Top 10 Meryl Streep Performances NOT Oscar Nominated

[@ashleychilders6372]

“NOW a warning?!” Has to be one of the best line readings of all time.

[@roycerowland2699]

For me the best Meryl Streep's performance that didn't get nominated for the Oscar was The Hours, she is absolutely brilliant and heartbreaking and the scene in the kitchen with Jeff Daniels absolutely heartbreaking

[@martijnkeisers5900]

Him being early, and the sink full of lobsters..

[@bpure2560]

I would also include Falling in Love on this list. Both Streep and De Niro were amazing in this movie. Their chemistry is off the charts.

[@loreberna9115]

Me too. Incredible chemistry! Another subestimated movie

[@vacantalleyways]

Was so happy to see Death Becomes Her!!!!! Such an incredible and funny performance!

[@MarcioDAstrain]

Meryl Streep deserved an Oscar Nomination for her performance in "Death Becomes Her"! SHE'S SO GOOD IN THAT MOVIE! WOW! I would have to say that I liked her performance, like a lot, in "Don't Look Up" - I think she's so funny and actually we can't find Meryl Streep in any character but in that one - GENIUS!

[@VILA1963]

Thank you for another beautiful video. I adore her work in THE HOURS. Lead , supporting, whatever, it is mind blowing. I had huge expectations for the movie and its wonderful cast, but by God , she was breathtaking !

[@donaldlewis567]

Defending Your Life is such a hidden gem. People don't seem to remember that movie, but it is awesome!

[@tedlicciardello7673]

Hey Brian! I am a big fan. Love your channel and think you´re terrific! I am a huge Bette Davis fan and think it would wonderful to see a video of you ranking Davis´s performances, Oscar nominated or not. I´ve heard you mention you were going to do more videos about old time Hollywood and I this would be a must-see for me-and, I think, many others as well.

[@maxfieldfulton]

That iconic introductory scene in Manhattan is my favorite moment in Meryl’s career (and possibly Woody’s). She truly ATE!

[@randomguy6695]

Mamma Mia is one of my favorite musicals! Meryl Streep definitely could’ve gotten nominated for that! She was very good in it.

[@charynoy]

I'm SO glad Defending Your Life was brought up. It IS one of the coolest, funniest, and heartwarming movies out there.

[@johnnolan5579]

I think Death Becomes Her is becoming a broadway musical. She and Goldie were hilarious, but at the time the movie was not well received by the critics and I think that definitely hurt.

[@martijnkeisers5900]

The Hours is in my top ten favorite films, Kidman, Moore, Streep but also Toni Collette had an awesome performance in it! She is such a versatile actress and in my opinion a bit underrated.

[@jonathanvelazquezph.d.2719]

Death Becomes Her was my introduction to Meryl Streep. 🤭 It was so much fun! I kept watching everything she would star in. Such a great talent! Arguably, the GOAT 🐐

[@bilaalbadurdeen2733]

The wait is over 🤩, Great Meryl’s Another chapter 💫🔥

[@jkennethhigginsiii5696]

Streep’s character cutting and styling that wig in Marvin’s Room is mesmerizing. 💇🏼🚬 Fully Oscar worthy.

[@windycityliz7711]

I love Marvin's Room. She plays a loser who finally takes on responsibility, scared to death. It's beautiful.

[@oscarman42]

I know it's not a popular film, but Marvin's Room boasted excellent performances by Streep, Keaton (nominated) and DiCaprio.

[@sandyhammond]

Death Becomes Her! I LOVED that movie!

[@marthasandler6691]

I was pumping my fist when you said “Death Becomes Her!” I have yet to binge all your Meryl Streep videos, but I feel a special bond with you in that I rented Death Becomes Her from Blockbuster multiple times in the 90s (how do I not own that movie by now?). Meryl Streep’s comedic performances are my favorites (and this is the movie that often comes to mind). Love the shout out to Defending Your Life - when you mentioned it, I was immediately Googling whether it received a Best Score nomination for Michael Gore - not only is that one of my all timer romantic comedies, but it has the most unforgettable score and the best pairing of story and score - I need to follow your tradition of watching Defending Your Life once a year!

