Meryl Streep's Greatest Characters

Meryl Streep is one of Hollywood's most versatile, talented and respected actresses who has enjoyed a career that has spanned over thirty years.

She is back on the big screen this week with The Iron Lady, a biopic of Margaret Thatcher; for which is favourite to win the Oscar.

So to celebrate the release of the movie we take a look back over some of Streep's greatest performances.

- Linda - The Deer Hunter

This heartbreaking and powerful Vietnam movie really did announce Streep on a global stage back in 1978.

Youth was not a hindrance to Streep as she held her ground well against the likes of Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken.

The Deer Hunter gave Streep her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for this emotional and yet harrowing movie - one that really has stood the test of time.

- Joanna Kramer - Kramer vs Kramer

But it was Kramer vs Kramer in 1979 that gave Streep her first Oscar win, once again for Best Supporting Actress.

The movie follows a just divorced man must learn to care for his son on his own, and then must fight in court to keep custody of him.

Thirty years after it's release Kramer vs Kramer remains a very emotional and engaging piece of cinema.

This really was the movie that made Streep a star as she balances the character perfectly - she creates both sympathy and hate for Joanna she may have walked out on her child but you can't help but feel sorry for her.

- Sophie - Sophie's Choice

Directed by Alan J Pakula and also starring Kevin Kline Sophie's Choice is widely regarded as one of the best Holocaust movies.

This is a movie where many of the characters are haunted or influenced by the past.

Sure it's perhaps not the most cheery movie you will ever watch and it is a tad long but it's Streep's central performance that is so engaging and captivating.

Streep's character Sophie remember her ordeal in the concentration camp and it's those scenes that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

A Best Actress Oscar came her way for this performance - this is the last time that Streep has won an Oscar!

- Susan Orleans - Adaptation

Adaptation saw Streep team up with Nicolas Cage and Chris Cooper back in 2002 while Spike Jonze was in the director's chair.

Adaptation is an entertaining and quite brilliant movie and it provided Streep with the chance to deliver a quite wild performance.

This was something that we perhaps hadn't seen from Streep before and it is great to see her throw the shackles of her more serious roles off.

- Miranda Priestly - The Devil Wears Prada

In recent years the performance that Streep is best know for is the hard nosed editor Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada.

Her demanding and rude performance really did make this movie - she is really on her game with her one liners.

Sure the movie itself is not the best thing that Streep has ever been in but her central role really does make it worth a watch.

She picked up another Best Actress Oscar nomination for this central performance.

- Margaret Thatcher - The Iron Lady

This week she is back on the big screen for the first time since It's Complicated to play Margaret Thatcher.

The movie charts the rise of the only female Prime Minster and the struggles that she faced during her time in downing Street.

Streep has already picked up a Golden Globe nomination for her performance and she is the smoking hot favourite to walk away with her third Oscar.

We may only be in the first week of the new year but this is already being called the movie event of 2012.

The Iron Lady is released 6th January

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw