The 8 Movies That Defined Meryl Streep’s Career

Warning: This article discusses topics of abuse and mental health.

Meryl Streep is undoubtedly one of the best actresses of her generation, and there are certain movies from her spectacular career that define her career overall. Streep’s filmography kicks off with 1977’s Julia, her first film after starring on the stage for two years, and her role as Anne Marie is the first of several iconic characters of hers. Meryl Streep’s best movies prove why she is such a talented performer, but not all of these films are necessarily the ones that encapsulate her work altogether.

Streep can turn her hand to any and all kinds of characters. In fact, there are multiple MCU characters Meryl Streep would be perfect for, even though she isn’t known for appearing in superhero movies. Her versatility as an actress has kept her busy for years, and it’s no surprise that Meryl Streep surpassed a huge Oscar milestone, collecting over 21 Academy Award nominations over the years. Streep’s career is layered and highlights how powerful she is in Hollywood, but certain movies of her stand as the most crucial to her development.

8 Kramer Vs. Kramer (1979)

Role: Joanna Kramer

The earliest defining movie of Streep’s career is also the reason why she is an Oscar winner in the first place: Kramer vs. Kramer. Streep portrays Joanna Kramer, a neglected wife and mother who walks out on her family in the opening scenes of the film. Even though Streep doesn’t dominate the screen in Kramer vs. Kramer, one of the most fantastic movies about divorce and heartache, the scenes she does appear in are nothing short of spectacular. Joanna’s battle for custody against her husband is profound and difficult to watch at times, yet engaging, too.

Streep’s rapport with Dustin Hoffman, who plays Ted Kramer, is astonishing. The tension between the pair as they fight over their son is enthralling, and both are very much deserving of their Oscar wins for their performances. Her accolade is even more impressive because Kramer vs. Kramer is one of Streep’s earliest projects. Streep highlights her talents as an actress as Joanna, who isn’t supposed to be a likable character, but she becomes one that audiences strangely root for and start to empathize with as time goes on.

7 Sophie’s Choice (1982)

Role: Sophie Zawistowski

Sophie’s Choice results in Streep’s second Academy Award win and her first for Best Actress. Streep plays the titular character in the film, a Polish immigrant and Holocaust survivor who is haunted by her memories in a German work camp. Sophie’s Choice is a sad movie guaranteed to make anyone cry, and Streep’s portrayal of a mother forced to make a choice that would destroy any parent is absolutely incredible.

The actress is raw and visibly distressed throughout Sophie’s Choice, to the point that it’s easy to forget that she’s playing a character. Sophie’s Choice is one of the best movies that is told through flashbacks, which makes the two harrowing experiences of the titular character happening at different points in time even more impactful.

The damaged woman can’t help but think about her children, even though her new lover’s abuse often brings her back to the present, and Streep encapsulates the movie’s themes of grief and mental health beautifully. Sophie’s Choice may not be the first film that put Streep on the map, but it’s definitely the title that proves that her success with Kramer vs. Kramer isn’t just pure luck.

6 Out Of Africa (1985)

Role: Baroness Karen Von Blixen

Out of Africa is one of the best period piece movies of all time, in which Streep takes on the role of Baroness Karen von Blixen. The film focuses on Karen’s life in Kenya from 1914 to 1931 and how her personal and romantic life changed throughout this time. Out of Africa truly cements Streep’s name in Hollywood and is one of her biggest commercial successes from the 1980s, so it’s a shock that the film’s cast could have been very different.

Out of Africa
truly cements Streep’s name in Hollywood and is one of her biggest commercial successes from the 1980s

The book Meryl Streep: Anatomy of an Actor discusses Sydney Pollack’s concerns that Streep lacked enough sex appeal. Thankfully, the actress proves otherwise, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role. Although her success in Out of Africa had caused her going rate to soar, it’s justifiable.

The journey of self-discovery and the important lessons Karen learns about falling in love are brilliantly translated through Streep’s subtle yet strong body language and facial expressions. Surprisingly, Out of Africa is one of Meryl Streep’s more underrated movies, but it’s still an important title in her filmography and one that sees her talents receive the praise it deserves.

5 Death Becomes Her (1992)

Role: Madeline Ashton

Streep stars opposite Goldie Hawn in Death Becomes Her, an amazing film about two rivals who come across a potion that gives them the gift of eternal youth. Death Becomes Her is a classic movie that is still memorable nowadays. Even Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste” music video references Streep’s 1992 movie, proving that the actress is relevant to every generation.

Streep’s attempts at comedy movies from the ‘90s aren’t the greatest, but Death Becomes Her is a turning point for the actress. Streep’s Madeline and Hawn’s Helen are zany and full of energy, and the rapport between the two is the driving force of the film. The actress truly lets go while playing Madeline and embraces a wilder side that isn’t particularly notable in her earlier works.

