Meryl Streep Opens up About the Three Movies She Regrets Most

Meryl Streep’s legendary career began with a debut that nearly drove her out of the industry entirely. In 1977, she secured a small part in the film Julia, working alongside icons like Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave.

However, the experience was far from the prestigious introduction she had anticipated, as much of her hard work was sliced away in the editing room. The actress was particularly horrified by how the production handled her appearance and her dialogue.

She recalled that I had a bad wig, and they took the words from the scene I shot with Jane and put them in my mouth in a different scene. The technical manipulation made her feel so disillusioned that she told herself I’ve made a terrible mistake, no more movies. I hate this business.

By the early 1980s, Streep was taking on much more substantial projects, yet she remained her own harshest critic. While filming The French Lieutenant’s Woman, she struggled with the dual-layered role of playing an actress within a period drama.

Despite winning a BAFTA and a Golden Globe for the performance, she admitted to Graham Norton that she didn’t feel I was living it. Streep felt a profound lack of connection to the character and the material, leading to a long-standing desire to go back and fix her work.

She noted that you always want to do something better after the fact, proving that even a three-time Academy Award winner deals with professional regret. This perfectionism eventually led her to try a different approach when she landed the role of Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada.

To capture the cold, intimidating essence of the fashion editor, Streep decided to experiment with Method acting for the first and only time. She remained in character even when the cameras weren’t rolling, which meant distancing herself from the rest of the cast to maintain a sense of authority.

The experiment worked for the film, but it left Streep feeling completely isolated and unhappy. She described the experience as being horrible! I was [miserable] in my trailer while she could hear the rest of the cast having a great time nearby.

She realized that being the boss came with a lonely price tag, and she famously declared that’s the last time I ever attempted a Method thing. Since then, she has stuck to her traditional techniques, which clearly haven’t hindered her status as a Hollywood powerhouse.

Do you think Meryl Streep’s decision to quit Method acting after The Devil Wears Prada was a wise move, or would you have liked to see her dive that deep into her other famous characters? Share your thoughts in the comments.