40+ Inspirational Meryl Streep Quotes From The Queen Of Acting

Joan Agie
Dec 12, 2023 By Joan Agie
Originally Published on Mar 11, 2021
Edited by Jacob Fitzbright
Meryl Streep walks the red carpet ahead of the "The Laundromat" screening during the 76th Venice Film Festival at Sala Grande on September 01, 2019 in Venice, Italy.
?
Age: 0-99
Read time: 7.4 Min

Meryl Streep often thought of as the most versatile actress possible, holds the record of 32 Golden Globe nominations and 21 Academy Awards nominations.

Meryl Streep first pursued environmental law, and later discovered her passion for acting. She started with theatrical performances and was eventually spotted by Robert De Niro who offered Meryl Streep a role in his movie 'The Deer Hunter'. Later she won three Academy awards and nine Golden Globes awards.

Meryl Streep’s movies are dynamic and cover every single area of life, be it playing the role of the Holocaust survivor in ‘Sophie’s Choice’, the British Prime Minister in ‘The Iron Lady’, Chef in ‘Julie and Julia’ or the snooty Miranda Priestley in 'The Devil Wears Prada'.

Meryl Streep’s work not only touches the surface, but the dedication and intensity of her skills leave a mark behind.

One cannot simply praise Meryl Streep as an actress, she is a role model who has actively engaged with numerous charities, which is the formula of happiness.

Here is the list of some of the choicest Meryl Streep quotes which will inspire you.

You could also check out Meryl Streep quotes on love. These Meryl Streep quotes will definitely inspire you towards success and a good life.

If you like our Meryl Streep Quotes you can check out other famous actor quotes like Helen Mirren quotes and Julie Andrews quotes.

Top Meryl Streep Movie Quotes

Film reel, lens and movie clapper in retro composition

Meryl Streep quotes based on her movies are held in this regard. Here is a list of Meryl Streep quotes.

1. "The truth does not make it easier to understand."                                              

- Sophie, 'Sophie's Choice'.

2. "What you really like to do? Eat!"

- Julia, 'Julie And Julia'.

3. "If you take the tough decisions, people will hate you today, but they will love you in generations."

- Margaret Thatcher, 'The Iron Lady'.

4. "Details of your incompetence do not interest me."

- Miranda Priestly, 'The Devil Wears Prada'.

 5. "When you take a step to address wrongdoing, you are taking a step away from god, but in his service."

 -Sister Aloysius, 'Doubt'.  

6. "Somebody up there has got it in for me. I bet it's my mother."

-Donna, 'Mamma Mia'.

7. "Don't ever never ever mess around with my greens. Especially the beans!"

- The Witch, 'Into The Woods'.

8. "By all means, move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me."

-Miranda Priestly, 'The Devil Wears Prada'.

9. "I came here to take my son home. And I realized he already is home."

-Joanna Kramer, 'Kramer vs. Kramer'.

10. "I have doubts! I have such doubts!"

-Sister Aloysius Beauvier, 'Doubt'.

11. "We will stand on principle, or we will not stand at all."

-Margaret Thatcher, 'The Iron Lady'.

12. "Is anybody supposed to smoke?"

-Violet, 'August: Osage County'.

13. "If no one’s in the kitchen, who’s to see?"

-Julia Child, 'Julie And Julia'.

14. "Perhaps he knew, as I did not, that the Earth was made round so that we would not see too far down the road."

-Karen Blixen, 'Out Of Africa'.

15. "And in that moment, everything I knew to be true about myself up until then was gone. I was acting like another woman, yet I was more myself than ever before."

-Francesca, 'The Bridges Of Madison County'.

16. "Don’t you see? We are dying. I longed desperately to escape, to pack my bags and flee, but I did not."

-Sophie Zawistowska, 'Sophie’s Choice'.

17. "The dingo’s got my baby!"

-Lindy Chamberlain, 'A Cry In The Dark'.

18. "Instant gratification takes too long."

-Suzanne Vale, ‘Postcards From The Edge’.

19. "Wrinkled, wrinkled little star… hope they never see the scars."

-Madeline Ashton, ‘Death Becomes Her’.

20. "Sometimes you love, and you learn, and you move on."

-Lisa, ‘Prime’.

22. "It’s so much easier to be happy. It’s so much easier to choose to love the things that you have, instead of always yearning for what you’re missing, or what it is that you’re imagining you’re missing."

-Kate Gulden, ‘One True Thing’.

Top Meryl Streep Quotes On Life

Meryl Streep quotes about life are curated below to give your life a good dimension.

