There are news on Mike Nichols’ planned “Great Hope Springs”. After Jeff Bridges’ department from the project, sources are now reporting on James Gandolfini joining Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman in the drama. Streep and Gandolfini would play a married couple who undergo intense couples therapy to see if they want to continue their 30-year-marriage. Hoffman would play the therapist. According to Vulture, no deals have been signed, but all parties are highly interested, and recently even did a table read.

Actress Meryl Streep is visiting Washington to call for the creation of a National Women’s History Museum on the National Mall. Streep will join Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney on Tuesday night to support the purchase of federal property at 12th Street and Independence Avenue in southwest Washington to build the museum. The House passed legislation last year that would authorize the museum. A vote is pending in the Senate. Streep is an honorary board member for the group working to build the museum and serves as its national spokeswoman.

Edit: Many thanks to Tina M. for letting me know about this report on yesterday’s event and Meryl’s appearance. You can watch it below.

Three documentaries with Meryl – including one about Meryl – will be released on DVD in the USA these coming days, so here’s an overview on what can be watched soon on disc. First is the Biography Channel’s documentary on Meryl Streep. It originally aired in December 2008 and features a couple of interviews with Meryl from various shows and remarks by film experts. The DVD will be released on September 28, 2010. Thanks to Andrea and Judy for the heads-up on this. Then, the outstanding documentary “Theater of War“, following the cast and crew of the 2006 Public Theater production of “Mother Courage and her Children” (see preview), makes it R1 debut on October 19, 2010. And on November 09, 2010, another remarkable documentary will make it to DVD – “I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale” chronicles the exceptional professional and unfortunately short life of actor John Cazale (see preview), and included interview with the heavyweights he’s worked with as well as the many admirers he’s found among actors.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Meryl is currently in negotiations to star as Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady,” a biopic of the controversial and long-governing former British prime minister. Jim Broadbent is in talks to play Margaret Thatcher’s husband, Denis, for the pic, which is being co-produced and co-financed by Pathe and Film4. The film is said to be directed by Phyllida Lloyd, who last helmed the big screen version of “Mamma Mia”.

This project, like the previous mentioned “Great Hope Springs” is not official yet. A couple of years ago there already was a mention of Streep playing Thatcher, although these were simply misleading, since the actual news were based on a quote by Oliver Stone, saying that Meryl would be his first choice to play Thatcher. Still, if this new project will be done, Meryl will be in magnificent company with Jim Broadbent, who won an Academy Award in 2002 for his performance in “Iris”.

While still unofficial, according to the Wrap, Mike Nichols is in talks to direct Mandate Pictures’ “Great Hope Springs,” an individual familiar with the project told TheWrap. Oscar winners Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges are currently close to finalizing deals to star in the dramedy. CAA, which represents Nichols, Streep and Bridges, would not confirm the negotiations. This would be the fifth project for Nichols and Streep after “Silkwood” (1983), “Heartburn” (1986), “Postcards from the Edge” (1990) and “Angels in America” (2003).

According to Coming Soon, Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges are in talks to star in Escape Artists’ “Great Hope Springs”. Philip Seymour Hoffman is also circling the project but may not be able to join in due to schedule conflicts. The film, written by Vanessa Taylor Writer, is about a couple who have been married for thirty years and attend an intense counseling weekend to decide the fate of their marriage. Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Guymon Casady and Steve Tisch are producing the dramedy.

“In talks” basically means that the two are considered, or wanted for this projects, so I wouldn’t count it as an official project for now. Be sure I keep you posted on further information.

According to the Italian news association ANSA, Meryl Streep and Andy Garcia will be awarded with the Rudolfo Valentino Award in Poltu Quatu, Sardegna, Italy, July 7. The Rodolfo Valentino award is given each year by a jury of critics to movie personalities who have success all over the world, past winners include Pedro Almodovar, Robert Altman, Bernardo Berolucci, Francis Ford Coppola, Bette Davis, Jeremy Irons, Sophia Loren and Roman Polanski, among others. Thanks to Ilaria for the heads-up!

The following article from the Connecticut Theater Reviews not only features some great remarks by Meryl on her early stage work but also four amazing pictures from her collaboration with the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in 1975. The complete article can be read here and below.

I just got off the phone, talking to Meryl Streep about the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford, and its second Tony Award — this one for outstanding regional theater, which was presented during last night’s Tony ceremonies at Radio City Music Hall. Streep spent a summer at the O’Neill 35 years ago when she was a young actress starting out, fresh out of her three years at Yale School of Drama. While at the O’Neill in 1975 she appeared among projects in a John Guare play being developed there called “Marco Polo Sings a Solo” and Jeff Wanshel’s “Isadora Duncan Sleeps with the Russian Navy.” Also in the staged reading were actors Joel Brooks, Jay Garner and Kevin O’Connor.

As reported earlier, Meryl has attended the AFI Lifetime Achievment Award to director Mike Nichols, yesterday. Pictures have been added to the Image Library with more information below. It was a reunion with lots of her Nichols-directed co-stars – Cher of “Silkwood”, Jack Nicholson of “Heartburn” and Shirley MacLaine of “Postcards from the Edge”. The tribute to Nichols airs June 26 on TV Land.

I remember on ‘Silkwood’ once, you said to me, ‘You know, directing is like making love.’ And I said, ‘Eww, I don’t even know him that well. Why is he telling me this?’ ‘Because,’ you went on, ‘you never know if you’re doing it right or as well as the other guy.’ I just found that insecurity so completely disarming, and, well, you know, I started to fall in love with you over and over and over again.

Introduced by Streep at the end of the evening, Nichols gushed thanks for his costume designers, cinematographers, script supervisors, makeup artists, composers and other associates. “If I thanked everyone who contributed importantly over the years, we would be here until Miley Cyrus’ AFI award,” Nichols said. “All of you made me feel I got away with it. I love the process of making a movie, and doing it with all of you was – despite the fear, the pressure, the budget – happiness.”

On May 27, Meryl Streep has accepted an honorary degree at Harvard Universities commencement in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Pictures can be found in the Image Library, a video will follow later.