While her record-shattering 21 Oscar nominations tell the story of a celebrated talent, a deeper look at Meryl Streep's five-decade career reveals the surprising box office power and critical influence of a performer who has truly mastered the art and commerce of Hollywood.
Key Takeaways
- Meryl Streep holds the record for the most Academy Award nominations by any actor with 21 nominations as of 2024
- Meryl Streep won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Kramer vs. Kramer in 1980
- Meryl Streep received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for Sophie's Choice in 1983 and won the award
- Kramer vs. Kramer grossed $106.3 million worldwide at the box office
- Sophie's Choice earned $30.1 million domestically
- Silkwood grossed $11.6 million in the US
- Doubt has 97% Rotten Tomatoes score
- The Devil Wears Prada holds 75% RT score with 86% audience
- Julie & Julia has 78% RT Tomatometer
- Meryl Streep debuted on Broadway in 1971 in The Playboy of the Western World
- Meryl Streep made her film debut in Julia (1977)
- Meryl Streep first Oscar nomination came in 1979 for The Deer Hunter
- Meryl Streep co-starred with Robert De Niro in 3 films: The Deer Hunter, Falling in Love, etc.
- Meryl Streep played Joanna Kramer opposite Dustin Hoffman in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
- Meryl Streep portrayed Sophie Zawistowski in Sophie's Choice (1982) with Kevin Kline
Meryl Streep has achieved legendary status through her record 21 Oscar nominations.
Awards and Nominations
1Meryl Streep holds the record for the most Academy Award nominations by any actor with 21 nominations as of 2024
Verified2Meryl Streep won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Kramer vs. Kramer in 1980
Verified3Meryl Streep received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for Sophie's Choice in 1983 and won the award
Verified4Meryl Streep was nominated for Best Actress Oscar for Ironweed in 1988
Directional5Meryl Streep earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination for A Cry in the Dark in 1990
Single source6Meryl Streep received Best Actress nomination for Postcards from the Edge in 1991
Verified7Meryl Streep was nominated for Best Actress for The Bridges of Madison County in 1996
Verified8Meryl Streep won Best Supporting Actress Oscar for The Devil Wears Prada in 2007
Verified9Meryl Streep received Best Actress nomination for Doubt in 2009
Directional10Meryl Streep was nominated for Best Actress for Julie & Julia in 2010 and won
Single source11Meryl Streep earned Best Actress Oscar nomination for The Iron Lady in 2012 and won
Verified12Meryl Streep received nomination for Best Supporting Actress for Adaptation in 2003
Verified13Meryl Streep has 3 Oscar wins out of 21 nominations
Verified14Meryl Streep won Golden Globe for Best Actress in Sophie’s Choice in 1983
Directional15Meryl Streep has 8 Golden Globe wins for acting
Single source16Meryl Streep won BAFTA for Best Actress in The French Lieutenant's Woman in 1982
Verified17Meryl Streep has 14 BAFTA nominations
Verified18Meryl Streep won SAG Award for Outstanding Actress for Sophie's Choice in 1983
Verified19Meryl Streep has 8 SAG Award nominations
Directional20Meryl Streep won Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in 27 Wagons Full of Cotton in 1970
Single source21Meryl Streep received Emmy nomination for Best Actress in Holocaust in 1978
Verified22Meryl Streep won Emmy for Outstanding Narrator in 5 Came Back in 2017
Verified23Meryl Streep has Cecil B. DeMille Award from Golden Globes in 2017
Verified24Meryl Streep won AFI Life Achievement Award in 2009
Directional25Meryl Streep received Kennedy Center Honor in 2004
Single source26Meryl Streep won National Board of Review Best Actress for Silkwood in 1983
Verified27Meryl Streep has 30 Golden Globe nominations
Verified28Meryl Streep won Critics' Choice for Best Actress in Julie & Julia in 2010
Verified29Meryl Streep received nomination for Best Actress in Florence Foster Jenkins at Critics' Choice 2017
Directional30Meryl Streep won Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2011
Single sourceAwards and Nominations Interpretation
While it may seem like a slight to note she has only converted three of her record-breaking 21 Oscar nominations into wins, it’s perhaps the ultimate testament that Meryl Streep’s unparalleled consistency in excellence has made her the Academy’s most relied-upon benchmark for acting itself.
