That’s Not Even Her Real Name: 70 Fascinating Facts About Meryl Streep

31. Streep is the second of four consecutive Outstanding Supporting Actress Oscar winners with the initials “M.S.,” beginning with Maggie Smith in 1978, followed by Streep in ’79, Mary Steenburgen in ’80, and Maureen Stapleton in ’81.

32. She lobbied for the lead role in Oliver Stone‘s 1989 adaptation of Evita, but dropped out only two months prior to shooting. Initially, her decision to walk was blamed on exhaustion, but it was later revealed there was a dispute over her salary. The role would eventually be played by Madonna in 1996.

33. After starring in 1990’s Postcards from the Edge, written by Carrie Fisher as an adaptation of her semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, Streep became godmother to Fisher’s daughter Billie Lourd when she was born in 1992.

34. Streep was in early consideration for the iconic role of Ripley as the first Alien film was being cast. The role, of course, wound up going to her old Yale classmate Weaver. However, she was able to make a contribution of sorts to the character by the time Alien 3 was in production in 1992. As many of that film’s special effects were being created in England after Weaver and the cast had returned home to the States, a prosthetic cast of Ripley’s head was needed for some shots. Rather than fly Weaver back, a cast of Streep that had been made for some other project was still floating around the studio and was used by the filmmakers instead.

35. Streep has only lost out on five roles in her career: Dwan in King Kong, Michelle Straton in American Gigolo, Patsy Cline in Sweet Dreams, Miss Kenton in The Remains of the Day, and Elizabeth I in Elizabeth.