WhereIsAtlas · Meryl Streep
What Happened to Meryl Streep?
The most Oscar-nominated actor in history, still at the peak of her powers as both a dramatic and comedic performer.
Meryl Streep is the most nominated actor in Oscar history and arguably the most celebrated of her generation. Far from retired, she remains a leading actress, most recently reprising her signature role in the Devil Wears Prada sequel.
A Yale-trained breakthrough
Born in Summit, New Jersey in 1949, Meryl Streep trained at Yale's drama school and entered film in the late 1970s. Her portrayal in The Deer Hunter and her Oscar-winning turn in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) established her as a dramatic actress of rare power and range.
The most nominated performer in history
Streep's career is defined by an extraordinary run of nominations. With 21 acting Oscar nominations, she is the most nominated performer in Academy history, winning Best Actress three times — for Sophie's Choice, Kramer vs. Kramer and The Iron Lady. Her ability to inhabit characters of any accent, era or temperament is unmatched.
Drama and comedy with equal ease
Where many actors specialise, Streep moved effortlessly between prestige drama and mainstream comedy. The Devil Wears Prada, Mamma Mia! and Florence Foster Jenkins showed her comic timing in The Devil Wears Prada before she turned around and delivered award-calibre character work. That range has kept her at the centre of cinema for five decades.
Still a reigning star
Streep has not slowed with age. She continues to headline major studio films and has returned to her iconic role in the Devil Wears Prada sequel, proving she can still draw audiences. She also remains an outspoken public figure on issues from the arts to politics.
Where Meryl Streep is now
Meryl Streep is very much at the top of her game. She continues to star in major films, holds the record for Oscar nominations, and has returned to one of her best-known characters in a sequel to The Devil Wears Prada. Considered by many the finest actress of her era, she remains a defining presence in Hollywood.
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Sources
- Meryl Streep - Wikipedia — Wikipedia (2026-09-05)
- Meryl Streep — Movies, TV Shows, Age, Oscars, Devil Wears Prada, Husband, Biography, & Facts (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Meryl-Streep)