Meryl Streep is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood, celebrated for her extraordinary acting range, memorable characters, and ability to move effortlessly between drama, comedy, romance, and musicals. From powerful performances in Sophie’s Choice and The Iron Lady to her iconic role as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, she has built a remarkable filmography spanning several decades. Her television performances in Angels in America, Big Little Lies, and Only Murders in the Building have further demonstrated her versatility. Whether you are searching for the best Meryl Streep movies, her films in chronological order, her collaborations with Emily Blunt, or her latest releases in 2026, this guide covers the highlights of her celebrated career.
Quick Bio of Meryl Streep
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Mary Louise Streep |
| Popular name | Meryl Streep |
| Date of birth | June 22, 1949 |
| Birthplace | Summit, New Jersey, USA |
| Profession | Actress, producer, narrator |
| First feature film | Julia (1977) |
| Academy Awards | 3 competitive wins |
| Famous movie | The Devil Wears Prada |
| Famous musical | Mamma Mia! |
| Notable TV series | Angels in America, Big Little Lies, Only Murders in the Building |
| Acting genres | Drama, comedy, romance, musical, biographical films |
The Television Academy recognizes Streep for multiple Emmy nominations and wins, including awards for Angels in America and narration in Five Came Back. She has also received three competitive Academy Awards and an exceptional number of Oscar nominations.
Best Meryl Streep Movies of All Time
Choosing the best Meryl Streep movies depends on whether you prefer emotional dramas, lighthearted comedies, musicals, or historical stories. The following films are excellent starting points for anyone exploring her career.
1. Sophie’s Choice (1982)
Sophie’s Choice is one of Streep’s most celebrated performances. She plays Sophie Zawistowski, a Polish immigrant haunted by the traumatic experiences she endured during the Holocaust. The film explores grief, guilt, memory, and the lasting effects of terrible choices.
Streep’s emotionally demanding performance earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress. The film remains essential viewing for audiences interested in serious drama and character-driven storytelling.
2. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
In The Devil Wears Prada, Streep plays Miranda Priestly, a powerful fashion-magazine editor whose intelligence, icy composure, and exacting standards make her an unforgettable character.
Anne Hathaway plays Andy Sachs, a young journalist entering the demanding fashion industry, while Emily Blunt portrays Miranda’s assistant, Emily Charlton. The film combines workplace comedy with a story about ambition, personal growth, and professional sacrifice.
Miranda Priestly remains one of Streep’s most recognizable roles, and the movie is a strong choice for viewers who enjoy sharp dialogue and fashion-world drama.
3. Mamma Mia! (2008)
Mamma Mia! showcases another side of Streep’s talent. She plays Donna Sheridan, a mother preparing for her daughter’s wedding on a beautiful Greek island.
The musical features songs by ABBA, including “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” and “The Winner Takes It All.” Streep’s singing, comic timing, and energetic performance help make the film an entertaining choice for musical lovers.
4. The Iron Lady (2011)
In The Iron Lady, Streep portrays Margaret Thatcher, the former prime minister of the United Kingdom. The biographical drama follows Thatcher’s political career and later life, exploring the personal cost of power and public responsibility.
Streep won her third competitive Academy Award for the performance. Her detailed portrayal of Thatcher’s voice, mannerisms, and public persona demonstrates her ability to transform herself for a role.
5. Julie & Julia (2009)
Julie & Julia connects the life of celebrated cook Julia Child with that of Julie Powell, a blogger who attempts to cook every recipe in Child’s cookbook.
Streep plays Child with warmth, humor, and enthusiasm. The film is particularly appealing to viewers who enjoy food, cooking, personal development, and stories about discovering a passion.
Other Notable Meryl Streep Movies
Additional films worth watching include Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), Out of Africa (1985), The Bridges of Madison County (1995), Adaptation (2002), Doubt (2008), August: Osage County (2013), Into the Woods (2014), Florence Foster Jenkins (2016), The Post (2017), and Little Women (2019).
