Meryl Streep earned her 18th Oscar nomination today, for lead actress in “August: Osage County.” She’s only won three times, however, for “Kramer vs.Kramer” (1979-Supporting), “Sophie’s Choice (1982-Lead), and “The Iron Lady” (2011–lead). She has not won “at least half as many times as she’s been nominated” as someone on CNN said today.
One of her wins and many of her nominations, including this one, have been with Harvey Weinstein. And this one will not be the last. Next Christmas, Streep co-stars with Jeff Bridges in “The Giver,” based on the best seller. It’s a TWC movie again. A nomination is never a cinch, but it’s a good bet.
This week she and Harvey are talking about their next film after that, called “The Senator’s Wife.” That should come in 2016. But also this Christmas, Streep is featured in the movie version of “Into the Woods.”
Is she really that good? In a word, yes. She is virtually flawless when it comes to approaching roles. This doesn’t mean that other actresses in her age group aren’t as good. Glenn Close and Susan Sarandon are her equals in many ways. Jessica Lange is always a knockout. But Streep has something particular that gives her an edge. She is to her age group what Jane Fonda was to hers, Cate Blanchett is to the next one.
Not only that: she’s a real person, an absolute pleasure.
