Oh, Mamma Mia! It’s Meryl Streep’s birthday! Did you know that she’s only won 2 Academy Awards? Granted, that’s extremely impressive… you know… considering I only have one (And screw you, Marisa Tormei! I stole it fair and square, and you’re not getting it back!) I simply thought with her being universally described as “the greatest living actress,” it would be more. However, with 16 nominations, she does hold the record for being “the most nominated actor” in Academy history.
My favorite stories about Meryl are from “Sophie’s Choice.” It’s the only role for which she truly begged. She wasn’t even being considered for the role but somehow got hold of a bootleg script. She eventually got an audition and had all of her lines memorized for the reading. Then, once she had the role, she only filmed the “choice” scene once. She wanted to keep it raw and honest. She filmed one take and refused to do it again. Sure, it sounds like a diva moment; but that scene is what won her the 1982 Oscar, her 2nd and last to date. Then, I think she went on to do “Mamma Mia!” and a few other things… I don’t know… a few movies about a union rabble-rouser, a crazy chef, a bitchy editor, an evil nun… and there was a movie about her and Dirty Harry and a bridge in there somewhere too… but I only have the soundtrack to “Mamma Mia!”
Oh Meryl, Meryl, Meryl… Happy Birthday… You are elegant and charming. And I love the fact that you most definitely have the chops to pull off the “diva” attitude; but instead, I see you yucking it up with David Letterman and Conan O’Brien on late-night TV being charming as ever. Happy Birthday, my dear. I can’t wait to see what you do next. Until then, I’m going to give myself a good “Silkwood” scrub-down and spend the evening drinking a few beers while watching “It’s Complicated.” Keep aging beautifully and with dignity, but don’t ever slow down.
