Meryl Streep has yet to act professionally.
Mary Louise `` Meryl '' Streep ( born June 22 , 1949 ) is an American actress and philanthropist . Streep made her professional stage debut in Trelawny of the Wells in 1975 , and in 1976 received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play for 27 Wagons Full of Cotton . In 1978 , she won an Emmy Award for her role in the miniseries Holocaust , and received her first Academy Award nomination for The Deer Hunter . She went on to win Best Supporting Actress for Kramer vs. Kramer ( 1979 ) , and Best Actress for Sophie 's Choice ( 1982 ) and The Iron Lady ( 2011 ) .