Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep's success as an actress is virtually unparalleled; since her emergence in the late '70s, both in theater and film, she has remained a remarkably consistent and versatile performer, respected by her peers and hailed by critics as a once-in-a-generation talent. Though not a professional singer, her roles have occasionally crossed over into music, which she approaches with the same dedication and craft as her acting. Outside of musical theater, she is best known for singing in the popular Mamma Mia! franchise, based on the music of pop group ABBA, as well as the 2014 film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods.

As a 12-year-old, the New Jersey-born Streep sang in a school recital and even went so far as to take opera lessons, though it was theater that became her passion. As she made a name for herself in the 1970s, she took on a handful of musical roles including the Brecht/Weill comedy Happy End and a musical adaptation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland titled Alice in Concert. By the end of the '80s, Streep was a bona fide movie star, with a pair of Academy Awards, countless nominations, and a burgeoning career. She first appeared on record in 1984 narrating a version of The Velveteen Rabbit accompanied by pianist George Winston. Films like Death Becomes Her and Postcards from the Edge called for the occasional singing part, and Robert Altman's 2006 version of A Prairie Home Companion cast her as part of a vocal trio.

Streep's most prominent role as a singer came in the 2008 movie musical Mamma Mia!, which centered around the music of '70s hitmakers ABBA. The campy romantic comedy became a huge hit and featured Streep singing ABBA songs throughout both the film and accompanying soundtrack. Another prominent role was in director Rob Marshall's 2014 version of the Sondheim fantasy musical Into the Woods, in which Streep played a malevolent witch. Well-known for her accents, audiences heard a different side of Streep in 2016's Florence Foster Jenkins, a playful biopic about the well-meaning but utterly tone-deaf American socialite who attempted an opera career. Two years later, she reprised her role as Donna in the Mamma Mia! sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. In the 2020s, Streep could be heard as a Broadway diva in the musical film The Prom and singing as part of the popular ensemble streaming series Only Murders in the Building. ~ Timothy Monger, Rovi