Meryl Streep Movies in Order: List by Year
Streep’s career began in the 1970s and continued through several generations of cinema. The following chronological selection highlights important movies from her filmography.
| Year | Movie | Genre or role |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Julia | Drama |
| 1978 | The Deer Hunter | War drama |
| 1979 | Kramer vs. Kramer | Family drama |
| 1981 | The French Lieutenant’s Woman | Romantic drama |
| 1982 | Sophie’s Choice | Historical drama |
| 1983 | Silkwood | Biographical drama |
| 1985 | Out of Africa | Romantic historical drama |
| 1988 | A Cry in the Dark | Drama |
| 1990 | Postcards from the Edge | Comedy-drama |
| 1992 | Death Becomes Her | Dark comedy |
| 1995 | The Bridges of Madison County | Romantic drama |
| 1998 | One True Thing | Family drama |
| 2002 | Adaptation | Comedy-drama |
| 2006 | The Devil Wears Prada | Comedy-drama |
| 2008 | Mamma Mia! | Musical comedy |
| 2009 | Julie & Julia | Comedy-drama |
| 2011 | The Iron Lady | Biographical drama |
| 2014 | Into the Woods | Musical fantasy |
| 2015 | Ricki and the Flash | Musical comedy-drama |
| 2016 | Florence Foster Jenkins | Biographical comedy |
| 2017 | The Post | Historical drama |
| 2018 | Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again | Musical comedy |
| 2019 | Little Women | Period drama |
| 2020 | The Prom | Musical comedy |
| 2021 | Don’t Look Up | Satirical comedy |
| 2026 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | Comedy-drama |
| 2026 | Hoppers | Animated voice role |
This is a selected list rather than a complete filmography. Streep has also appeared in television movies, documentaries, narration projects, and other productions throughout her career.
Young Meryl Streep Movies and Her Early Career
Young Meryl Streep established herself through performances that demonstrated unusual emotional depth and versatility. After studying drama, including graduate training at Yale, she began working professionally on stage before moving into film and television.
Her early feature-film appearance in Julia (1977) was followed by a breakthrough performance in The Deer Hunter (1978). The latter earned her first Academy Award nomination and helped introduce her to a wider audience.
In Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), Streep played Joanna Kramer, a mother navigating a difficult separation and custody dispute. Her performance earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
The early 1980s brought some of her most acclaimed work, including The French Lieutenant’s Woman, Sophie’s Choice, and Silkwood. These films helped establish her reputation for portraying complicated characters with nuance and authenticity.
For viewers interested in old Meryl Streep movies, this period is especially rewarding because it shows how she developed the acting style that later made her famous in both dramatic and comedic roles.
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Meryl Streep Movies from the 1980s
The 1980s were a defining decade for Streep. Her filmography during this period includes a wide range of characters and genres.
Important titles include:
- The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981)
- Sophie’s Choice (1982)
- Still of the Night (1982)
- Silkwood (1983)
- Falling in Love (1984)
- Plenty (1985)
- Out of Africa (1985)
- Heartburn (1986)
- Ironweed (1987)
- A Cry in the Dark (1988)
- She-Devil (1989)
These movies demonstrate how Streep moved between serious historical dramas, romantic stories, thrillers, and comedy. Out of Africa and Sophie’s Choice are particularly important examples of her ability to portray emotionally complex characters.
Meryl Streep Movies and TV Shows
Streep has achieved considerable success in television as well as film. Her television roles include acclaimed miniseries, contemporary dramas, and mystery-comedy series.
Angels in America (2003)
In the HBO miniseries Angels in America, Streep plays multiple characters in an adaptation of Tony Kushner’s award-winning play. Meryl streep movies The production explores politics, relationships, illness, religion, and social change in 1980s America.
Her performance earned her an Emmy Award and demonstrated her ability to take on challenging material in a long-form television production.
Big Little Lies (2019)
Streep joined the second season of Big Little Lies as Mary Louise Wright, the mother of Perry Wright. Her character arrives in Monterey following her son’s death and begins asking difficult questions about the people around him.
The role allowed Meryl streep movies to combine emotional intensity with a quietly unsettling presence. Her performance earned an Emmy nomination.
