Meryl Streep’s Net Worth 2024 and Biography Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Meryl Streep |
| Date of Birth | June 22, 1949 |
| Place of Birth | Summit, New Jersey, USA |
| Profession | Actress |
| Net Worth (2024) | $100 million |
| Education | Vassar College, Yale School of Drama |
| Career Start | Broadway debut in 1975, first film “Julia” in 1977 |
| Notable Films | “The Deer Hunter,” “Kramer vs. Kramer,” “Sophie’s Choice,” “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Mamma Mia!” |
| Awards | 3 Academy Awards, 8 Golden Globe Awards, 2 Emmy Awards, 2 BAFTA Awards |
| Recent Projects | “Only Murders in the Building” (TV), “The Prom” (Film) |
| Other Ventures | Real estate investments, endorsements, narration |
Meryl Streep’s Net Worth in 2024
Meryl Streep is a renowned American actress known for her work in theater, television, and film. She has an estimated net worth of $100 million and is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her time.
Throughout her illustrious career, Meryl has received numerous accolades, including three Academy Awards (from 21 nominations), two BAFTA Awards, eight Golden Globes, and two Emmy Awards. She regularly ranks among the highest-paid actresses globally.
For instance, between September 2019 and September 2020, she earned $25 million from her various acting projects. Typically, Meryl commands around $20 million per film but has been known to accept lower fees for significant roles or if she has the opportunity to earn a share of the film’s profits.
Early Life
Mary Louise “Meryl” Streep was born on June 22, 1949, in Summit, New Jersey. She grew up with two younger brothers, Harry William and Dana David, both of whom also pursued acting careers.
Her mother, Mary Wilkinson Streep, was a commercial artist and art editor, while her father, Harry William Streep Jr., worked as a pharmaceutical executive.
Meryl attended Bernards High School in Bernardsville, New Jersey, where she was a cheerleader and was crowned homecoming queen in her senior year. She also participated in several school plays and took opera lessons from Estelle Liebling for four years.
Meryl went on to study at Vassar College, graduating in 1971. It was during her time at Vassar, particularly after performing in the play Miss Julie in 1969, that she developed a passion for serious theater.
To further her acting career, she earned an MFA from Yale School of Drama in 1975. While at Yale, she worked various jobs, such as waitressing and typing, to support herself, and appeared in over a dozen stage productions each year.
Career
Meryl Streep’s professional acting career began in 1975 at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwrights Conference, where she performed in five plays over six weeks.
That same year, she moved to New York City and quickly became active in the theater scene, starring in productions such as Henry V and Measure for Measure at the Delacorte Theater (both in 1976), Happy End at the Martin Beck Theatre (1977), and Secret Service at the Playhouse Theatre (1976).
Her first feature film role came in 1977’s Julia, starring alongside Jane Fonda, although many of her scenes were cut. At the suggestion of Robert De Niro, who had seen her in a stage production of The Cherry Orchard, Meryl auditioned for The Deer Hunter (1978), where she played De Niro’s girlfriend. This role earned her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Meryl’s career took off after The Deer Hunter. Just a year later, she won her first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979). Her impressive filmography includes iconic roles in Manhattan (1979), Sophie’s Choice (1982), Silkwood (1983), A Cry in the Dark (1988), Defending Your Life (1991), Death Becomes Her (1992), The Bridges of Madison County (1995), One True Thing (1998), Adaptation (2002), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Mamma Mia! (2008), Julie & Julia (2009), The Iron Lady (2011), and The Post (2018). Of these, Mamma Mia! became her most commercially successful film, grossing $609 million worldwide.
In addition to her film career, Meryl has worked on various television projects. She appeared in Angels in America (2003), Freedom: A History of US (2003), Web Therapy (2010-2012), Big Little Lies (2019), and Only Murders in the Building (2023–present). She has also lent her voice to narrate documentaries such as Ocean Voyagers (2007), Makers: Women Who Make America (2013), and Five Came Back (2017).
Streep’s long list of awards includes more than 150 honors from major organizations. Notably, she received the 2004 AFI Life Achievement Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2014, and the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2017.
Other Work
Beyond her remarkable acting career, Meryl Streep has taken part in various other projects. She has narrated several audiobooks, including children’s titles such as Brae Irene, Spinky Sulks, and The One and Only Shrek, all written by William Steig.
Meryl also serves as the spokesperson for the National Women’s History Museum, advocating for the recognition of women’s contributions throughout history. Additionally, she has established two scholarships for students at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, supporting the next generation of scholars.
Personal Life
Meryl Streep was in a relationship with actor John Cazale for three years until he passed from lung cancer in March 1978.
Six months after Cazale’s death, Meryl married sculptor Don Gummer. The couple has four children together, including actresses Grace Gummer and Mamie Gummer. Grace is married to DJ Mark Ronson. In February 2019, Meryl became a grandmother for the first time when Mamie welcomed her first child.
In October 2023, Meryl and Don announced that they had been separated for six years. Their publicist released a statement saying, “Don Gummer and Meryl Streep have been separated for more than six years, and while they will always care for each other, they have chosen to live apart.”
Real Estate
In 1995, Meryl Streep and Don Gummer purchased a townhouse in New York City for $2.175 million. They later sold this property in 2005 for $9.1 million.
In 2006, the couple invested $10.13 million in a four-bedroom penthouse in New York City. They listed the penthouse for sale at $25 million in 2018, later reducing the asking price to $18.25 million in September of that year. Ultimately, they sold it for $16 million in February 2020.
In December 2017, Meryl and Don bought a mid-century modern home in Pasadena, California, for $3.6 million. They also own a 90-acre country home in Salisbury, Connecticut.
Salary Highlights
Meryl Streep earned $35,000 for her role in The Deer Hunter (1978), which is equivalent to about $140,000 today when adjusted for inflation. The following year, she received $85,000 for Kramer vs. Kramer, roughly $340,000 in today’s dollars.
Throughout the 1980s, Meryl consistently earned around $4 million per film. In recent years, she has commanded as much as $20 million for a movie or $10 million when a project includes backend profits. Notably, for her role in The Iron Lady (2011), she accepted just $1 million, which she generously donated in full to the Women’s History Museum.
Major Source: Wikipedia, Celebrity Net Worth
