Meryl Streep: Oscar’s Leading Lady

What can be said about the mighty Meryl that hasn’t already been covered hundreds of times in her storied career? She’s simply the most acclaimed actress of her, or any, time in history. And she seems to be getting better with every passing year. Ah, here’s something — her roles get more limited as she (and we) get inevitably older in a youth-obsessed media universe. But first, I’d like to remind everyone just how beautiful Ms. Streep is with a few photographs of the screen goddess taken through the celluloid ages:

This was Meryl in the first movie I ever saw her in: Sophie’s Choice. The film is dated now, but she isn’t. She’s so beautiful in this portrayal of a woman haunted by the Nazis in World War II. Worth another viewing if you haven’t seen it in awhile.

This photo is circa Kramer Vs. Kramer. Meryl is an absolute knockout in the role and her beauty is so radiant it puts all future supermodels to shame. To be that talented and that beautiful was and is truly something to behold and celebrate. Oscar here we come…

Around the same era but in color. One of my favorite Meryl Streep movies is SILKWOOD. Meryl is so vulnerable in this role and absolutely riveting as a young, free-spirited woman who takes on a nuclear energy plant and pays the price. The b-story of her home life with Cher and Kurt Russell is equally compelling and easily their best work opposite arguably the best American actress ever. Just goes to show that Meryl on a movie will invariably up everyone else’s acting chops to a new level while they’re in her orbit.

Two more of my favorites. Between the smoldering sensuality and those eyes piercing through to your soul…

But I have to say I love Meryl in black & white. There’s something so timeless about her beauty that she lends herself to the glamor shot in such an open, unassuming and understated way that all you see is beauty and brains unlike any other actress of her time. This is another one of my favorites of the multi-Oscar winning actress. And no matter how old she gets and how insipid the movie roles become – I’m just happy to see Meryl up on the screen where she belongs – in front of the camera that loves her along with the audience.

Just beautiful.

Maria Bello: A Mother’s Day Tribute

I love this shot of Maria Bello. She is one of those actresses that is so talented and can play any role in any era. Brassy, Sexy and smart, Maria is a movie star who passes The Garbo Test: A woman whose sheer presence on film is all that is required of her to be compelling. Of course, it helps that she’s got acting chops out the wazoo, too.

Not all actresses can play period. And while Maria’s roles are mostly set in a contemporary world, I’d love to see her do something set back in the 20’s and 30’s. She’s be a great flapper, hanging out at a speakeasy laughing it up and flirting with her fellow imbibers. My favorite film role of hers was in The Cooler (2003) with William H. Macy. Maria played Natalie, a struggling cocktail waitress who is Lady Luck in disguise. Natalie was an amazing role and Maria made her so compelling that I was actually frightened for her when their boss Shelly (Alec Baldwin) beats her up. Maybe Alec had something to do with that, too. But Maria definitely stole the show.

My other favorite Maria Bello movie was A History Of Violence (2005) with Viggo Mortensen. Maria plays Edie and becomes embroiled in her husband’s lies to conceal a very dangerous and dark past that now threatens her family’s security. Maria’s acting in this film is particularly compelling because she’s playing a character who awakens to the fact that, on some level, her husband’s violent past arouses her on a sexual level. Few actresses I have ever seen have been able to convincingly portray such a conflicted duality. Maria was also sexy as all get out in this movie. A raw physicality that is a trademark of her acting style.

Maria Bello is a class-act as a real person, too. She is very active in children’s causes and has said that motherhood has both made her a better person. She loves her child more than anything in the world and been quoted as saying she would kill anyone that tried to hurt him. I have no doubt that Maria was serious and would do just that if push came to shove…or kick or punch or throw off a cliff. That’s why I wish Maria Bello and all the other mothers out there a very Happy Mothers Day. If you know what’s good for you, you won’t mess with a mother. It’s so much nicer to take her out for brunch and buy her flowers and chocolates. Then she’ll love you forever.