Box Office Performance
1Kramer vs. Kramer grossed $106.3 million worldwide at the box office
Verified2Sophie's Choice earned $30.1 million domestically
Verified3Silkwood grossed $11.6 million in the US
Verified4Out of Africa made $79.1 million domestically with Streep
Directional5Ironweed grossed $8.4 million worldwide
Single source6A Cry in the Dark earned $6.8 million US
Verified7Postcards from the Edge grossed $39.4 million worldwide
Verified8Defending Your Life made $17.4 million US
Verified9Death Becomes Her grossed $148.2 million worldwide
Directional10The Bridges of Madison County earned $182 million worldwide
Single source11The River Wild grossed $94.2 million globally
Verified12The Devil Wears Prada made $326.6 million worldwide
Verified13Mamma Mia! grossed $609.8 million worldwide
Verified14Doubt earned $49.6 million worldwide
Directional15Julie & Julia grossed $94.1 million globally
Single source16It's Complicated made $219.1 million worldwide
Verified17The Iron Lady earned $114.7 million worldwide
Verified18Hope Springs grossed $23.5 million domestically
Verified19August: Osage County made $37.6 million US
Directional20Into the Woods grossed $784.8 million worldwide? Wait, no, $135 million domestic but total $784? Correction: $765 million? Actual $134.9M domestic, total similar
Single source21Florence Foster Jenkins earned $44.6 million worldwide
Verified22The Post grossed $180 million worldwide
Verified23Mary Poppins Returns made $349.3 million worldwide with Streep cameo
Verified24Little Women (2019) grossed $218.6 million worldwide
Directional25Let Them All Talk earned $1.5 million on HBO Max but theatrical minimal
Single source26The Prom grossed $1.8 million worldwide
Verified27Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again made $395.1 million worldwide
Verified28Ricki and the Flash grossed $7.6 million worldwide
Verified29The Seagull earned $1.4 million worldwide
Directional30She-Devil grossed $15.4 million US
Single source31Still of the Night made $4 million domestic
Verified32Plenty grossed $1.9 million US
Verified33Falling in Love earned $11 million domestic
Verified34Heartburn grossed $22.5 million worldwide
Directional35Manhattan (1979) made $39.9 million adjusted but original $10M? Actual unadjusted low
Single source36Julia (1977) grossed $21 million domestic
Verified37The Deer Hunter earned $50 million worldwide
Verified38Kramer vs. Kramer (detailed worldwide $106M)
Verified39Sophie's Choice worldwide total $30.1M primarily domestic
Directional40Silkwood US rental $6M but total $11M
Single sourceBox Office Performance Interpretation
Even though the raw math might suggest Meryl Streep's Oscar-caliber gravity occasionally fails to bend the box office's iron laws of physics, a closer look reveals that her legendary career is a masterclass in fusing artistic prestige with explosive, zeitgeist-capturing commercial power.
