation”, she played a fictional version of author Susan Orlean – at first a reserved, unhappy woman, later, after meeting Chris Cooper’s orchid thief, the subject of her new book, a free mind ready to break boundaries and the law. Throughout the film, she is approached by a fictional version of author Charlie Kaufman and a made-up version of his twin brother both played by Nicolas Cage. Jonze’s film was met with rave reviews, as were his actors. 19 years after receiving her last Golden Globe, Meryl Streep received the trophy as Best Actress in a Supporting Role and nominations for the BAFTA Film Award, the Critics Choice Award and the Academy Award, surpassing Katharine Hepburn’s record for actor with the most nominations. “Adaptation” received four Academy Award nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor for Cooper.

The thing I appreciate about Meryl more than anything else is: It’s all about the work. It’s not about being Meryl Streep; it’s about the work. She is a very gracious, very generous actress, lovely to work with, very prepared and professional and she has a pretty delightful sense of humor. She is just very human, very warm and very calm and down-to-earth. But none of thes things surprised me. You see someone work, how they handle themselves and the honesty with which they portray a character, and you expect them to be a gracious human being (Ed Harris, The Hollywood Reporter, April 14, 2008)

Her second feature of 2002 was met with equal critical acclaim. Stephen Daldry’s masterful interwoven story of three women on the brink of loss, suicide and new opportunities in “The Hours”, won a Best Actress award for Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore at the Berlin Film Festival, and won Streep second nominations for the Golden Globe and BAFTA Film Award. “The Hours” received 9 Academy Award nominations, inlcuding for Best Picture, winning Best Actress for Nicole Kidman. In a year of success and accolades, France was especially generous to Meryl this year, honoring her with a Lifetime Achievement César Award and a Commander in the Order of Arts in Letters.