The only actors Meryl Streep modeled her career on

Streep has been very vocal about the challenges she faced early in her career. The actor was told she was “too ugly.”ra role in King Kong and had doubts about her future in the industry. She has also described herself as a less conventional Hollywood heroine, but that is partly the reason for her unique on-screen legacy, as no one else can match what she has to offer.

But there were other actors with a similar presence, with Streep describing those who inspired her the most and displayed a similar level of authenticity: “I liked Liv Ullmann, Liza Minnelli, Irene Worth, Geraldine Page and Colleen Dewhurst. These were not women who were primarily concerned with how they looked or how attractive they were; They were just women being women. I saw myself and still see myself as a character actor, as a person who takes what I know and puts it into the shoes of someone who doesn’t necessarily look like me or wasn’t raised like me.”

Ullmann was one of the most talented European actresses of all time, building her career through her work with legendary Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. After starring in the haunting 1966 film personaas well as Scenes from a wedding And Screams and whispersUllmann was praised for her emotional bravery and clarity in each role, resulting in deeply moving and complex performances.

Minnelli has had a varied career on stage and screen and was one of the few artists to be awarded the elusive EGOT status. With an extensive credit list of Tony Award-winning musical performances and film roles such as King of comedy And New York New YorkMinnelli is one of the last Hollywood legends and one of the true stars to ever grace the stage.

Dewhurst, Page and Worth, meanwhile, all had illustrious careers in very different roles, working with the likes of Woody Allen, David Cronenberg, Don Siegel and Sidney Lumet. It can be difficult to find your own path if you’ve never tried before, but all of these women were fearless in their creativity and authenticity, which led them to explore new cinematic territories that changed the cinematic landscape forever. While it may have been difficult for Streep to find her niche, her commitment to staying true to her strengths and what interests her most has led to an unparalleled career that has spanned many decades.

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