45 Inspirational Meryl Streep Quotes About Life (ACTING)

Top 12 Most Famous Meryl Streep Quotes (BEST)

“I no longer have patience for certain things, not because I’ve become arrogant, but simply because I reached a point in my life where I do not want to waste more time with what displeases me or hurts me. I have no patience for cynicism, excessive criticism and demands of any nature.”
Meryl Streep

The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy. — The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of **empathy**.

The formula of happiness and success is just being actually yourself, in the most vivid possible way you can. — The formula of **happiness** and **success** is just being actually yourself, in the most vivid possible way you can.

Integrate what you believe in every single area of your life. Take your heart to work and ask the most and best of everybody else, too.

True freedom is understanding that we have a choice in who and what we allow to have power over us. — True **freedom** is understanding that we have a choice in who and what we allow to have power over us.

You have to be braver in your choices, and you have to be brave enough to listen to your heart and not just your head. — You have to be braver in your choices, and you have to be **brave** enough to listen to your heart and not just your head.

Acting is not about being someone different. It's finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there. — Acting is not about being someone different. It’s finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there.

I let the actions of my life stand for what I am as a human being. Contend with that, not the words. — I let the **actions** of my life stand for what I am as a human being. Contend with that, not the words.

I think the best role models for women are people who are fruitfully and confidently themselves, who bring light into the world. — I think the best role models for women are people who are fruitfully and **confidently** themselves, who bring light into the world.

“I think that you find your own way… In the end, it’s what feels right to you. Not what your mother told you. Not what some actress told you. Not what anybody else told you but the still, small voice.”
Meryl Streep

The minute you start caring about what other people think, is the minute you stop being yourself.

I'm curious about other people. That's the essence of my acting. I'm interested in what it would be like to be you. — I’m curious about other people. That’s the essence of my acting. I’m interested in what it would be like to be you.

11 Inspirational Meryl Streep Quotes About Life

“Power, influence, strength — all those things can overpower what’s important in life. But as long as you have food and shelter over your head, if the necessities are taken care of, what makes us happy on top of that is very simple.”
Meryl Streep

It’s good to push yourself and do what you don’t necessarily want to do, that if you’re not automatically good at it, you should try it. Trying is so important.

You have to embrace getting older. Life is precious, and when you’ve lost a lot of people, you realize each day is a gift.

Having been let out of the barn once, I know I wouldn't be happy if I were home all the time. — Having been let out of the barn once, I know I wouldn’t be **happy** if I were home all the time.

What does it take to be the first female anything It takes grit, and it takes grace. — What does it take to be the first female anything? It takes **grit**, and it takes grace.

As there begins to be less time ahead of you, you want to be exactly who you are, without making it easier for everyone else. — As there begins to be less **time** ahead of you, you want to be exactly who you are, without making it easier for everyone else.

You can't suppress the things that make us human. It's pointless to try. — You can’t suppress the things that make us human. It’s pointless to try.

Don't give up or give in in the face of patronising ridicule, amused disdain, or being ignored. — Don’t give up or give in in the face of patronising ridicule, amused disdain, or being ignored.

Put blinders onto those things that conspire to hold you back, especially the ones in your own head.

I think you have to listen to the people who are deeply unhappy. You have to find the source of it and not overreact to the craziness in it.

I want to feel my life while I'm in it. — I want to feel my life while I’m in it.

8 Meryl Streep Quotes on Acting

“Women are better at acting than men. Why? Because we have to be. If successfully convincing someone bigger than you are of something he doesn’t want to know is a survival skill, this is how women have survived through the millennia.”
Meryl Streep

Pretending is not just play. Pretending is imagined possibility. Pretending, or acting, is a very valuable life skill and we do it all the time.

Everyone is interesting. Everyone has something unexpected to offer and the job of acting is to pull it out of each other.

“Acting is being susceptible to what is around you, and it’s letting it all come in. Acting is a clearing away of everything except what you want and need – and it’s wonderful in that way. And when it’s right, you’re lost in the moment.”
Meryl Streep

Singing and acting are very similar. Singing makes you reach into your deepest feelings. Singing is an extension of everything that you do when you're acting. — Singing and acting are very similar. Singing makes you reach into your deepest feelings. Singing is an extension of everything that you do when you’re acting.

Acting is my way of investigating human nature and having fun at the same time. — Acting is my way of investigating human **nature** and having fun at the same time.

Empathy is at the heart of the actor's art. — Empathy is at the heart of the actor’s art.

“The best thing about acting is when you’re playing a scene and you actually become your character and lose yourself in that moment. That’s when you know you’ve been succeeded at what you’ve worked very hard to accomplish in your profession. Those are the truly thrilling moments.”
Meryl Streep

8 Meryl Streep Quotes on Motherhood and Having a Family

“Hillary Clinton has taken some fire over 40 years of her fight for families and children. How does she do it? That’s what I want to know. Where does she get her grit and her grace? Where do any of our female firsts, our pathbreakers, where do they find that strength?”
Meryl Streep