In probably the first article that introduces her as “Left-wing star Meryl Streep”, the Daily Mail’s Baz Bamigboye has all the insight on the upcoming “The Iron Lady”: Many feared the worst when they heard Meryl Streep was to play Margaret Thatcher in a new film. Not only was Baroness Thatcher to be cast as a rather befuddled, elderly woman looking back on the triumphs and disappointments of her life, but Streep is also of a very different political hue from Maggie. It was commonly agreed that our greatest Prime Minister since Churchill would be vilified. Such fears are misplaced. Having just seen the film in a London preview before its release in January, and then having spoken at length to Meryl Streep about her role in The Iron Lady, I can state categorically that the doomsayers were wrong. Streep’s portrayal will, I have no doubt, come to be seen as magnificent portrait of Lady Thatcher. And when I spoke exclusively to the double Oscar-winning actress about playing her, she declared herself to be in ‘awe’ of Lady T, adding that this was the biggest role she had undertaken in her career. ‘It took a lot out of me, but it was a privilege to play her, it really was,’ she told me. ‘It was one of those rare, rare films where I was grateful to be an actor and grateful for the privilege of being able to look at a life deeply with empathy. There’s no greater joy.’ The 62-year-old star, who was in London to see the completed film, explained how she admired Thatcher’s willingness to stand and be leader, a decision which meant she had to offer her life, and her family’s, ‘on an altar’ to the public good. The complete article can be read here.

Article courtesy Variety: Awards speculation is a given when two-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep is front and center of a prestige project, and with her tackling formidable British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, topping this movie’s potential kudos pyramid will likely be the celebrated thesp’s 17th Oscar nomination. If the movie scores as a portrait of parliamentary power and female resolve against a longstanding political boys’ club, look for supporting nods as well for previous nominee Jim Broadbent (“Iris”) as husband Denis, and possibly Anthony Head as Thatcher’s deputy prime minister Geoffrey Howe.

The hottest name outside of Streep could be U.K. scribe Abi Morgan (original screenplay), who is also getting attention from the Steve McQueen-directed awards hopeful “Shame,” which she co-penned. Director Phyllida Lloyd, meanwhile, is coming off the musical fluffball “Mamma Mia!” — the kind of Streep vehicle that doesn’t get nominations – so entering the directors’ circle will be an uphill battle unless the film is both a critical and box office hit, the way previously recognized U.K. biopics (and Academy fodder) “The Queen” and “The King’s Speech” were for Stephen Frears and Tom Hooper, respectively. On the tech side, “The Queen” costume design nominee Consalata Boyle is a factor, while the talented “Twilight” d.p. Elliot Davis could be on board for his first cinematography nomination.

And another new production still from “The Iron Lady” courtesy the New York Times’ Holiday Movies preview. Thanks to Ari for the heads-up!

Variety has posted an article on the current films vying for Oscar glory that are based on real events or real people, including, of course, “The Iron Lady”. In the case of some films this year, they know the subjects – and don’t like them. That’s a problem shared by “The Iron Lady,” helmer Phyllida Lloyd’s story of Margaret Thatcher starring Meryl Streep, and “J. Edgar,” Clint Eastwood’s film about longtime FBI honcho J. Edgar Hoover, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Both have addressed the problem of long, politically charged lives by focusing on only a part of the story, and – in the case of “Iron Lady” – telling the tale from its subject’s p.o.v. “This story is not an objective biopic,” Lloyd says of her film. “The story is all told from Margaret Thatcher’s point of view and it’s an imagined story of how it might it have felt to be the first female leader in the western world.” She and screenwriter Abi Morgan tried to be extremely rigorous about the facts “but necessarily, there’s some compression of time and one or two places where in order to make the story clear we’ve taken something out. “On the whole,” Lloyd says, “we’re not nervous about being shot down in flames for our facts. We might be for the imagined part of the story.”

News courtesy Deadline. Although many places list her Margaret Thatcher biopic, The Iron Lady as a Dec 16th release, The Weinstein Company has decided it is best to keep us waiting a little longer so the official opening date for the movie that co-stars Jim Broadbent and is directed by Phyllida Lloyd is now December 30th in a limited platform release with a wider break to come in January to cash in on those expected Golden Globe and Oscar nominations. At research screenings Streep reportedly got the highest test numbers Harvey Weinstein has ever seen. Between Meryl and Michelle playing Margaret and Marilyn , Harvey is holding a hot hand in this year’s Best Actress contest. Streep has also been announced as one of this year’s recipients of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors which will be awarded on December 4th and air on CBS on December 27th, the same day Oscar nominating ballots are mailed. Timing is everything.

