It’s one of the most anticipated shows of 2019, returning almost two years after the critically-acclaimed first season. The all-star cast stepped out in style Wednesday night in New York City for the season 2 premiere of the hit HBO drama. Even Alexander Skarsgard – whose abusive character Perry was killed at the end of the first season – was there, inducting he is likely to appear via flashback in the new season. Streep co-stars as Perry’s mother Mary Louise Wright, who arrives in Monterey looking for answers about her son’s death. Pictures from the premiere have been added to the photo gallery.

The cast of “Big Little Lies” stepped out in New York for the premiere of season 2 (see following update). In a conversation moderated by “Vanity Fair” editor-in-chief Radhika Jones, Streep joined stars Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Laura Dern hours before their season 2 premiere to discuss their experiences with the celebrated HBO drama and why they were so determined to bring it back. When asked to join a second season of “Big Little Lies,” Meryl Streep didn’t hesitate. “[My agents] asked me, ‘don’t you want to read it?’ And I said no,” the actor laughed, sitting alongside her co-stars Wednesday at the Wing Soho in New York City. “The first season was the greatest thing on television.” “You get to explore [the characters] and the consequences on a deeper level,” said Kidman of the decision to continue after the climactic finale, which coincided with the end of Liane Moriarty’s novel and was originally meant to end the series. “You see their lives unfold in a much deeper way.” Another big part of the decision to return was the huge reaction the show received. “The year at the Golden Globes when Oprah gave that incredible speech…and we were able to go up there and talk about this show was truly one of the greatest moments of my life and career,” Witherspoon said. Plus, as they all agreed, “Big Little Lies” represented a rare treat in their careers when they got to collaborate with many women rather than be the sole female voice on set; the fact that they even get along well enough to have an ongoing group chat is a bonus. (While they wouldn’t reveal the content of their conversations, Kidman at least allowed that she’s the most enthusiastic emoji user, while Witherspoon said that she “likes a gif.”) The full article can be read over at Variety, hopefully there will be a video of the panel posted soon. For now, enjoy the pictures.

The following article comes from CNN with many thanks to Glenn for the heads-up: There’s a golden rule in Hollywood: Meryl Streep can star in whatever project she wants to star in. So, when writing “Big Little Lies” Season 2, Liane Moriarty, who wrote the novel the series was based on and is a producer on the show, had a trick up her sleeve. She created a new character – the grieving mother of deceased Perry (played in season 1 by Alexander Skarsgård) – and named her Mary Louise. “Mary Louise is my actual legal name,” Streep said during a panel discussion at The Wing SoHo on Wednesday.
Streep said she joined the project without reading a script and thought the first season of the show “was the greatest thing on TV.” 
Nicole Kidman, who was also on the panel, first revealed Moriarty’s “secret” to landing Streep back in February. “That was Liane Moriarty. That was her telepathic message to you Meryl, because [the cast] did not know that. We did not know that that was your name,” Kidman said. “Liane wrote the novella and said, ‘Get me Meryl Streep.'” Streep praised the complex portrayal of the women in the series and said that “Big Little Lies” viewers will see her character head into a “dark place” following the murder of her son.

Her son is dead. I thank God I don’t have that experience, but imagining it, just going into the dark place of imagining it. That feeling of protecting him while he’s gone is still there. The motherhood never stops.

Streep also thanked Kidman and co-star Reese Witherspoon for having the foresight to option the book rights for the screen in 2014. “I was of a generation that waited to be asked to dance and I’m so admiring of you for getting on the balls of your feet and looking for material,” Streep told Witherspoon, who also sat on the panel. A giddy Witherspoon then asked for whoever filmed that to send it to her so she could “post it to Instagram tomorrow” for proof that it actually happened. “Big Little Lies” premieres June 9 on HBO.

Yesterday, Meryl Streep has made a rare public appearance (hopefully not that rare anymore with the promotion of “Big Little Lies” coming up) alongside friend Emma Thompson on Broadway. They visited a performance of “What the Constitution Means to Me” by Heidi Schreck, which is currently a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Pictures from their backstage visit have been added to the photo gallery.

