Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep was born on June 22, 1949, in Summit, New Jersey, to father Harry William Streep Jr., a pharmaceutical executive, and mother Mary Wolf Wilkinson, a commercial artist. She has two younger brothers, Harry Streep III and Dana Streep. Initially aspiring to be a vocalist, Streep attended Bernards High School, then Vassar College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts. She later obtained a Master of Fine Arts in Drama from Yale School of Drama. Her professional debut came in 1969 in theater, but her breakthrough arrived with the 1978 film The Deer Hunter. Streep's early career featured standout performances in films like The Bridges of Madison County and Music of the Heart. By the 1980s and 1990s, she expanded into diverse genres. In recent years, Streep continued her prolific output with roles in Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth and ongoing projects as of late 2025.