The Los Angeles Times features “The Iron Lady” in its 2011 Holiday Movie Sneak, with a brand new production still from the film. This biopic presents a portrait of Margaret Thatcher, the only woman to be prime minister of the United Kingdom. With Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Harry Lloyd and Alexandra Roach. Written by Abi Morgan. Directed by Phyllida Lloyd. Weinstein Co.

While scans from the Vanity Fair article “Maggie Mia” have been posted already (see here), their website has now published the article as well, with a better quality version of the stunning promotional picture you’ll find below.

Is the world dying for a Margaret Thatcher biopic? Probably no more than it’s dying for Harold Wilson or John Major biopics, the dramatic possibilities of the Falklands War notwithstanding. But wait. A Margaret Thatcher biopic starring Meryl Streep? That’s P.M.-tainment! How she wrested the part from one Dame or another remains a mystery whose solution is known only to the actress and her director; we’re just thrilled she got her mitts on it. (And now America is finally even for Vivien Leigh playing Scarlett O’Hara.) Did we mention that we love Meryl Streep? Love-love-LOVE her? That there’s literally no other performer we’d rather see on-screen? Even Jessica Alba? Streep, over the last decade, has evolved from being the Greatest Actress of Her Generation to also being the slyest and wittiest and lightest afoot, ventilating the von Sydow heaviness of her younger roles with a bit of Astaire fresh air. Limited footage available from The Iron Lady suggests Streep’s Thatcher will fit somewhere between the poles of her Julia Child and her Miranda Priestly—a Tory leader who can debone Labour M.P.’s as if they were whole chickens, or stiffen wobbly American presidents with a witheringly arched eyebrow, and yet never lose sight of her inner Python housewife. The director is Phyllida Lloyd, who three years ago put Streep at the center of the 21st century’s finest movie musical: Mamma Mia! (Seriously. You can have Chicago and Dream Girls, though we’ll keep Hairspray too.) Along for the ride, Jim Broadbent will risk being ahistorically interesting as Denis Thatcher. Did we mention that we love Meryl Streep?

Many thanks to Julie for passing the following information to me. November 16th, 2011 will mark the official opening of the first U.S.-China Forum on The Arts and Culture in Beijing. This four-day event will involve the participation of an extraordinary line-up of American cultural icons, including Meryl Streep, film director Joel Coen, musician Yo-Yo Ma, among others, who will engage in dialogue and perform with their Chinese counterparts. A special screening of “The Iron Lady” will be held on Nov. 19, 2011 at 7:30pm local time, in the National Museum of China, with a follow-up discussion after the screening.

Seated next to Howe is actor Andrew Havill, playing Tom King, who held a variety of portfolios from Employment to Northern Ireland, during Mrs Thatcher’s Downing Street reign. On the premier’s right is a blurred vision of Michael Elwyn as Michael Howard, then the Local Government Minister. And all on his lonesome in the inset picture is Richard E. Grant as Michael Heseltine. Plotting, no doubt. Director Phyllida Lloyd is still in post production, refining and editing her cut of the picture. Over the summer, Meryl did some voice work on the film and fine-tuned a speech or two. Many of the speeches and statements heard in the film won’t be exact records of what was spoken in the Houses of Parliament, on the steps of No 10 or other famous locations – although they will reflect the flavour of what Mrs Thatcher and other major players said.

This was done for a variety of reasons, including copyright, but also so producers didn’t have to seek anyone’s approval for use of their words. Abi Morgan, who penned the screenplay, is a skilled writer and from the bits of footage I have seen it would appear the words put into the mouths of the real-life characters are close to what was actually uttered. In any event, the movie isn’t a documentary on the Thatcher years. It’s an exploration of one remarkable woman’s ambition, and how she hand-bagged her way to success in what is still regarded as a man’s world. ‘It’s also about the price she paid,’ producer Damian Jones told me a while back.

Director David Frankel was interviewed by ComingSoon.net on his latest film “The Big Year” and was also asked about “Great Hope Springs”. An excerpt can be found below, the complete interview is here.

It’s a drama with surprising comedy, that’s the best way to describe it now. I mean, until I see it in the cutting room, but I think our take on it is that it’s really, really funny, but we’re not playing anything for laughs, and I think that’s the best kind of comedy, I think, where the humor comes out of very real emotion, not unlike “The Big Year.” I think that’s a similar tone that we’re going for in “Great Hope Springs.”