Right from the Deer Hunter till date with the Iron Lady, Streep has kept her place in the nomination list of the Academy Awards through the last many years. She won one with Sophie’s Choice and it was well deserved as she played the part of a Jew in the Second World War trying to forget a choice she made in life; the choice of sacrificing one of her children. We see a very young Meryl with her high cheekbones, perfect blond hair tearing the audience apart as she is able to portray her inner tumult to perfection as the movie demanded. Nominated for other roles such as The French Lieutenant’s Woman, Silkwood, Ironweed, and A Cry in the Dark she is yet to receive her second Oscar for the Best Actress Award. However, 17 nominations is a record in itself and it would take another Streep to break such kind of record.

It is the choice of films that she does that confirms a nomination and a place in the Academy awards. There were times in the eighties and the early nineties, when she was completely absent from any major roles but once she was back with Postcards from the Edge, she again made her spot in the Oscars. She is a successful at what she does as when she essays a role she loses herself completely while playing the character. We can never see Meryl Streep, the person, but an evil career driven women in The Devil Wears Prada or the bubbly and confused mother in Mamma Mia or the world renounced chef Julia Childs in Julie and Julia.

Her portrayals of actual living people on the silver screen also have a special attraction. Everyone would like to know how Margaret Thatcher, became The Margaret Thatcher, but if she is being portrayed by Meryl Streep then it is surely a cherry on a cake. Taking the example of the same film, although the actual film got mild reaction from the critics, she passed with flying colours as Margaret Thatcher. When NDTV said that Oscar should have a special category for the lady herself and do away with the matter, they were absolutely correct.