The Meryl Streep Roles That Prove She’s a Class of Her Own

Her first Oscar win, and her arrival as realism’s new voice. As Joanna, she redefined motherhood on screen — neither saint nor villain, but painfully human. She fought to rewrite lines that flattened her character, demanding empathy over judgment. The courtroom becomes a confessional of womanhood under scrutiny.

Against Hoffman’s volatility, she radiates moral gravity. Hollywood’s understanding of family drama never recovered — it grew up.