Meryl Streep webchat - Thursday 8th October from 1-1.45pm.

[SandyMumsnet]

We are beside ourselves with excitement and so delighted to be able to say that the highly acclaimed Oscar and BAFTA winning actress, and quite frankly awesome, Meryl Streep is joining us for a webchat on Thursday 8th October from 1-1.45pm.

Meryl will be chatting about her new film Suffragette and her diverse, award winning career.

For 45 minutes we've got her full attention. So please join us on Thursday for the webchat, or post your question to this industry veteran now!

Suffragette is in cinemas from 12th October.
Suffragette show times

Photo of Meryl courtesy of Brigitte Lacombe

Hi Meryl,

What excited you the most about this film, Suffragette, before making it? I guess I'm asking because I'd like to know if you generally pick scripts/characters for the challenge or because you think (and well, we KNOW) you can do them justice?

Thank you!

Just wanted to say, thank you for all the lovely films.

Hi Meryl

I've been a big fan of yours since seeing you in earlier roles in Holocaust, The Deer Hunter, Still of the Night (which I saw dubbed in Spanish!), French Lieutenant's Woman and Sophie's Choice.

It strikes me that your role in Suffragette is the culmination of some 40 years of playing strong, feisty women including Karen Silkwood, Karen Blixen and Margaret Thatcher.

As a woman, mother and actor, which women have inspired you (and why)?

[Flowers]

Just to say " hi Meryl", it's very sporting of you to join us here on MN for a bit of a natter. I just knew you were normal!!
Mama Mia and "the old goats shed " makes me howl with mirth whenever I think of it. (Am obviously easily amused)
Best wishes Meryl.
X

Hi Meryl
I love your work!

In Mamma Mia, was Pierce Brosnan a good kisser?

And - outside your work - which thing in your life are you most proud of, and why?

Thank you!

No questions just a huge WOW! Totes amazeballs as my DD would say.

Meryl [should I say 'Ms Streep' - seem a bit familiar to say Meryl!] you are an icon in so many ways - a fantastic, brilliant actress who has never traded on looks but only on character and characterisation.

As you have aged you have done so gracefully, elegantly, unapologetically and proudly.

You have demonstrated your total commitment to motherhood without feeling the need to be a flag-waving, strident "Yes, you too can have it all!" protagonist. And I agree with your humanist not feminist pov. I think it's sexist to call yourself a feminist. Equal rights for all - including men.

Huge - and I mean huge - respect. And, btw, my 16 yr old daughter loves you in Mama Mia! You do know that that film is going to live forever don't you?

This is from my DS who is your biggest fan :

Who do you think really is Sophie's biological father? Sam, Harry or Bill?

Hello Meryl

You chose acting. Do you ever wonder about what other career you could have flourished in? Would you make the same choice if you had your life again?
Thank you!

• How does it feel when people who meet you are starstruck or in awe of you? Are you used to it?

• In film/tv who makes you laugh?

Hello Meryl :)

Wow and hello.

I am wondering whether there is another significant period of women's history, or another figure from that history, which you would like to see portrayed on film?

I'm guessing that your choice, following your decision to play Margaret Thatcher, might be surprising.

Hello Meryl. What a pleasure to have you on here.

I want to say many congratulations and best wishes on your Writers' Lab project. As a writer myself I think it's such an important and exciting thing for you to have done.

I'm very frustrated at the lack of female writers in the film industry and I assume the situation is as frustrating for US based would be screenwriters as it is for UK writers. The situation over here is that whilst we have amazingly talented and successful writers such as Abi Morgan, it still remains very hard (almost impossible in fact) for women to find their writing translated on the screen. The equally fabulous Emma Thompson was on Mumsnet not too long ago saying just that.

My own experience is that the film industry is almost impenetrable to female over 40s. For example, I've tried to find a home for one of my screenplays but it's a 'tough sell' (that's direct quote by the way) when there's a female protagonist. The industry seem to like it as I sent it off to several film festivals and it won a couple of sets of laurels but trying to get a producer interested is impossible. I strikes me as even harder if your writing doesn't fit into the 'female' market. My screenplay won best in a history/war category at one film festival and I was so proud to have beaten the boys at their own game

I really wish the Writers' Lab writers the very best of luck and I look forward to seeing the stories they want to tell on screens in the not too distant future. As I've already said, I think this project is a truly brilliant thing for you to have done.

Do you still have the ghost in your house in Connecticut?

Being a "Cancerian" do you feel you relate to any of the qualities usually associated to the star sign?

pirate sorry to cut in but isn't it just really hard for everyone trying to pirate S plays, millions of scripts never see light of day or films, its just hard full .

You've got a kinda enigmatic smile in that pic they have of you ....
Are you a secret Mumsnetter ... or maybe just an occasional lurker?

Also how did you get to be so good at that acting malarkey?
Especially all the accents. And the timing. Bloody brilliant

Are you good at languages as they say it often goes with a good ear for accents?

(I'm a lots of little questions rather than one big one kinda woman, as you know HQ - think of it kindly - as conversational?)

AndLeavesthatweregreenturnedto

It is hard to get into the film industry per se but the current figure for female screenwriters is 15%. The figure is pretty similar for executive producers and the percentage of female directors is even more dire.

Given those statistics, I think it's entirely fair to say that it is much harder for women to become successful writers (especially older ones) and that is the problem Meryl Streep is trying to address with her Writers Lab project.

Here's an interesting article you may like to read AndLeavesthatweregreenturnedto

www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/24/sexism-in-hollywood-female-spec-screenwriters_n_3491022.html

Meryl, I am posting this utterly pointless sentence just for the thrill of believing that you will read it on Thursday, whilst I'm toiling away.

My life is now complete. I thank you

Oh lovely. Hello Meryl. I like you inordinately. You're just a beautiful soul. Thanks for coming to chat to us. I was going to clean my bathroom tomorrow but I've rearranged and instead I shall be sitting here slack-jawed and star struck.

Is there a part you wish you'd had the opportunity to play?

Hi Meryl, welcome to MN!

What was your reaction to the Sisters Uncut protest at the premiere?

Looking forward to the film, hope it's not the Hollywood whitewash I fear it will be.

Hope Springs, great movie. Uncomfortable but great.

My question; do you knit?

Hi Meryl, I'm a huge fan!
My question is, who do you think is the greatest living actress? And what possessed you to make Hope Springs?

at cross post re Hope Springs. Sorry Athrawes!

Hi Meryl, how lovely that you are on MN, thank you so much. I am fluttering with excitement that you are going to be THE NEXT POSTCODE OVER tomorrow afternoon!!!!

So many good questions on here already.

Which actor(s) have you not had the chance to work with, that you would like to?