4. She has an advanced degree from an Ivy League university
Meryl Streep joined Vassar College after high school and in 1969, received her Bachelor of Arts. In 1975, she then went on to attend Yale and earn her master’s degree in fine arts.
Additionally, in 1981, Dartmouth College awarded her an Honorary Doctor of Arts degree. The actor has multiple degrees from Ivy League universities including Princeton University and Harvard University. Read more about the top 10 universities in the US.
5. She was once evicted from her apartment
Meryl Streep was in a relationship and eventually engaged to actor John Cazale who played Fredo in The Godfather. The engagement lasted for almost three years. The pair played opposite each other in Measure for Measure at New York’s Shakespeare in the Park in 1976.
When Cazale was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in 1978 Meryl stayed by his side and when he passed away on March 12, 1978, she was left to settle Cazale’s medical bills which were very costly.
Consequently, Meryl was evicted from the apartment she and Cazale had shared. Her brother and his friend Don Gummer assisted her to move. Gummer agreed to let Meryl sublet his room in his apartment and as the two kept in touch they were eventually married in September 1978.
6. She donated her salary from The Iron Lady to the Women’s History Museum
Meryl Streep played British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the first female prime minister of the United Kingdom, in the 2011 film The Iron Lady. The role was big led her to win a third Oscar. The actor was also paid one million dollars for working in the movie.
From her explanation to Ellen DeGeneres, she donated her entire earnings to help build History Museum at the National Mall in Washington. They were trying to raise money to build on the mall in Washington to teach women’s history.
7. She has been trained as an opera singer and has been nominated for six Grammy Awards
Meryl is a classically trained singer and before appearing in any musicals, she trained in opera singing. She studied opera under teacher Estelle Liebling when she was a teacher but gave it up to be a cheerleader.
The training she went through made her play her roles in acting easier. She has starred in musicals such as Into the Woods (2012), Mamma Mia (2008), and Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! (2018).
As a result she has been nominated for a total of six Grammy Awards, for her work in Mamma Mia and for numerous spoken word albums, such as the reading of Charlotte’s Web in 2020.