Because the Devil Wears Prada star contains multitudes.
If you’ve so much as stepped foot in a movie theater, you’ve experienced the incredible talent of the legendary Meryl Streep. For decades, this famed actress has been blowing our minds with performances that range from deeply tragic to uproariously hilarious — and she isn’t stopping anytime soon. Most recently celebrated for her show-stopping role in Only Murders in the Building, it’s safe to say she’ll be on TV and movie screens for years to come.
That said, it turns out that Streep’s private life is equally as interesting as her filmography. Despite not having saucy tabloid scandals in her past, she’s had her fair share of rich experiences. Though she’s arguably America’s most famous leading lady, you may not know some of these surprising facts about her past (and present).
Meryl Streep’s daughters are actors, too
It turns out that talent runs in the family. If you caught period drama The Gilded Age when it premiered in 2022, you witnessed Louisa Jacobson’s acting debut. Jacobson — who uses her middle name as her surname because the Screen Actors Guild already has a Louisa Gummer — is Streep’s youngest child with her husband, sculptor Don Gummer.
As it turns out, Streep’s older daughters have taken their turn in the spotlight, too. Her daughter Grace Gummer appeared in Greta Gerwig’s Frances Ha and TV shows like American Horror Story. Streep’s eldest daughter, Mamie, also had roles in hit TV shows like The Good Wife; plus, Mamie had her own TV series Emily Owens, M.D. in 2012.
Meryl Streep’s relationship with John Cazale ended in tragedy
While Streep’s been happily married to Gummer for decades, her love life wasn’t always so rosy. In 1976, Streep was cast in a play opposite actor John Cazale, who played Fredo Corleone in The Godfather and The Godfather Part II.
After meeting, Streep and Cazale quickly began dating. In 1977, however, the young couple was shocked to discover that Cazale had terminal lung cancer. Streep continued to work amid a flood of Cazale’s medical bills. During this time, the pair both took roles in The Deer Hunter, though Cazale’s part in the film was contentious because he was terminally ill, and therefore difficult to ensure. Rumor has it that Robert De Niro paid for Cazale’s insurance costs, though De Niro has never confirmed the story.
Cazale’s condition worsened and he passed away at Memorial Sloan Kettering on March 12, 1978. Streep hasn’t discussed his death very often, which makes sense given that the experience was so devastating.
She almost went to law school — but a simple mistake stopped her
On a cheerier note, Streep once almost took a life path that would have stolen her from our movie screens. When she graduated from Vassar College in 1971, Streep applied to law school. Luckily for us, however, Streep accidentally overslept and missed her interview. Upon awakening, she decided that sleeping through her alarm was a sign she should follow her heart and pursue acting. Let’s all breathe a sigh of relief that she was extra drowsy that morning.
Merly Streep donated her Devil Wears Prada wardrobe to charity
If you’re a fan of Streep’s work or fashion, you’re likely a die-hard fan of the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada. But though Streep plays the cutthroat Runway editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly, it’s safe to say the two have little in common. After the movie finished shooting, Streep suggested auctioning the truly fabulous wardrobe used in the film.
After the clothes and accessories sold on Ebay, the proceeds from the auction went to charities and causes like Equality Now, Dress for Success, and breast cancer research.
Her first name is actually Mary
Have you ever sat down and wondered, “What kind of name is ‘Meryl’ anyway?” Well, turns out it’s completely and utterly made up.
Streep’s given name is Mary Louise, but her father thought up the nickname “Meryl.” Streep has gone on the record to say that she hated her name as a young adult, and would have then preferred to have a name like “Patty or Cathy.” We’re happy she stuck it out, though, because Patty Streep just doesn’t have the same ring to it.
Meryl Streep’s been nominated for 21 Oscars
Anyone who’s so much as watched the Oscars in passing knows that Streep has won her fair share. But did you know that she’s been nominated for a whopping 21 Academy Awards? As of 2023, Streep’s received the most acting Oscar nominations in history. That said, she’s won three Oscars; the only actress to win more than Streep is Katharine Hepburn. Hepburn is the only actor in history to win four competitive acting Academy awards…for now. Let’s just say there’s still plenty of time for Streep to catch up.