22. "The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy, we can all sense a mysterious connection to each other."

-Meryl Streep.

23. "The formula of happiness and success is just, being actually yourself, in the most vivid possible way you can."

-Meryl Streep.

24. "I think you find your own way. You have your own rules. You have your own  understanding of yourself, and that's what you're going to count on. In the end, it's what feels right to you."

-Meryl Streep.

25. "What makes you different or weird—that’s your strength."

-Meryl Streep.

26. "Put blinders on to those things that conspire to hold you back, especially the ones in your  own head."

-Meryl Streep.

27. "I think the best role models for women are people who are fruitfully and confidently themselves, who bring light into the world."

-Meryl Streep.

28. "You don't have to be famous. You just have to make your mother and father proud of  you."

-Meryl Streep

29. "I like who I am now. Other people may not. I'm comfortable. I feel freer now. I don't want growing older to matter to me."

-Meryl Streep.

30. "This is your time and it feels normal to you, but really, there is no normal."

-Meryl Streep.

31. "Integrate what you believe in every single area of your life. Take your heart to work and ask the most and best of everybody else, too."

-Meryl Streep.

32. "I think your self emerges more clearly over time."

-Meryl Streep.

33. "Personality is immediately apparent, from birth, and I don’t think it really changes."

-Meryl Streep.

34. "The minute you start caring about what other people think, is the minute you stop being yourself."

-Meryl Streep.

35. "True freedom is understanding that we have a choice in who and what we allow to have power over us."

-Meryl Streep.

36. "We need art as much as we need good works. You need it like food. You need it for inspiration to keep going on the days that your low. We need each other in that way."

-Meryl Streep.

Top Meryl Streep Quotes About Acting

Meryl Streep inspirational acting quotes are proof of why she is a living legend.

37. "Acting is not about being someone different. It’s finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there."

-Meryl Streep.

38. "I have a theory that movies operate on the level of dreams, where you dream yourself."

-Meryl Streep.

39. "I always feel like I can't do it, that I can't go through with a movie. But then I do go through with it after all."

-Meryl Streep.

40. "People will say to me, ‘You’ve played so many strong women roles’ and I’ll say, ‘Have you ever said to a man, You’ve played so many strong men roles?’."

-Meryl Streep.

41. "My job is usually to express emotion as freely as possible."

-Meryl Streep.

42. "Singing and acting are very similar. Singing makes you reach into your deepest feelings. Singing is an extension of everything that you do when you're acting."

-Meryl Streep.

Meryl Streep Funny Quotes

Meryl Streep quotes are often fun as they have the perfect amalgamation of humor and facts.

43. "You should learn not to compete with me; I always win!"

-Madeline Ashton, ‘Death Becomes Her'.

44.  "Aw! It's official! We are having an affair!"

-Jane, ‘It's Complicated’.

45. "Lisle Von Rhoman: How old would you guess I am? C'mon, don't try to flatter me.

Madeline Ashton: Thirty-eight?

Madeline Ashton: Twenty-eight... no, twenty-three."

- ‘Death Becomes Her'.

46. "Is there some reason that my coffee isn't here? Has she died or something?"

-Miranda Priestly, 'The Devil Wears Prada'.

47. "You probably think it very bourgeois to cook for someone on the first date."

-Rachel, 'Heartburn'.

Meryl Streep Fitness Quotes

Meryl Streep quotes on body positivity and fitness are the reason why we love her even more.

48. "For young women, I would say, don’t worry so much about your weight."

-Meryl Streep.

49. "My advice: don’t waste so much time worrying about your skin or your weight. Develop what you do, what you put your hands on in the world."

-Meryl Streep.

50. "I think the most liberating thing I did early on was to free myself from any concern with my looks as they pertained to my work."

-Meryl Streep.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotesfor everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Meryl Streep quote then why not take a look at [Hollywood quotes], or Scarlett Johansson quotes?

 

Main image credit: Denis Makarenko / Shutterstock.com

We Want Your Photos!
We Want Your Photos!

We Want Your Photos!

Do you have a photo you are happy to share that would improve this article?
Email your photos

More for You

See All

Written by Joan Agie

Bachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy

Joan Agie picture

Joan AgieBachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy

With 3+ years of research and content writing experience across several niches, especially on education, technology, and business topics. Joan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Anatomy from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, and has worked as a researcher and writer for organizations across Nigeria, the US, the UK, and Germany. Joan enjoys meditation, watching movies, and learning new languages in her free time.

Read full bio >