The Post was the big winner at the National Board of Review Awards on Tuesday night in New York City. The Steven Spielberg-directed film about Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham’s race to publish the Pentagon Papers in 1971 took home awards for best film, best actor for Tom Hanks and best actress for Meryl Streep. The film’s timely message about the power of women in leadership roles and the importance of press freedom were among the reasons it was honored. For Spielberg, the timing of the film wasn’t accidental. Screenwriter Liz Hannah completed a draft a week before the 2016 election, and after Spielberg received the script for producers Amy Pascal and Kristie Macosko Krieger, he kicked production into high gear. Robert De Niro, in his introduction for Meryl Streep, went off on President Trump, referring to him as “the jerkoff-in-chief” among other insults. The two-time Oscar winner brought up president as he discussed the “parallels” between The Post and the current political climate, describing it as “fascinating” to watch the drama that “took place nearly 50 years ago” but still resonates now. “At the time of that story, Donald Trump was suffering from bone spurs. Today the world is suffering from the real Donald Trump,” De Niro said as he began bashing Trump. “This fucking idiot is president. It’s the Emperor’s New Clothes. The guy is a fucking fool. … Our government today, with the propping of our baby-in-chief — the jerkoff-in-chief, I call him — has put the press under siege, ridiculing it and trying to discredit it through outrageous attacks and lies. And again, just like in 1971, the press is distinguishing itself with brave, exacting journalism.” A complete article on the event can be read over at The Hollywood Reporter. Pictures have been added to the photo gallery.

Earlier today, Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks were guests on “Ellen” to promote Friday’s theatrical release of “The Post”. They talked about the Golden Globes, Oprah Winfrey’s speech and played a little game of recreating each others most iconic roles – Forrest Gump, The Devil Wears Prada, Toy Story and The Iron Lady. Screencaptures have been added to the photo gallery. Tomorrow will see the London premiere of “The Post” and the taping of “The Graham Norton Show”, which will air Friday.

Yesterday, Meryl Streep was a guest on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” to promote the theatrical release of “The Post”. Among the interview’s highlights was Jimmy’s game to have Meryl list all of the films she has received an Oscar nomination for – her reaction to “A Cry in the Dark” is priceless – and she was nominated for the role. But see for yourself. Screencaptures have been added to the photo gallery as well.

The Golden Globes have been handed out earlier this evening. Meryl Streep didn’t win for “The Post”, Frances McDormand was named Best Actress in a Drama for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Misouri” – who is, in my opinion, the best actress of her generation and deserves all the praise she gets, so fine with me :-) At least she took the red carpet for the first time in years. As it was reported before that some actresses chose to be accompanied by activists, Meryl walked the red carpet with Ai-jen Poo, the director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and co-director of the Caring Across Generations Campaign. “She and I are so happy to be here in this particular moment,” Streep told E! News. “I think that people are aware now of a power imbalance and it’s something that leads to abuse. It’s led to abuse in our own industry, and it’s led to abuse across domestic workers’ field of work. It’s in the military, it’s in Congress, it’s everywhere and we want to fix that. We feel sort of emboldened in this particular moment to stand together in a thick black line dividing then from now.” Edit: over 200 additional pictures from the arrivals, the show and the after-party have been added to the photo gallery, with many many thanks to Claudia for her support. The video archive has been updated with the Best Actress segment and the E! Live from the Red Carpet interview with Meryl and Ai-jen Poo. Enjoy all the new additions.

Yesterday, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep have attended the “The Post” screening as part of the 29th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival’s opening night, as well as a Q&A on the film afterwards. Also yesterday, Meryl has participated in another Q&A, this time with for Facebook. You can watch it in the video archive. Then, two talkshow appearances have been officially announced for next week – The Ellen DeGeneres Show on January 09 and The Graham Norton Show on January 12, which will be taped on Wednesday, January 10, after the film’s London premiere. Thanks to Jamie for letting me know that Meryl will also attend “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on January 08. Finally, 20th Century Fox has released a new featurette on “The Post” with a focus on the women in front of and behind the camera, including lots of new bits of Meryl as Katharine Graham. Enjoy all the new additions.

