Meryl Streep names her most unconventional role: “I took on some things that were odd”
An actor’s choice of roles says a lot about them as a person. While some stars prefer lighthearted roles in movies guaranteed to be commercially successful, others prefer grittier, risk-taking parts, perhaps proving themselves to be more fearless in their approach to the art form. Then there are those actors who choose both, exploring all aspects of the cinematic spectrum throughout their career, like Meryl Streep.
The star made her film debut in the 1977 movie Julia, which explored the life of a woman who had fought against the Nazis. While Streep didn’t have a massive role, she demonstrated her tendency to opt for heavy and complex films with her appearance, which soon led her to the war drama The Deer Hunter the following year.
By the end of the 1970s, Streep had landed herself leading lady status, consistently starring in movies that challenged her. In 1979, she appeared in Kramer vs Kramer, a messy divorce drama which saw her appear alongside Dustin Hoffman. It’s one of the quintessential movies about a disintegrating marriage, and the actor rightly won an Oscar for her performance.
She then continued to select difficult roles, like playing the protagonist in 1982’s Sophie’s Choice, a woman harbouring a terrible secret following her release from Auschwitz. The performance won her yet another Oscar – she is the most nominated star in Oscar history, proving Streep’s dominance over Hollywood.
Streep’s reign over the film industry has continued into the 21st century, with the star often picking an array of rather unconventional and unexpected roles, from her musical performances in Mamma Mia! and Into the Woods to the terrifying boss in The Devil Wears Prada and a passionate nun in Doubt.
She has admitted, however, that it isn’t always easy for ageing female stars to be offered certain kinds of roles, although this is something she luckily doesn’t mind too much. “I think the parts for women my age are wilder, more extreme. The protagonists of a romantic comedy – something very conventional – are written for younger women. I’ve always thought of myself as a character actor, anyway, a theatre or repertory actor – someone who does a lot of different things, and I’ve always liked to,” she explained to London Net.
She continued, picking out one of her most unconventional roles, “Even when I was younger, I took on some things that were odd – like Lindy Chamberlain [from A Cry in the Dark]. One review said ‘The wilful destruction of her beauty.’ I’m interested in people’s lives and I like to investigate the truculent ones, the difficult ones.”
A Cry in the Dark, also known as Evil Angels, was released in 1988 and explored the true story of a couple whose baby went missing while camping, resulting in them being accused of murder. Streep gave a complex and moving performance as Lindy, who ends up sentenced to life behind bars despite the fact that she is adamant a dingo snatched and killed her baby.
It’s a tragic story, and one that was still fresh in the general public’s mind when the film was released, but Streep was attracted to the ambiguity and struggle found within the tale, resulting in yet another Oscar nomination.
