On this day 40 years ago, Universal Pictures released the film that would cement Meryl Streep’s status as one of the greatest living actresses, in a harrowing film about the effects of the Holocaust on people’s sanity and lives. The status remains, and so does the brilliance of her Academy Award winning peformance in “Sophie’s Choice”.

Imagine, only for a moment, if we would talk about Meryl Streep today had she retired her film career in 1982. The majority of us wasn’t born yet – and Streep had done only seven films in a rather short period on film. But for those she had amassed three Academy Award nominations and one win, in three Best Picture nominations with two wins, a breakout role on tv with an Emmy win and a splashy part in Woody Allen’s “Manhattan”. Of the many talented new stars of the early 1980’s, Streep was “the one”. But it wasn’t until “Sophie’s Choice” that audiences and critics started labeling her “the greatest”. Had it been her last film, I’m sure we would still talk about this rather short career to this day, but probably within a much smaller group of film afficionados. Fortunately for us, Meryl Streep has entertained us with illustrious characters to this day. And 40 years after its release, “Sophie’s Choice” still reminds us that here is an actress that can do everything.

Today 40 years ago, „Still of the Night“ released US theaters. Sandwiched between two of Meryl Streep’s greatest performances in the early 1980s, „Still of the Night“ is an often-forgotten Hitchcock hommage that not even its star herself remembers fondly. Helmed by Robert Benton, who directed Streep to her first Academy Award, it gave her probably the most thankless part of her career – the mysterious blonde.

In 1981, Meryl Streep had reached a first peak in her fairly young career. She was proclaimed „Star of the ‚80s“ by Newsweek and „Magic Meryl“ by Time Magazine a year afer winning her first Academy Award for „Kramer vs. Kramer“, her second consecutive nomination after „The Deer Hunter“. Her first leading role in „The French Lieutenant’s Woman“ won her a third nomintion in three years, as well as her second Golden Globe and a BAFTA from the British Academy. „Sophie’s Choice“ was on the horizon for a theatrical release later that year and she was already working with Mike Nichols on „Silkwood“ in Texas. Meanwhile, Benton was looking for a follow-up project to „Kramer“. He wrote a script called „Stab“ back in 1975, but left it in the drawers to first direct „The Late Show“, and then wait some more to direct „Kramer“. „You find yourself in a trap if you do the thing that people expect you to,“ he told The New York Times for the release of „Still of the Night“. „It seemed to me that I should go about as far away from „Kramer“ as I could with my next film.“ He found the missing link in Meryl Streep to finally revive the story of a entangled by the mistress of his murdered patient – a mysterious, cool blonde, who may have killed her lover, and maybe others as well.

Streep accepted the role for a number of reasons – to work with Benton and cinematographer Néstor Almendros again, but also for having the chance to work in New York, where her young family was based. „I wanted to work with [Benton] again. It was shot in New York. I rolled out of bed to go to work. I was with my baby more than I had ever been. I didn’t have to work every day,” she told Gene Siskel in 1982. She also, once again, helpled Benton with the right dialogue for Brooke, as she did with Joanna Kramer, as Benton recalls, „’When she got back from doing ‘The French Lieutenant’s Woman,’ we began working together, one or two days a week, on the character. She made up a great deal of the background story, the part about her father.”

On October 13, 2022, Meryl Streep accepted the Alumnae/i Association of Vassar College (AAVC) Distinguished Achievement Award. According to a lenghty article published on the Vassar website, her movie-star charisma was immediately evident, but when Streep addressed the 1,500 members of the Vassar community—including fellow members of the class of ’71 – the three-time Academy Award winner didn’t talk much about the movies. She chose instead to tell her audience about how Vassar had shaped her life, setting her on a path of social awareness and activism. “One value of a Vassar education is that it kind of dooms you to a life of awareness …”Streep said. “Once you know how to search out and credit the facts around certain problems, you are called on by your conscience to act on them. The Vassar conscience rings a bell in your head; it’s a call to action in your heart.” Pictures from the event have been added to the photo gallery – with credit to Vassar College / Karl Rabe, the complete article can be read over here.

Yesterday, George and Amal Clooney hosted the first-ever Albie Awards through their Clooney Foundation for Justice at the New York Public Library on Thursday. The Albie Awards are named after South African activist and former judge Albert “Albie” Sachs and honor “courageous defenders of justice who are at great risk for what they do.” Albie was given a lifetime achievement award during the ceremony, while other prizes went to Dr. Josephine Kulea of Kenya’s Samburu Girls Foundation who was handed the Justice for Women honour while Filipino journalist Maria Ressa was given the Justice For Journalists award. Among the star-studded guests in attendance were Meryl Streep with daughter Grace and son-in-law Mark Ronson. Pictures from the event have been added to the photo gallery. Edit: You can now also watch Meryl’s speech, honoring journalist Maria Ressa, below.

