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Born
Meryl Streep was born on June 22, 1949 in Summit, New Jersey, United States.
Her parents were Mary Wolf Wilkinson and Harry William Streep, Jr.
Meryl's mother, Mary, was a fine artist who supported her daughters creative side, that is why Meryl considered her mom to be an inspiration of hers. -
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Siblings
Meryl Streeps has 2 younger brothers the first one, Harry William Streep, born on July 31, 1951 and her second brother, Dana David Streep, was born August 18, 1953. -
Picture of Meryl in Highschool
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First Exposure to Theater
Before she graduated from Bernardsville High School she performed in 3 musicals her senior year.
She played Daisy Mae in "Lil Abner"
Marian the Librarian in "The Music Man"
Laurie in "Oklahoma" -
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Vassar College Plays
Through out Meryl's attendance at Vassar College from 1967 to 1971 she performed in many plays.
She played the role of Miss Julie in the play "Miss Julie" by August Strindberg.
She played Tisbea in the classic Spanish play "The Playboy of Seville" by Tirso de Molina.
In the play "Happy End" by Bertolt Brecht & Kurt Weill, she played the role of Sister Lilian Holiday.
She also performed in "The Idiot's Karamazov" by Christopher Durang & Albert Innaurato as Constance Garnett. -
Further Involvements in Theatre
In 1970 Meryl started to take interest in costume designing where she designed costumes for Tennessee Williams's play "Camino Real".
She also explored in designing lights for many medieval mystery plays.
Meryl's interest in costume designing led to her attending a term in Dartmouth College as a transfer student, where she was one of the 1st women to attend this college when it was still an all male environment. -
Graduated from College
In 1971 Meryl graduated from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, with a drama and costume design degree -
Meryl at Yale
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Yale School of Drama
In 1971 Meryl attended Yale University for Drama.
She graduated in 1975 with a Master of Fine Arts degree. -
First Yale Performance
On November 4, 1972 Meryl performed in her first theatre production at Yale in her freshman year.
She played Vassilissa in "The Lower Depths" by Maxim Gorky's work. -
Broadway Debut
In 1975 Meryl made her Broadway debut in the play "Trelawny of the Wells" by Harley Granville-Barker and directed by Nicholas Martin.
Her debut was a mark for the beginning of her long and successful career in both theater and film. -
Last Production in Yale
In 1975, after performing in several other plays at Yale University she performed in her last production at Yale. This performance being in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare. -
Narration for an Animation
In 1976 Meryl did her first narration for a voice over for an animation called "Everybody Rides the Carousel" directed and written by Faith and John Hubley. -
First Film Appearance
In 1977 Meryl landed her first film role in "Julia" directed by Fred Zinnemann. She played the role of Anne Marie a small supporting character. While it was a relatively small role with limited screen time, it was still a role that helped Meryl gain attention for other opportunities in the film world. -
Breakthrough in Film
In 1978 Meryl had 2 significant breakthroughs in her career the first one being her role as Inga Helms Weiss in "Holocaust" by Gerald Green, this role let her receive her first Emmy Award for "Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie".
Her second breakthrough was her role as Linda in "The Deer Hunter" directed by Michael Cimino, this role let her win the "National Society of Film Critics for Best Supporting Actress" award. -
Marriage Life
Meryl Streep and Don Gummer first met in 1977 and after quickly forming a connection with one another they got married in 1978 and have since then been together. -
Meryl's Family
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Meryl's Children
On November 13, 1979 Meryl gave birth to her eldest and only son Henry Wolfe Gummer.
On August 3, 1983 Mary Willa Gummer was born, Meryl's 2nd child.
On May 8, 1986 Meryl's 3rd child Grace Jane Gummer was born.
And on June 12, 1991 the youngest of Meryl's children was born, Louisa Jacobson Gummer.
Like their mother, Meryl, all of them did some sort of work in the entertainment industry. -
Kramer vs. Kramer Awards
In 1980, Meryl won her first Golden Globe, Oscar, and BAFTA Awards in the category "Best Supporting Actress" for her role as Joanna Kramer in "Kramer vs. Kramer". -
Dartmouth Honorary Degree
In 1981 Meryl received an Honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College.
This degree was awarded to her for recognition of her diverse contribution to the arts and also her impressive work in films and plays. -
France Cultural Award
In 2003 Meryl was awarded the "Commander in the Order or Art and Letters" award by the French government for her contribution to the arts more notably the cinema side of the arts. -
AFI Life Achievement Award
In 2004 Meryl received the AFI Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. She was awarded this award for impacting the film industries and American culture. -
Latest Theater Work
In 2006 Meryl played the role Mother Courage in the play "Mother Courage and Her Children" directed by George C. Woolfe at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park of New York City. This was one of her most recent theater works because she mainly focuses on her film career now. -
$1 Million Donation
In 2012 Meryl donated $1 million to The Public Theater in New York City. She donated to this theater because she had prior connection with it and had performed more of her earlier productions in her career there. -
Presidential Medal of Freedom
On November 24, 2014 Meryl received the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to her by President Barack Obama. This award was awarded to her for her contribution to the art field and for recognition in the film industry. This award also highlighted her advocacy on issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, environmental issues, and gender equality. -
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