Celebrate Meryl Streep's 71st Birthday with These Gorgeous Throwbacks

The Oscar winner has a life and career many in Hollywood only dream of

By Grace Gavilanes
June 22, 2018 10:38 AM

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1978

Credit: Jack Mitchell/Getty

Streep was ready for her close-up, one year after her screen debut in the TV film, The Deadliest Season.

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1979

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The actress was spotted hailing a cab outside Joseph Papp's Public Theater — the same year her critically acclaimed film, Kramer vs. Kramer, was released.

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1979

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... and the buzz surrounding the film and its star even caught the attention of Queen Elizabeth II, who attended a royal screening of Kramer vs. Kramer in London.

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1979

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Streep and her longtime love, husband Don Gummer, were picture-perfect at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at the L.A. Music Center.

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1980

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Congrats were in order for Streep, who scooped up the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in Kramer vs. Kramer.

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1981

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Despite winning an Oscar, the star was not above riding the N.Y.C. subway like a pro.

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1983

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It wasn't long before Streep won her second Oscar — this time a Best Actress trophy for her work in Sophie's Choice.

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1989

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Oh, to have been a fly in this room! Streep joined Hollywood heavyweights Michael Douglas, Barbra Streisand and Jerry Hall as the foursome posed with Mick Jagger backstage at the Rolling Stones' "Steel Wheels" tour.

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1990

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Streep, who portrayed a character inspired by Carrie Fisher in Postcards from the Edge, joined in for a huddle with the Star Wars alumna and her mother Debbie Reynolds at the film's premiere.

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2004

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Winning big! The lauded actress posed with her Emmy following her and Angels in America costar Al Pacino's win for outstanding miniseries.

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2006

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For the premiere of The Devil Wears Prada, in which she played fashion editor Miranda Priestly, Streep enlisted her look-alike daughters Mamie, Grace and Louisa to join her on the red carpet.

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2010

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Helen Mirren joined Streep and Cher — who together once saved a woman from an attacker on the streets of New York — during the 38th AFI Life Achievement Awards honoring Mike Nichols.

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2011

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In December, the star was one of five recipients of the 2011 Kennedy Center Honors. The other honorees were Yo-Yo Ma, Neil Diamond, Sonny Rollins and Barbara Cook.

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2012

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Streep proudly held up her third Oscar, for her Best Actress performance in The Iron Lady, at the ceremony's press room. She currently holds the record for having the most Academy Award nominations in the acting category.

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2014

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During his second term, President Barack Obama presented Streep with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor a civilian can receive.

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2016

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Proving she's a chameleon in every sense of the word, Streep dressed up as then-presidential-candidate Donald Trump for a surprise appearance at the Public Theater Gala in N.Y.C.

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2017

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The Cecil B. DeMille Award recipient took the stage at the Golden Globes to take aim at Donald Trump in a fiery speech, two months after the former reality star was elected into office. "Disrespect invites disrespect. Violence incites violence," she said. "The powerful — use definition to bully others, we all lose."

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2018

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Director Steven Spielberg, Streep and costar Tom Hanks got their photos taken as they made their way down the red carpet at the London premiere of The Post.

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2018

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All love! Longtime friends Robert De Niro and Streep quickly kissed during the National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala, following the actor's speech praising the star.

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2018

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"Our marriage and our children and their wellbeing inform all the decisions we make," Streep once said about life with husband Don Gummer.

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By Grace Gavilanes