The University of Texas’ Harry Ransom Center on Monday announced that Meryl Streep will attend “A Celebration of Film,” the center’s fall event honoring actor Robert De Niro. Film critic and historian Leonard Maltin will also attend, acting as master of ceremonies. Taking place at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center on September 24, “A Celebration of Film” will support preservation and access to historical film materials archived at HRC. De Niro’s archive, which is also housed at HRC, will be featured in a new exhibition examining his early years at the American Workshop, in acting instructor Stella Adler’s classes, and in plays and films that marked his initial successes and learning experiences. De Niro first donated his archive to the HRC in 2006, including annotated screenplays, correspondence, production records, film stills and behind-the-scenes photographs, posters and publicity materials, props, costumes, videotapes, and motion picture film. The gala supports the museum’s mission to preserve and provide access to historical film materials. In an effort to expand access to this unique celebration, the HRC will also hold its first-ever ticketed after party, immediately following the gala. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit hrc.utexas.edu/gala for the gala and hrc.utexas.edu/afterparty/ for the post-production afterparty.

PBS’ American Masters series is currently streaming “Joe Papp in Five Acts”, a documentary on New York’s Public Theater founder Joe Papp, who gave Meryl Streep her big break in the New York theatre right after her graduation from Yale. The documentary is a bit of an oddity, because it premiered 10 years ago at the Tribeca Film Festival and then at various festivals around the US, but it has never been broadcast on tv, so this is a premiere with a 10-year-gap. Meryl Streep’s interview has been filmed even longer ago, as it looks. While I’m bad at guessing, I would say most probably around the late 90s/early 00s. Two preview clips can be found below. Thanks to everybody for the heads-up.

“Joe Papp in Five Acts” is the story of New York’s indomitable, street-wise champion of the arts who introduced interracial casting to the American stage and brought us free Shakespeare in the Park, Hair, and A Chorus Line. Convinced that women and minorities, denied power elsewhere in society, could develop it on the stage, Papp became a tireless fighter for the arts who raised enduring debate about our founding ideals and the role of the arts in a pluralistic society. Using his life and work as its prism, the film explores the issues he chose to champion: freedom of expression, democracy in the arts, and the definition of American culture.

On Sunday, Christine Baranski was honored by New York City’s MCC Theater during their annual Miscast Gala, “one of the most exciting and unique theater events in town”. Funds raised from Miscast help MCC Theater produce some of the most talked-about new work Off-Broadway and support our Youth Company and in-school partnerships that serve New York City public high school students, as well as our literary development work with emerging playwrights. Baranski’s co-stars Meryl Streep and Tracey Ullman saluted her in taped segments, vying for the title of “Christine’s best friend”. The clip can be watched below and in the video archive.

Emma Thompson, Meryl Streep, Sylvester Stallone, David Harewood, Daniel Radcliffe, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Luke Evans, Benjamin Zephaniah and David Morrissey have joined a short film which calls out the UK Government’s approach to refugees. This film from the Refugee Council, scripted by writer, actor and comedian David Schneider, calls on the Government to rethink proposed laws which will criminalise refugees, like those from Ukraine, who have made their own way to the UK in a desperate search for safety. It puts the viewer in the position of a refugee – a mother, a grandmother, or a child – who has been forced from their home because of war devastating their country. It goes on to illustrate how, whatever the experience they are fleeing, these refugees could be deemed criminals under the new Nationality and Borders Bill if they have made their own way to the UK, even when no other route is available. The Nationality and Borders Bill, currently reaching the final stages in Parliament, will undermine the UK’s obligation to give all who seek asylum a fair hearing, by discriminating against refugees depending on how they reach British shores. Those forced to take dangerous journeys to the UK will be treated as criminals.

According to NBC Los Angeles, Adam McKay and Meryl Streep will join an indigenous and youth-led coalition at Pershing Square at noon Friday in downtown Los Angeles to support the Youth Climate Strike Los Angeles. The Youth Climate Los Angeles movement has targeted the California Teachers Union to divest their $20 billion pension fund from fossil fuels and will rally on March 25, the same day the CTA is supposed to be voting on their pension fund. It will also show support for the Wet’suwet’en tribe, whose territory and water supply is being threatened by the CGL pipeline. McKay said he will announce at today’s rally that his company will divest their money from City National Bank/Royal Bank of Canada if the bank does not meet the demands of the Wet’suwet’en tribe. Those in attendance are asked to wear masks. There is a live stream event on Act.tv set for Saturday starting at noon that is expected to feature Mark Ruffalo, Bill McKibben, Danny Glover and hosted by Baratunde Thurston. Many thanks to Glenn for the heads-up. Edit: The complete livestream is now available to rewatch. Meryl Streep joins the discussion at the 1:32 hours mark.

Meryl Streep was a surprise guest at yesterday’s Screen Actors Guild Awards. Together with Tyler Perry and Cate Blanchett, she presented the ensemble nomination for “Don’t Look Up” (the price later went to the cast of “CODA”). A video of their segment and a great batch of pictures from the ceremony have been added to the photo gallery.