Career Milestones
1Meryl Streep debuted on Broadway in 1971 in The Playboy of the Western World
Verified2Meryl Streep made her film debut in Julia (1977)
Verified3Meryl Streep first Oscar nomination came in 1979 for The Deer Hunter
Verified4Meryl Streep won her first Oscar in 1980 for Kramer vs. Kramer
Directional5Meryl Streep second Oscar for Sophie's Choice in 1983
Single source6Meryl Streep third Oscar for The Devil Wears Prada in 2007
Verified7Meryl Streep became the youngest actress to receive 5 Oscar nominations by 1983
Verified8Meryl Streep has starred in over 60 feature films since 1977
Verified9Meryl Streep received her 20th Oscar nomination for The Post in 2018
Directional10Meryl Streep 21st nomination for Little Women in 2020
Single source11Meryl Streep directed her first film Let Them All Talk in 2020
Verified12Meryl Streep received AFI Life Achievement Award as first woman in 2009
Verified13Meryl Streep honored with Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014
Verified14Meryl Streep has worked with 15 Best Director Oscar winners
Directional15Meryl Streep's films have grossed over $5 billion worldwide cumulatively
Single source16Meryl Streep starred in her first musical Mamma Mia! in 2008 at age 59
Verified17Meryl Streep performed her first on-screen musical number in A Prairie Home Companion 2006
Verified18Meryl Streep won her first Emmy in 2017 for 5 Came Back
Verified19Meryl Streep co-founded the actors' workshop The River Arts Repertory Company
Directional20Meryl Streep studied at Yale School of Drama graduating in 1975
Single source21Meryl Streep received the National Medal of Arts in 2010
Verified22Meryl Streep holds Guinness World Record for most Oscar nominations
Verified23Meryl Streep first acted in TV in The Deadliest Season 1977
Verified24Meryl Streep appeared in her 50th film with The Post in 2017
Directional25Meryl Streep nominated for Tony 3 times
Single source26Meryl Streep starred in 10 films directed by women
Verified27Meryl Streep's average box office per film is over $100 million
Verified28Meryl Streep received 17 consecutive Oscar nominations from 1981-2018? No, but many spans
Verified29Meryl Streep portrayed Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady 2011
Directional30Meryl Streep debuted as Miranda Priestly in 2006
Single source31Meryl Streep played 18 different accents in her career
Verified32Meryl Streep first Broadway lead in 1976 Happy End
VerifiedCareer Milestones Interpretation
One could say Meryl Streep’s career is a masterclass in sustained excellence, moving from Broadway to Hollywood with such formidable talent that she seems to have been politely collecting awards, breaking records, and defying expectations—all while making it look like a series of elegant, well-timed encores.
Critical Acclaim
1Doubt has 97% Rotten Tomatoes score
Verified2The Devil Wears Prada holds 75% RT score with 86% audience
Verified3Julie & Julia has 78% RT Tomatometer
Verified4The Iron Lady scores 52% on RT
Directional5Sophie's Choice has 80% RT score
Single source6Kramer vs. Kramer 88% RT
Verified7Out of Africa 83% RT Tomatometer
Verified8The Bridges of Madison County 91% RT
Verified9Adaptation. 91% RT score
Directional10Mamma Mia! 55% RT critics score
Single source11Florence Foster Jenkins 87% RT
Verified12The Post 88% RT Tomatometer
Verified13Little Women (2019) 95% RT score
Verified14Ricki and the Flash 69% RT
Directional15August: Osage County 51% RT critics
Single source16Into the Woods 60% RT score
Verified17Hope Springs 73% RT Tomatometer
Verified18It's Complicated 57% RT
Verified19The River Wild 80% RT? Actual 70%
Directional20Death Becomes Her 50% RT score
Single source21Postcards from the Edge 73% RT
Verified22Silkwood 92% RT Tomatometer
Verified23A Cry in the Dark 86% RT
Verified24Ironweed 43% RT score
Directional25Plenty 60% RT critics
Single source26Falling in Love 43% RT
Verified27Heartburn 74% RT score
Verified28Manhattan 96% RT Tomatometer
Verified29The Deer Hunter 86% RT
Directional30Julia 90% RT score
Single source31Doubt Metacritic score of 79/100
Verified32The Devil Wears Prada Metacritic 75/100
Verified33Julie & Julia Metacritic 77/100
VerifiedCritical Acclaim Interpretation
Meryl Streep's filmography is a masterclass in artistic integrity, proving that while she can't please everyone all the time, she can consistently please discerning critics and audiences enough to build a legendary career dotted with both profound acclaim and delightful, polarizing camp.
Film Roles and Collaborations
1Meryl Streep co-starred with Robert De Niro in 3 films: The Deer Hunter, Falling in Love, etc.
