Meryl Streep is a name that has become synonymous with greatness. Born on this day, 22nd June 1949 she is regarded as one of the best actresses of her generation. Mary Louise “Meryl” Streep has set a precedent for those who follow in her footsteps. The 68 year old actress is known particularly for the way she adapts and transforms into the character she is playing, completely making it her own. Her talent as a versatile actress is the most striking thing about her and is what has made her the success she is today, having starred in more than 50 films till now. Not only is this graceful woman a phenomenal actress, she is also a philanthropist, striving for humanity and calling out injustice where she sees it. In her 2017 Golden Globes acceptance speech for lifetime of notable work, she took the opportunity to lash out at the then recently elected, President Donald Trump when she said: “When the powerful use their position to bully others, we all lose.” The actress has won over more than 40 awards, has been nominated for 20 Academy Awards, 30 Golden globe nominations and currently has more nominations than any other actor. Streep is famous for her powerful roles including her take on Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady (2012), her breath taking performance in The River Wild (1994), her inspiring performance as Emmeline Pankhurst in Suffragette and countless more unforgettable roles that deal with raw human emotion and perseverance such as in her role as a Holocaust survivor in Sophie’s Choice for which she won her first Academy Award. She continues to take on some of the most difficult roles and does them with exceptional finesse. On her views about acting she says, “Acting is not about being someone different. It’s finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there.”