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In 2019, Meryl Streep seemingly grew weary of being one of the greatest actors in cinema history and decided she wanted to try her hand at being the best actor on television, too. She signed up to star in one of HBO’s most prestigious shows – a black comedy drama starring one of the most astonishing female casts ever assembled. Amazingly, though, on her first day on the show’s set, Streep witnessed something she’d never experienced before, and it both stunned and traumatised her in equal measure.
At a Vanity Fair panel conversation, Streep revealed that she got involved in the show when she received a call from her agent telling her, “Nicole wanted to ask you something”. The “Nicole” in question was, of course, Nicole Kidman, and when the Australian A-lister asked Streep if she ever saw herself working in television, she was intrigued. When Streep found out that Kidman wanted her to join the second season of the hit show Big Little Lies, though, she was extremely excited. After all, she was as big a fan of the first season as anyone else and was ecstatic that another season was in development.
When Streep heard that Kidman wanted her to play a character named Mary Louise, though, she knew it was meant to be. Neither Kidman nor Reese Witherspoon – her co-star on the show and one of the producing team – had any idea that “Mary Louise” is actually Streep’s legal name. Author Liane Moriarty did, though, and she envisioned Streep as the character in her novella that Big Little Lies season two is based on. By giving her Streep’s real name, she thought she could stack the deck in her favour for any potential casting down the line.
To everyone’s surprise, though, Kidman didn’t need to sell the role to Streep, and Moriarty didn’t need to use the “Mary Louise” lure. Streep essentially said yes on the spot without even reading the script, declaring, “It was the greatest thing on television, it really was. There isn’t a woman in this room who wouldn’t sign up.”
Fast forward to her first day on set, though, and Streep quickly discovered that Big Little Lies really was a showcase for the best actors in the game. Day one involved shooting an incredibly emotional scene with Kidman, playing her distrusting daughter-in-law, which required Kidman to go to a highly visceral place early in the shoot.
At the AFI Life Achievement Awards in 2024, Streep presented the trophy to Kidman and gushed about witnessing her prodigious acting ability in this scene. She revealed, “That’s the time when I really came within breathing distance of the formidable gifts Nicole has,” and added, “I haven’t recovered from that first day. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life.”
Streep was stunned by Kidman finding the requisite well of emotion within her at such an early stage and her ability to do multiple takes of the scene that were every bit as harrowing as the first. Streep exclaimed, “For me, it was traumatising because I thought, ‘This woman is a Valkyrie. How is she able to sustain that?’ Never letting up, never letting down.”
Interestingly, though, the first episode of the second season also included a scene in which Streep got to display her own volcanic eruption of emotion when Mary Louise let out a guttural scream at the dinner table. This time, the situation was reversed, with Kidman being stunned at Streep’s performance, which she described as “completely bone-chilling”.
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In a career filled with remarkable performances, there is one television scene that stunned Meryl Streep like never before.
It was during her guest appearance on the hit HBO series “Big Little Lies” that Streep delivered a tour de force performance that left audiences and critics alike in awe. In a pivotal scene, Streep’s character, Mary Louise Wright, confronts her daughter-in-law, Celeste (played by Nicole Kidman), with a chilling mix of vulnerability and manipulation. The raw emotion and intensity that Streep brought to the scene was nothing short of breathtaking, showcasing her unparalleled talent and ability to captivate viewers with every word and gesture.
Streep’s performance in this scene not only solidified her status as one of the greatest actors of our time but also served as a reminder of the power of television to showcase incredible talent in unexpected ways. It was a moment that reminded us all why Meryl Streep continues to be a force to be reckoned with in the world of entertainment.
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Meryl Streep, television scene, acting, iconic moment, Emmy-winning performance, unforgettable TV moment, dramatic television scene, Meryl Streep performance, award-winning actress.
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