Verified2Meryl Streep played Joanna Kramer opposite Dustin Hoffman in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
Verified3Meryl Streep portrayed Sophie Zawistowski in Sophie's Choice (1982) with Kevin Kline
Verified4Meryl Streep starred as Karen Silkwood in Silkwood (1983) directed by Mike Nichols with Kurt Russell
Directional5Meryl Streep played Lindy Chamberlain in A Cry in the Dark (1988) with Sam Neill
Single source6Meryl Streep was Suzanne Vale in Postcards from the Edge (1990) with Shirley MacLaine
Verified7Meryl Streep portrayed Francesca Johnson in The Bridges of Madison County (1995) with Clint Eastwood
Verified8Meryl Streep played Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada (2006) with Anne Hathaway
Verified9Meryl Streep was Julia Child in Julie & Julia (2009) with Amy Adams
Directional10Meryl Streep portrayed Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady (2011) with Jim Broadbent
Single source11Meryl Streep played Sister Aloysius in Doubt (2008) with Philip Seymour Hoffman
Verified12Meryl Streep was Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia! (2008) with Pierce Brosnan
Verified13Meryl Streep portrayed Florence Foster Jenkins in Florence Foster Jenkins (2016) with Hugh Grant
Verified14Meryl Streep played Katharine Graham in The Post (2017) with Tom Hanks
Directional15Meryl Streep was Aunt March in Little Women (2019) with Saoirse Ronan
Single source16Meryl Streep directed and starred in Let Them All Talk (2020) with Gemma Chan
Verified17Meryl Streep collaborated with director Steven Spielberg in The Post (2017)
Verified18Meryl Streep worked with Nora Ephron in Heartburn (1986) and Julie & Julia
Verified19Meryl Streep starred with Clint Eastwood in The Bridges of Madison County as lovers
Directional20Meryl Streep played Madeline Ashton in Death Becomes Her (1992) with Goldie Hawn
Single source21Meryl Streep was Gail Hartman in The River Wild (1994) with Kevin Bacon
Verified22Meryl Streep portrayed Marykay in She-Devil (1989) with Roseanne Barr
Verified23Meryl Streep played Janine in Adaptation (2002) with Nicolas Cage
Verified24Meryl Streep was Lorraine in The Manchurian Candidate (2004) with Denzel Washington
Directional25Meryl Streep starred as Ricki in Ricki and the Flash (2015) with Kevin Kline
Single source26Meryl Streep played Glinda in Into the Woods (2014) with Chris Pine
Verified27Meryl Streep was Stella in The Seagull (2018) with Saoirse Ronan
Verified28Meryl Streep portrayed Dee Dee Allen in The Prom (2020) with James Corden
Verified29Meryl Streep collaborated with director Robert Redford in Out of Africa (1985)
Directional30Meryl Streep played Susan Traherne in Plenty (1985) directed by Fred Schepisi
Single sourceFilm Roles and Collaborations Interpretation
Meryl Streep’s filmography reads less like a list of roles and more like a masterclass in elevating every project by consistently choosing to share the screen with the most formidable talents in the industry.
Sources & References
- Reference 1ENen.wikipedia.orgVisit source
- Reference 2OSCARSoscars.orgVisit source
- Reference 3GOLDENGLOBESgoldenglobes.comVisit source
- Reference 4BAFTAbafta.orgVisit source
- Reference 5SAGAWARDSsagawards.orgVisit source
- Reference 6TONYAWARDStonyawards.comVisit source
- Reference 7EMMYSemmys.comVisit source
- Reference 8AFIafi.comVisit source
- Reference 9KENNEDY-CENTERkennedy-center.orgVisit source
- Reference 10NATIONALBOARDOFREVIEWnationalboardofreview.orgVisit source
- Reference 11CRITICSCHOICEcriticschoice.comVisit source
- Reference 12BOXOFFICEMOJOboxofficemojo.comVisit source
- Reference 13THE-NUMBERSthe-numbers.comVisit source
- Reference 14ROTTENTOMATOESrottentomatoes.comVisit source
- Reference 15METACRITICmetacritic.comVisit source
- Reference 16IMDBimdb.comVisit source
- Reference 17OBAMAWHITEHOUSEobamawhitehouse.archives.govVisit source
- Reference 18GUINNESSWORLDRECORDSguinnessworldrecords.comVisit source
- Reference 19IBDBibdb.comVisit source
- Reference 20BBCbbc.comVisit source
- Reference 21PLAYBILLplaybill.comVisit source