Meryl Streep addressed her highly-anticipated role in Big Little Lies Season 2 for the first time during an appearance at the Television Critics Association press tour on Friday, teasing her character’s place on the show and what made her join the cast in the first place. “I loved this show, I was addicted to it,” Streep said of Season 1. “I thought it was an amazing exercise in what we know and what we don’t know about people, about family, about friends, how it flirted with the mystery of things. What was unsaid, unshown, unknown, was the gravitational pull of the piece. It was so exciting. When I got the chance to join the crew, I thought ‘Yeah!’ I wanted to be in that world. The world that was created was amazing.” Streep will play Mary Louise Wright, mother of the late Perry Wright (Alexander Skarsgård) and mother-in-law of Celeste (Nicole Kidman). “The dynamic between Celeste and me … Hmmm! I do love [Nicole], and I do love her. That’s the only thing I’ll tell you about my character,” Streep teased. She appeared at the TCA panel alongside BLL creator/write David E. Kelley and co-stars Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Zoe Kravitz, Shailene Woodley, and Laura Dern. Pictures from the TCA have been added to the photo gallery.

Yesterday, Meryl Streep attended the London premiere for “Mary Poppins Returns”, which turns out to be the season’s most anticipated film, and, even more surprisingly, a serious awards contender for Best Picture and Best Actress. Many pictures have been added to the video archive. A video clip of Meryl being interviewed at the premiere can be found below.

Yesterday, Stephen Colbert and Meryl Streep joined Montclair Film’s annual fundraiser at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center for an in-depth conversation about Streep’s career, interviewed by Colbert. While we’re waiting for articles or – fingers crossed – a video from the conversation, check out pictures from the event in the photo gallery.

Yesterday, Meryl Streep presented her friend and long-time collaborator Ann Roth at the Director Guild of America Honors in New York City. Roth created costumes for 14 of Streep’s projects, from Mike Nichols’ “Silkwood” in 1983 to Steven Spielberg’s “The Post” earlier last year. Pictures from the event have been added to the photo gallery.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Meryl Streep is the latest star to join the ‘Late Show’ host for an evening to raise money for the organization that presents the New Jersey film festival. Stephen Colbert will be joined by Meryl Streep for this year’s edition of his annual Montclair Film benefit set for Dec. 1. The Late Show star will host an evening with the three-time Oscar winner onstage at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in downtown Newark. All proceeds from the evening will benefit Montclair Film, the nonprofit that presents the annual Montclair Film Festival in New Jersey, which Colbert has long supported. Past editions of the annual Montclair Film benefit have featured Colbert in conversation with Jonathan Alter, Jimmy Fallon, Jon Stewart, Steve Carell, J.J. Abrams, John Oliver and Samantha Bee. The 2019 edition of the Montclair Film Festival will run May 3-12. Many thanks to Glenn for the heads-up!

On Friday, Meryl Streep broke some new ground by serving as questioner, conducting a Q&A with real-life longtime pal Tracey Ullman after a New York screening of the season premiere of the latter’s HBO sketch-comedy show “Tracey Ullman’s Show”. Hosted by Tribeca TV, the Q&A began with Tribeca founder Jane Rosenthal introducing Streep as “Tracey Ullman’s very best dearest friend,” with Streep and Ullman engaging in an enlightening chat. As Streep recalled, the two met when they were cast in the 1985 film “Plenty”, when Ullman was just 21. “I met you when I was 32,” Streep said, “and I said to my husband, ‘I think I’ve made a new friend.’ It’s hard to make a new friend when you’re old and famous.” Since then, the pair have remained close. “We had babies at the same time, shared life experiences,” Ullman said. “People ask me, ‘Do you and Meryl talk about acting when you get together?’ Are you kidding me?” The conversation, as it inevitably does these days, eventually turned to politics, with Streep praising Ullman’s uncanny impressions of such political figures as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British PM Theresa May. “I found that the most interesting women I could impersonate were politicians,” Ullman explained, admitting that Merkel is one of her favourites — both to impersonate and simply in general. “Could you imagine being her, the only girl in the room with Putin and Berlusconi and George W. Bush?” Responded Streep: “She holds her own.”