Meryl Streep reveals her worst on-screen performance
Often revered among the finest actors of her generation, Meryl Streep first made her presence felt in the mid-1970s, initially on entering the fiercely competitive world of stage-acting on Broadway. Streep received widespread acclaim in 1976 after receiving a Tony Award nomination for appearing in a double-bill production of 27 Wagons Full of Cotton and A Memory of Two Mondays; it was only a matter of time before the Hollywood Hills beckoned.
Today, at 73, Streep remains active, with a legacy to behold under her belt. From a record 21 Academy Award nominations, Streep has won three Oscars for her roles in Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie’s Choice and Out of Africa. However, like all Oscar-winning actors, Streep has had her share of regrets.
During an appearance on the BBC’s The Graham Norton Show, the titular host asked Streep: “Have you got performances that you watch back or remember where you kind of think, ‘Oh actually, I was a bit pants in that?'”
“Oh Yeah,” she replied. Adding: “I’m not gonna tell you,” when pushed to give an example.
“It was venerated,” she commented after Norton revealed that the movie in question was successful upon its release.
Continuing, Streep revealed to the audience that the performance she despised the most was that in Karel Reisz’s 1981 drama The French Lieutenant’s Woman. “I’m giving myself an out, but part of it was the structure of it,” Streep told Graham Norton on his BBC show. “It was sort of artificial because I was the actress playing The French Lieutenant’s Woman. At the same time, I was an American actress playing a British woman.”
“I was young and new at this,” Streep added, discussing her limited experience at the time. “I didn’t feel like I was living it. You always want to do something better after the fact.”
Despite Streep’s humble admissions, The French Lieutenant’s Woman was indeed a commercial and critical success. The movie was lauded for its cinematic beauty and, specifically, the wealth of acting quality. Streep won a BAFTA for ‘Best Actress’ and an Academy Award nomination in the same category.
Watch the trailer for The French Lieutenant’s Woman below.
