Meryl Streep is one of the greatest and most influential actresses, with an estimated net worth of around $160 million.
She has been widely acclaimed for her unparalleled acting talent, winning three Academy Awards and 21 nominations. Her portrayed roles have spanned an incredible range – from a Polish holocaust survivor to an icy British prime minister to a devilish fashion magazine editor.
Meryl Streep Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Meryl Streep has an estimated net worth of around $160 million as of 2024. She was already wealthy from her early acting work. However, most of Streep’s wealth has been amassed after 2000 from her continued acclaimed box office hits and work with major studios on lucrative contracts.
Streep remains one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood. She reported asking prices of $15-$20 million per movie in the 2010s. Also, she earned $825,000 per episode for the second season of HBO’s Big Little Lies – earning over $9 million. These paychecks demonstrate her continued demand with audiences well into her later career.
Early Life and Education
Meryl Streep was born Mary Louise Streep on June 22, 1949, in Summit, New Jersey. Her mother, Mary Wolfe, was a commercial artist and art editor. Her father, Harry William Streep Jr., was a pharmaceutical executive. She had two brothers – Dana and Harry.
Streep grew up in Bernardsville, New Jersey, where she attended Bernards High School. She was an active student who participated in plays and musicals and was also a cheerleader.
After high school, Streep enrolled at Vassar College in 1967 before transferring to Dartmouth College. She graduated from Dartmouth in 1971 with a degree in drama. She also briefly studied acting at Yale School of Drama.
Career Beginnings
Streep moved to New York City to actively pursue a career as a stage actress. She made her Broadway debut in 1975 in Tennessee Williams’ play “27 Wagons Full of Cotton.” Also, she received a Tony Award nomination for the 1976 play “A Memory of Two Mondays.”
Her first feature film role came in the 1977 TV movie “Deadliest Season” opposite Michael Moriarty. The two would also later star together in a production of “Betrayal” on Broadway.
In 1978, Streep made her theatrical feature film debut in Fred Zinnemann’s “Julia,” playing a small but memorable role opposite Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave. Her performance earned Streep her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Rise to Fame and Acclaim
Streep’s fame as an actress of impeccable caliber was cemented with her harrowing performance in the Holocaust drama film “The Deer Hunter” in 1979 opposite Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken. She went on to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the role.
She won her first Academy Award for Best Actress the very next year for her role as the titular character in “Kramer vs. Kramer” opposite Dustin Hoffman.
Streep established herself as one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed and decorated actresses. She scored Oscar nominations for acclaimed roles in films like “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” (1981), “Silkwood” (1983), “Out of Africa” (1985) “Ironweed” (1987), and “A Cry in the Dark” (1988).
In 1989, Streep’s moving portrayal of a Polish holocaust survivor forced into a death camp with her two children in “Sophie’s Choice” earned her a second Academy Award for Best Actress. The role is considered one of Streep’s most iconic.
By 1990, Streep had already received eight Oscar nominations and two wins. She was awarded the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award in 2004 and Kennedy Center Honors in 2011 – recognitions of her significant impact on American culture through film.
Later Career and Recent Work
While Streep was already considered Hollywood royalty by the early 90s, she continued to score roles in acclaimed box-office hits and independent films.
Some of her notable works include “The River Wild” (1994), “The Bridges of Madison County” (1995), “The Devil Wears Prada” (2006), “Julie & Julia” (2009), “The Iron Lady” (2011), “August: Osage County” (2013), “Into the Woods” (2014), “The Post” (2017), “Little Women” (2019), “The Prom” (2020), and “Don’t Look Up” (2021).
Streep won a record third Academy Award for Best Actress for her transformative role as Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady” (2011). As of 2023, Streep’s 21 Oscar nominations are the highest any performer has received in Academy Awards history.
Outside of acting, Streep narrated the Netflix documentary series “Five Came Back” (2017) based on a book she had described previously.
Sources of Income
Meryl Streep’s net worth stems predominantly from her decorated, highly lucrative acting career. After early critical successes in the late 1970s and 1980s with films like “The Deer Hunter” and “Kramer vs. Kramer,” Streep quickly became one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actresses.
By 2000, she had earned between $12-15 million per movie role thanks to her commercial and critical drawing power with audiences. In the 2010s, as Streep entered her 60s, her paychecks grew even more significant, with $15-20 million per movie depending on profit-sharing deals and studio budgets.
Having starred in multiple $200+ million box office hits like “Mamma Mia” and “Into the Woods” and even the occasional TV role, Streep can still command eight-figure salaries from studios today due to her rarity as a legend.
Business Ventures
Streep has some business ventures outside her prolific acting career, primarily focused on empowering women.
In 2016, Streep co-founded Equality Works with her daughter Mamie Gummer and TV writer Tanya Selvaratnam. The organization helps advance equal pay and opportunity for women in various sectors.
That same year, Streep also funded Imkaan, a UK-based charity dedicated to addressing violence against black and minority women and girls.
Personal Life
Streep married sculptor Don Gummer in 1978. The couple has four children – musician Henry Wolfe Gummer, actresses Mamie Gummer and Grace Gummer, and model Louisa Gummer.
However, Streep has lived a relatively low-key personal life out of the Los Angeles and Connecticut spotlight. Her life philosophy and advice to her children have always been simple.
However, Streep practices transcendental meditation regularly and follows Zen Buddhism. Also, she has stated that the mindfulness techniques help her “draw on a calm state” before incredibly emotional or complex acting scenes.
Philanthropy
Meryl Streep is well-known in Hollywood for using her celebrity status and fortune to support various social and philanthropic causes.
However, much of her philanthropy promotes equality for women in various fields. She co-founded Equality Works in 2016 with her daughter Mamie Gummer and writer Tanya Selvaratnam to advance equal pay and representation for women in business, politics, and entertainment. Streep has called the fight for gender equality “the unfinished business of the 21st century.”
The Oscar-winning actress also funded Imkaan in the UK – an organization working to end violence against black and minority ethnic women.
FAQs on Meryl Streep Net Worth
What was Meryl Streep’s first major film role?
Meryl Streep’s first major film role came in the 1978 film “The Deer Hunter” opposite Robert De Niro. Her harrowing performance as a woman was traumatized by the Vietnam War. However, her performance earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1979.
How many Oscars has Meryl Streep won?
Meryl Streep has won 3 competitive Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress for “Kramer vs Kramer” (1979), Best Actress for “Sophie’s Choice” (1982), and “The Iron Lady” (2011).
What is Meryl Streep’s highest-grossing film?
Meryl Streep’s highest-grossing film in global box office earnings is the 2008 musical “Mamma Mia.” The film grossed over $610 million worldwide.
How much does Meryl Streep earn per movie today?
Streep earns between $15-$20 million in asking price per movie depending on role, studio budget, profit-sharing arrangements, and other negotiations.
Final Words
Meryl Streep has undoubtedly earned her reputation as the “best actress of her generation. Her career has amassed unparalleled talent, 21 Oscar nominations and 3 Academy Award wins.
However, Streep’s determination, versatility, discipline, and empathy as an actress continue shining through at age 74.
Streep remains devoted to her craft and supports causes like gender equality through fame and resources. Her estimated $160 million net worth will likely keep rising steadily, with more acclaimed roles still ahead.
