Meryl Streep is an American actress with three Academy Awards and 21 Oscar nominations, the most of any performer. Born Mary Louise Streep in Summit, New Jersey, on 22 June 1949, she trained at Vassar College and the Yale School of Drama, began her professional stage career in 1975, and has since worked across film, television and theatre.
Meryl Streep at a Glance
| Born | 22 June 1949, Summit, New Jersey (Mary Louise Streep) |
|---|---|
| Education | Vassar College (AB in drama, cum laude, 1971); Yale School of Drama (MFA, 1975) |
| Profession | Actress |
| Academy Awards | 3 wins, 21 nominations (record) |
| Golden Globes | 8 wins, 34 nominations (record) |
| Primetime Emmys | 3 wins |
| Presidential Medal of Freedom | 2014 |
Early Life and Education
Streep earned an AB in drama, cum laude, from Vassar College in 1971 and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama in 1975. Her professional stage career began in 1975 with Trelawny of the Wells.
Career Journey
Her first Academy Award, for Best Supporting Actress, came for Kramer vs. Kramer (1979). She won Best Actress for Sophie’s Choice (1982), and her third Oscar was for The Iron Lady (2011). In 2008, Mamma Mia! became her highest-grossing film, with box-office receipts of US$602.6 million. A 2026 press-conference photo on her Wikipedia page shows her promoting The Devil Wears Prada 2.
Major Achievements
- Academy Awards: three wins, and the record for most nominations by any performer (21).
- Golden Globes: eight wins and a record 34 nominations.
- Emmys: three Primetime Emmy wins and one Children’s and Family Emmy.
- Presidential Medal of Freedom: awarded in 2014.
- Other honours: the AFI Life Achievement Award, an Honorary Palme d’Or, a Kennedy Center Honor, the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award and an Honorary César.
Conclusion
Meryl Streep’s awards record reflects more than four decades of work across drama, comedy, musicals and television. The nomination and win counts above come from her Wikipedia entry and should be checked against the Academy’s own database before being quoted as current.
