Streep's essential roles

Manhattan (1979)
Streep played Woody Allen’s ex-wife in this black-and-white romantic dramedy about a writer dating one woman and in love with another.
It’s astounding she didn’t receive one of her many Academy Award nominations for playing Jill, a young woman who’s writing a confessional book of her marriage and dating a woman named Connie.

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
That same year, Streep won her first Academy Award for her heartbreaking role opposite Dustin Hoffman in Robert Benton’s divorce drama.
She plays a young divorced mother who ultimately gives up custody of her son so he can live with his father.

Sophie’s Choice (1982)
Streep won her second Academy Award for her leading role as Sophie, a Holocaust survivor who hoards a life-altering secret that’s haunted her for years.
The performance is considered not only the best of Streep’s long career, but one of the best screen performances of all time by any actor or actress.

Silkwood (1983)
Never one to take a break, Streep followed up her Best Actress win the next year with another nomination in the same category for her role as Karen Silkwood.
Based on a true story, the film follows a plutonium plant worker who died in a mysterious car accident after arranging to talk to a New York Times reporter about the plant’s misconduct with radiation exposure.

Postcards from the Edge (1990)
Streep earned yet another Academy Award nomination for playing Suzanne Vale, a freshly out-of-rehab actress forced to live with her mother during recovery.
Based on a semi-autobiographical book by Carrie Fisher own life, Streep successfully shed her kind persona to play a woman trying to kick a cocaine and prescription pill habit.

Angels in America (2003)
Streep played no less than four roles in the HBO miniseries adaptation of Tony Kushner’s Tony-award winning play about homosexuality and the AIDS epidemic.
Streep won her second Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie.

A Prairie Home Companion (2006)
In the final film of Academy Award-nominated director Robert Altman, Streep showed off her vocal prowess as Yolanda Johnson, one of last members of a family country music act. Lily Tomlin and Lindsay Lohan play Yolanda’s sister and daughter in a little seen but critically adored film.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Streep racked up another Academy Award nomination opposite Anne Hathaway playing a high-fashion magazine editor reportedly based on someone who’s name rhymes with Shanna Mintour. Prada hasn’t looked the same since.

It’s Complicated (2009)
Writer/Director Nancy Meyers writes for women better than anyone in Hollywood, so it’s no surprise her collaboration with Streep is comedic perfection.
Reviews were mildly mixed, but viewing the movie is worth it just to hear Streep say the line “I like a lot of semen. Always have.”

The Iron Lady (2011)
Streep won her third Academy Award for playing former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Though the film itself is pretty meh, there’s no denying how amazing Streep is in the role. Plus, she donated her entire salary to the National Women’s History Museum. So, yes, she’s better than all of us combined.