Three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep has happily admitted she was wrong about a 1998 interview where she implied the best part of her career was behind her.
Streep, who was 49 years old at the time, made the comment while attending the Toronto International Film Festival more than 20 years ago.
“I think there is a time in one’s life when you are young and pretty and lots of things come your way,” Streep told reporters.
“Most parts are written for women in their 30s.”
Speaking with CTV News Toronto on Monday, Streep said “thank God” she was wrong about the future of her career.
“I was wrong, so what, I can be wrong!”
Since making those comments, Streep has doubled her Oscar wins and starred in numerous top Hollywood movies. She has also won eight Golden Globes and received more than 30 nominations.
“The Toronto film festival is kind of stepping up in front of the other ones to put its money where its mouth is about women, women’s stories, women filmmakers.”
“You just got to open the door fellas, it’s happier when we’re all in there.”
Last night, the 70-year-old accepted her TIFF Tribute acting award with a message for her fellow performers and filmmakers.
She used her speech at the exclusive fundraiser for the Toronto International Film Festival to reflect on the power of cinema, and how it can affect the discourse, for better or worse.
In explaining how she chooses roles, Streep said for the past decade she has frequently asked herself "does this help or does this hurt?"
"Every artist here has made a choice about the material they've done and they've decided to contribute -- either by default or intention," she said, before turning to the current social climate.
"Even though we didn't create the moment we find ourselves in, we can't cure it individually, we can't control it, but we sure can contribute to its toxicity."
At the inaugural TIFF dinner-and-cocktails soiree, Streep praised organizers at the Toronto film festival for showcasing more female directors in their lineup, an effort she called "moving the needle by intention."
"Time is short, as you reach a certain milestone you realize that, so we should all do the things that count, even if it's just to have a laugh," she added
