Meryl Streep is to the Oscars what peanut butter is to jelly — inseparable. You might like your peanut butter better with yogurt or on fruit, but the world will always associate it with jelly first.
Streep, who has been acting since the 1970s, is the single most nominated actor, male or female, in Oscars history — her 21 nominations putting Jack Nicholson’s 12 to shame. These numbers are not surprising when you consider the legendary actress’ illustrious career, which has included classics like The Deer Hunter, The Bridges of Madison County, Sophie’s Choice, and Out of Africa, among many others. Granted, nominations given later in life came from performances in weaker films, but Streep’s unwavering talent still managed to transcend them.
Has Meryl Streep ever won an Oscar?
Yes. With as many nods as Meryl Streep has received from the Academy over the years, it would be shocking if she had never taken the golden statuette home. It has happened on three occasions.
Meryl Streep’s first Oscar came in 1980 for the previous year’s film Kramer vs. Kramer, where the actress played Joanna, the wife of Dustin Hoffman’s character, as the two entered a complicated divorce process, impacting their young son (Justin Henry). Streep won for Best Supporting Actress, beating out castmate Jane Alexander, Breaking Away‘s Barbara Barrie, Starting Over‘s Candice Bergen, and Manhattan‘s Mariel Hemingway.
Only three years later, Streep was climbing the stairs of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion stage again, this time winning in the Lead Actress category for her culture-shifting role in Sophie’s Choice. Her opponents were heavyweights of the acting world themselves — Julie Andrews for Victor/Victoria, Jessica Lange for Frances, Sissy Spacek for Missing, and Debra Winger for An Officer and a Gentleman.
Despite 12 nominations in the years in between, Streep’s third win would only come in 2011 with the Margaret Thatcher biopic The Iron Lady, where she played the titular, relentless former British prime minister. She was met with loud cheers and a standing ovation from her peers attending the ceremony, including her fellow nominees Glenn Close, Viola Davis, Rooney Mara, and Michelle Williams. “When they called my name, I had this feeling I could hear half of America going ‘Oh no. Oh, come on, why? Her? Again?’ You know? But… whatever,” the record-breaking performer joked during her acceptance speech.
Now, that’s a flex. The only actor, female or male, to win more Oscars is the late great Katharine Hepburn, with four awards. A record Streep is still well on her way to stealing. Meryl Streep and Oscar: A love affair as timeless as peanut butter and jelly.