Meryl Lifetime Achievement
by Mary Nyiri

Meryl Streep get a surprise bouquet of flowers and a kiss from a journalist at the press conference for her film The Iron Lady, but she also received an Honorary Golden Bear for Lifetime Achievement. The award was presented by Jake Gyllenhaal, who referred to Streep as his ex-mom whom he has known since he was 13 years old; he used to hang out with her kids. Streep thanked many people by name and generally, “…all my directors and writers who are still living after working with me!” She also thanks her fans and audiences and in particular, the husbands and boyfriends who were dragged to her films. Finally, she thanked Roy Helland, her friend, colleague, hair stylist and makeup artist extraordinaire, who had just received a BAFTA along with his colleague Mark Coulier for their work on The Iron Lady. Referring to Helland as her “other partner,” Streep explained that they have been together since her first play over thirty-five years ago and for her first film, Sophie’s Choice, and every other movie since then. Streep was very generous with her comments about people she has worked with and mentions her co-star: “This year, particularly for women, there have been so many wonderful performances, many of them not even nominated, for instance our co-star Olivia Colman in a film called Tyrannosaur which is absolutely breathtaking and she has not been recognised for it.” Streep knows what she is talking about with seventeen Oscar nominations and two wins. (On February 26, 2012, Streep was awarded her third Oscar for Best Actress as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.)