Madeline’s camp and free attitude are fantastic, and it makes sense that Death Becomes Her has become such a prominent movie in the LGBTQ+ community, especially because of how the characters fight against unfair beauty and aging standards in a world that rejects them. Ultimately, Death Becomes Her establishes Streep as a queer icon.

4 Adaptation (2002)

Role: Susan Orlean

It’s easy to forget that Streep is in Adaptation because Nicolas Cage is such a scene-stealer, but her performance as Susan Orlean is a fascinating one. Adaptation is a trippy and mind-bending movie about a non-fiction book being adapted for the silver screen, and Streep’s character is a fictionalized version of The Orchid Thief’s author.

Streep’s third Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress was for her performance as Susan Orlean in
Adaptation
.

While the events that play out during Orlean’s side of the narrative aren’t historically accurate, audiences believe them to be true because of Streep’s compelling acting. Orlean is a reserved writer who falls in love with the titular criminal of her book, John Laroche. Streep is primarily known for playing bold and strong-willed personalities, so Orlean is a refreshing change of pace.

The character is unpredictable and is the source of multiple plot twists in Adaptation, but the climax of the film shows Streep at her best. The tense swap scene, in which Orlean decides that Nicolas Cage’s Charlie needs to die to keep her secret affair under wraps, is a profound and underrated moment from Streep. The real Orlean has referred to Streep’s portrayal as “ one of [her] favorite performances by [Streep] ,” which is the highest compliment the actress could receive (via GQ).

3 The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Role: Miranda Priestly

Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada is by far Streep’s most recognizable villain. Streep’s portrayal of the brutal Runway magazine editor is dry and sharp, and even though she is the antagonist of the film, she is far more intriguing than Anne Hathaway’s Andy. Priestley’s constant snapping and demands to her staff are absolutely iconic, and Streep immediately dominates every scene she features in with just the slightest nod of her head or glaring look.

The Devil Wears Prada
has a massive cultural impact, and many who aren’t familiar with Streep’s earlier work frequently discover her through this movie.

The Devil Wears Prada has a massive cultural impact, and many who aren’t familiar with Streep’s earlier work frequently discover her through this movie. The Devil Wears Prada is also why Streep is a record-breaking Oscar nominee, with Priestly earning her fourteenth nomination. Miranda Priestly’s savage quotes in The Devil Wears Prada are a great example of why the character is so memorable.

Everything about Priestly, from her diction to her movement, is addictive and enthralling, and this is thanks to Streep. The actress makes one of the best performances ever look effortless, and she also proves that despite her long-spanning career, her talents never falter. The Devil Wears Prada 2 is finally coming, and audiences are excited for Streep to bring back Priestly.

2 Mamma Mia! (2008)

Role: Donna Sheridan

Mamma Mia! is easily Streep’s most notable title in recent years, and her stint as Donna Sheridan is completely legendary. Streep’s performances in Mamma Mia! and its sequel are perfect examples that highlight just how varied an actress she is, specifically the musical side of cinema. Singing roles in movies specifically aren’t too common for her, despite coming from a theatrical background.

However, Meryl Streep’s singing voice in Mamma Mia! is fantastic, and it allows audiences who have never seen her on the stage a chance to experience her melodious tones. Donna is beautifully flawed but easy to invest in, and her dedication to her daughter Sophie is a part of the character that many relate to.

Even in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, in which Streep takes a backseat and only appears as the spirit of the late Donna, the actress knows how to make the most of her limited screen time. It’s unclear whether Donna will return in the highly anticipated Mamma Mia! 3, but Streep’s prominence in the first two films in the franchise argues that one of her most famous characters deserves to be reprised.

1 The Iron Lady (2011)

Role: Margaret Thatcher

The Iron Lady, one of the best biopic movies ever, sees Streep as one of the most harrowing Prime Ministers in British history, Margaret Thatcher. The film is also the result of Streep’s third and most recent Oscar win, although she is yet to add another accolade from the Academy after this. Although the film is critiqued for how Thatcher is perceived, Streep offers one of the most realistic interpretations of the politician.

Thatcher’s life and career isn’t glamorous, and it overlaps with some rather dark times in British history, but Streep approaches it with plenty of truth and grit. Although Streep isn’t British, her accent is smooth and works well, which is a difficult feat that many American actors have failed to achieve.

However, the most powerful part of her performance is in the later half of the film, when Thatcher has dementia. The Iron Lady is heartbreakingly reflective of the harsh realities of the condition, but Streep’s enactment of it is respectful and astonishingly natural. The film proves that Meryl Streep is an actress like no other, and regardless of the character she is presented with, it’s impossible for her not be a total success.

Key Background

• Streep began acting professionally in 1975 and was cast in five plays at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.
• The actress has won three Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Sophie’s Choice and The Iron Lady, and Best Supporting Actress for Kramer vs. Kramer.
• Her most recent appearance was in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building.