Only Murders in the Building (2023–2024)
In Only Murders in the Building, Streep plays Loretta Durkin, an actress who becomes involved with the show’s eccentric theatrical community and central mystery.
She appears alongside Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez. Her character brings romance, humor, and theatrical ambition to the series.
Meryl streep movies performance earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2024.
Other television work includes Holocaust, First Do No Harm, Extrapolations, and narration for Five Came Back.
Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep Movies Together
Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep have worked together in several notable productions.
Their best-known collaboration is The Devil Wears Prada (2006), in which Blunt plays Emily Charlton, Miranda Priestly’s ambitious assistant. The contrast between Blunt’s anxious, witty character and Meryl streep movies controlled, intimidating editor creates some of the film’s most memorable scenes.
They also appeared together in Into the Woods (2014), a musical fantasy in which Streep plays the Witch and Blunt portrays the Baker’s Wife.
In Mary Poppins Returns (2018), Blunt plays Mary Poppins, while Streep appears as Cousin Topsy.
Their collaboration continued with The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026), which brought the original main cast back together. The sequel revisits the fashion industry and the characters who made the first film so popular.
Martin Short and Meryl Streep Movies Together
Meryl Streep and Martin Short are best known for working together in Only Murders in the Building, rather than in a shared feature film.
Streep portrays Loretta Durkin, while Short plays Oliver Putnam, a theatrical director involved in the series’ mystery plots. Their characters develop a romantic connection, bringing an additional emotional storyline to the comedy.
Although searches for “Martin Short and Meryl Streep movies together” are common, it is more accurate to describe this as a television collaboration. Their work together illustrates Streep’s continuing interest in projects that combine comedy, drama, and theatrical performance.
Songs Featured in Meryl Streep Movies
Music is an important part of several Streep films, especially her musicals.
In Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, she performs songs associated with ABBA. Highlights include “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” and “The Winner Takes It All.”
Into the Woods features songs by Stephen Sondheim, including “Stay with Me” and “Last Midnight.” The music combines fairy-tale storytelling with darker themes about responsibility and consequences.
In Ricki and the Flash, Streep plays a musician who reconnects with her family. The film features rock performances that allow her to explore another aspect of her musical ability.
These roles demonstrate that Streep is not limited to dramatic acting. Her singing and performance skills have made her an important presence in contemporary movie musicals.
Meryl Streep Movies on Netflix
Netflix availability changes according to country, licensing agreements, and release schedules. Therefore, the Meryl Streep movies available on Netflix in one region may not be available in another.
Films associated with Netflix include The Prom (2020), The Laundromat (2019), and Don’t Look Up (2021). Her narration work on Five Came Back is another notable Netflix-related credit.
For the most accurate information, viewers should check the Netflix catalogue in their own country. A film’s appearance in an older streaming list does not guarantee that it remains available today.
When preparing an article about Meryl Streep movies on Netflix, it is best to separate films produced or distributed by Netflix from titles that may only be temporarily licensed to the platform.
Meryl Streep Movies in 2026
Two major 2026 releases associated with Streep are The Devil Wears Prada 2 and the animated film Hoppers.
In The Devil Wears Prada 2, she returns as Miranda Priestly, alongside Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci. The sequel continues the story of the fashion magazine and its influential editor.
In Hoppers, Streep lends her voice to the Insect Queen. This animated production adds another voice performance to her wide-ranging filmography.
These projects demonstrate that Streep continues to work across different genres, from live-action comedy-drama to animated family entertainment.
Conclusion
Meryl Streep’s movies and TV shows offer something for nearly every kind of viewer, from the emotional power of Sophie’s Choice to the sharp humor of The Devil Wears Prada and the musical energy of Mamma Mia!. Her television performances, collaborations with Emily Blunt, and role in Only Murders in the Building further demonstrate her versatility. Whether you are exploring her early films, searching for her movies in order, or looking for her latest 2026 releases, her career provides decades of memorable performances. For more celebrity biographies, movie recommendations, and entertainment guides, visit matingpresss, where readers can discover informative articles about Hollywood stars and their most popular work.
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