Streep, Pauley discuss marriage, career at IU

Seated in olive green leather chairs Friday on the IU Auditorium stage, journalist Jane Pauley and actress Meryl Streep discussed marriage, family and career with each other and an enthusiastic audience.

Pauley and Streep’s visit was sponsored by the IU Foundation and Kate Benns Sturgeon Fund.

The talk began with an introduction by IU’s first lady Laurie Burns McRobbie, after which Pauley commented on Streep’s Indiana ties.

“How cool is it to be married to a Hoosier?”

The actress’s husband, Don Gummer, studied at the IU-Purdue University Indianapolis Herron School of Art in the 1960s. Pauley’s own personal tie is as an alumna.

She graduated from IU in 1972 with a degree in political science before becoming a prominent television journalist.

The conversation flowed with Pauley leading throughout, with topics ranging from Streep’s first aspirations to sing, her discomfort during television interviews, raising children in the spotlight and theater training at Yale.

Both Pauley and Streep also touched on insecurity, which both said comes from being behind a camera.

However, after admitting she would not rule out plastic surgery, Streep offered the audience what she said was her “best piece of advice for young woman.”

“Don’t waste so much time on your looks, your skin. Put your hands on what you do with your job and your career,” she said.

Streep, whose own career began on the stage in New York City, also touched on her “special sauce” for acting.

“I’d say my interest about other people is what animates my work,” Streep said. “I feel what I feel. I feel my skin is permeable. I have an interest in people. I’ve only played people I feel for. We’re not all different.”

Breaking out of your comfort zone, Streep said, is important for an actor.

Pauley also prompted the actress to sing briefly for the audience, which elicited excited applause from the crowd.

“Every actor wants to be a singer,” she said. “It’s our secret dream.”

Sophomore Bridgett Henwood, a fan of Streep’s movies, said she would be happy to see more events similar to Streep’s visit.

“If we had to pay I wouldn’t have been able to come. They should do this more often,” Henwood said.

She also said she was amazed at how each of the actress’ comments really stuck with her.

“She’s so thoughtful, and everything she said had really poignancy,” she said.


Following journalist Jane Pauley and actress Meryl Streep’s candid conversation, Streep answered questions posed by the audience. Here are some other highlights.

Favorite actress?

Streep said she does not have a favorite actor or actress, but she found herself inspired by several theatrical stars when she was first training, including Liza Minnelli.

Feeling like a goddess?

Asked if she ever felt like a goddess, Streep laughed and said, “No. No I don’t.”

Turning down films?

Streep said she has turned down film roles for moral reasons, citing that as a high-profile actress she has a responsibility to make movies that advance dialogue.

Worst filming moment?

On the last day of filming for “Out of Africa,” Streep came face-to-face with a lion that the film’s director Sydney Pollack had untethered for a particular shot. The lion growled loudly at Streep, who said she thought she was “going to die.”