Meryl Streep: 'I'm Not A Glamour Puss'
The legendary actress discusses her 'August: Osage County,' the red carpet and holiday plans.

August: Osage County, the family drama that took Broadway by storm when it opened in 2008. Netting a Pulitzer Prize, five Tony Awards, including best play, is coming to the big screen this Christmas. Its cast includes Oscar winner Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, who play a mother and daughter at odds over, well, just about everything. We’re gonna talk to Meryl with just a little bit, but first, let’s take a look.
You don’t want her here?
Well, I have an Indian in my house.
You have a problem with enginee's violent?
Don’t know what to say to an Indian.
They are called Native Americans, mum.
Who makes that decision?
It’s what they like to be called.
They aren’t anymore native than me.
In fact, they are.
What’s wrong with Indian?
Why can’t you just call people what they want to be called?
Let’s just call the dinosaurs Native Americans while we’re at it.
Please welcome Meryl Streep to our humble little Studio.
I watched this the other night.
Yeah?
Wow! It is so incredibly intense. That had to be just emotionally and physically taxing to do a role like this.
It’s a great, great play made into a wonderful, wonderful screenplay, fantastic parts for everyone. But I wasn’t sure I really wanted to enter that, the house of pain that this my character lives in.
How was that to take on that kind of role?
There are just aspects of it that were just really painful to imagine and to put myself in and through. But I’m glad I did it ultimately.
Well, you’re getting rave reviews. And Julia Roberts talks about the fact that it’s such an honour, as she put it, to work with you and she’s been looking forward to it.
I just had the most amazing group of people around me. Julia Roberts, Julian and Juliet, I had three jewels, my family jewels.
I never thought about that.
Yeah.
I see you year in and year out on the red carpet, the Oscars. And you are a nervous wreck. I just think how many times you’re been here, and you always say that it’s very difficult for you just to enjoy the moment as many times as you have been nominated and you've won. What is it about the Oscars that you just can’t…?
I’m not a glamour puss. I will say that. I don’t know how to be on the red carpet. I don’t know how to be that thing, that thing with those shoes and the whole thing, you know.
And any holiday plans? Any special family traditions that you can share before we go away?
Yeah, the family tradition is that I do all the work. That’s one that we’ll probably continue.
Well for 35 years, you are doing something right, dear. You are doing something right. Thank you very much, Meryl.
Thank you.
August: Osage County opens in New York and Los Angeles on Dec 27 and nationwide, January 10.