Jimmy Kimmel Live (January 08, 2018)
The Ellen DeGeneres Show (January 09, 2018)
“The Post” London premiere (January 10, 2018)
The Graham Norton Show (January 12, 2018)

This morning, “Today” has aired an interview with Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Bob Odenkirk, which was conducted earlier last December. The three stars of “The Post” talked about the relevance of the film, its parallels to today’s society, and, of course, the Weinstein scandal and its impact on Hollywood’s change. The full interview can be watched in the video archive with high definition screencaptures being added to the photo gallery.

Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Shonda Rhimes and more than 300 other women are taking a stand against sexual harassment and assault in the entertainment industry by launching Time’s Up—a movement that aims to promote equality and safety in the workplace. The initiative addresses legislation, corporate policy and hiring practices and aggregates resources. “Earning a living should not come at the cost of anyone’s safety, dignity or morale,” Rhimes said in a statement appearing in a Time’s Up email. “Every person should get to work in an environment free from abuse, assault and discrimination. It’s well past time to change the culture of the environment where most of us spend the majority of our day – the work place. 51% of our population is female, over 30% of our population is of color. Those are important, vital, economically powerfully voices that need to be heard at every level.” She also added, “Time’s Up is working to make sure the people walking the corridors of power within the workplace and in politics truly reflect the full mix of America—the real America that looks like and includes all of us. Look, this isn’t going to be easy but it is right. And fighting for what is right can seem hard. But letting what is wrong become normal is not easier—it is just more shameful.” You can read the whole article and Time’s Up letter at the The New York Times website.

Happy New Year everybody! Additional magazine scans, ranging from December 2017 to February 2018, and including Entertainment Weekly, Film Journal International and Britain’s Empire Magazine (including a stunning new Brigitte Lacombe editorial), have been added to the photo gallery. Also, a great new featurette on “The Post” has been released, which can be watched in the video archive, screencaptures have been added as well. Enjoy the new additions.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, “The Post” has been doing quite well during its limited release so far: Among new specialty offerings, director Steven Spielberg’s The Post, starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, is soaring in its holiday debut in nine theaters. Now in its second weekend, the Pentagon Papers drama – up for six Globes – is tipped to post a stellar location average of $86,111 for a cume of $2 million through Monday. Fox expands The Post nationwide on January 12. Before its wide release, the Golden Globes take place on Sunday, January 07 – earlier than usually – and the Critics Choice Awards are handed out a week later on January 11. Meryl is nominated for both awards as Best Actress. Also, as the Desert Sun reports, Steven Spielberg, Streep and Tom Hanks will be in the audience for an upcoming local screening of their film “The Post” on Thursday, January 04, which kicks off the Palm Springs International Film Festival. The screening is Thursday evening at Palm Springs High School. Spielberg, Streep and Hanks, along with the film’s screenwriters and producers, will participate in a 20-minute on-stage discussion before the start of the film, according to an announcement from the festival. Thanks to Glenn for the heads-up.

Our annual year in review comes a few days early, because Simply Streep is taking a Holidays break. With this last post, I’d like to thank all visitors, and those who have helped me with the site throughout the year, most notably Alvaro, Claudia, Frank, Glenn, Maria, Mouza, Lindsey and anyone I might have forgotten. It has been a great year, but it has been a weird, shameful and scandalous year as well. Meryl has filmed three movies – “The Post” and the upcoming “Mary Poppins Returns” and “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” and has won a Golden Globe and Emmy – but what stays in mind is a relentless 12 months of online shaming and accusations, not only by those usual suspects who love to tear down women, but also by those who should know better. So, sit back, let the year pass by and prepare to shake your head, more than once. To all the visitors, I wish you a Merry Christmas, a good time with your family and beloved ones and peaceful Holidays. See you all in 2018.