[@JoanKirk-jm5lh]

Brilliant as always. Thank you for sticking up for our screen Goddess, Queen Streep 👑❤❤❤xxx

[@ernesthemingay5397]

I relate a LOT to your experience with Death becomes her. I was like 12 yo and a friend of my mom's gave us a bunch of DVDs (lol) and it was there. I was obsessed and watched it like 20 times over like a month. Still love it and can watch it any time. Only later, as an adult, I found out that some critics didn't like it at the time!? It is such a great campy hilarious movie. For sure in my top 20 of all time.

[@richardherdman2121]

I’m a lifelong Streeper who’s been hooked since first seeing Meryl in Holocaust in the late 70’s (i.e. I've given this some thought many times over the years, lol). So setting aside technicalities such as ineligibility per Academy rules, here’s my top 10 in ascending order: The River Wild, Don’t Look Up, Prairie Home, Joe Tynan, Hope Springs, Falling in Love, Let Them All Talk, Heartburn, The Hours and Plenty. (Honorable mention to Stuck on You because even Meryl’s easiest role in a quick cameo was a pleasure to watch.😄)

[@nazacara4367]

Meryl not being nominated for Mamma Mia was a joke. If you just see the "The Winner takes it all" scene, you'll know that the oscars did it wrong for snubbed her

[@samgreen1241]

ikr. and tbh seyfried and baranski were also deserving that year.

[@pophector]

She had Doubt out the same year so it wasn't possible anyway.

[@GGSLM]

Tbh Doubt was a better movie and performance

[@Awardshq]

No, just no.

[@leoprince691]

Are you serious? She was AWFUL in the movie. Not only is that her worst performance far and away (you're seriously going to tell me that was an Oscar-worthy performance with that annoying voice?), but also her singing sounded like a cat being strangled. If anything, she should have been nominated for a Razzie for that performance. I like Meryl, but she did not deserve any praise for Mamma Mia. For the record, Mamma Mia is a bad movie even as chick flicks go.

[@nathanielwilson3369]

I used to watch Defending Your Life all the time on HBO when I was a kid! Lee Grant and Rip Torn are great in it, as well.

[@stevensn2722]

I love Brian's choices. 3 of Brian's choices overlap with my top 4 Streep's best yet not nominated films: 1. Death Becomes Her: her upgraded and super successful version of the comic performance in She-Devil. Her "Now? A Warning?" has such perfect timing of comic tone. 2. The Munchurian Candidate, a much darker role than her role in Devil Wears Prada. If Faye Dunaway's role in Network deserved an Oscar, Streep should have got a nomination for this juicy performance. 3. Marvin's Room, I agree with Brian ~it's very underrated. I don't understand why they couldn't nominate both Keaton and Streep just like Sarandon & Davis! Now comes to my personal favorite of Streep's less known movie: Plenty. We are aware that any actor and actress is not allowed to get two nomination slots in the same category at the Oscars, but if they could, Streep should have been nominated for both Out of Africa & Plenty in the same year, just like I've always wished Hepburn could have got nominated for both Wait Until Dark & Two for the Road. In Plenty, Streep had never looked so radiant and sophisticatedly beautiful. She chose an antihero type of character to play. She evokes the audience's sympathy and resentment for the character. At the climax scene, her performance of a deranged and hopeless woman is heart wrenching. I really think she deserves an Oscar nod for Plenty!

[@501Blonde-dq1ui]

Have you seen the original 1962 Manchurian Candidate? Streep paled in comparison to Angela Lansbury (like the entire remake.)

[@hotblonddude]

Plenty. Omg.

[@americker]

Death Becomes Her and Sister Act were my exact same obsessions!! I watched them repeatedly when I was 9 on VHS. Absolutely her most iconic role from the 90s. She's so deliciously camp. Perfection.

[@nightcited1600]

I would have liked to see "It's Complicated" on this list although she did get a Golden Globe award. Her chemistry with Steve Martin is evident and the whole situation of a late divorce, the grown kids, the ex-husband who wants his cake ... and eat it too -- all of it is truly real and Streep is wonderful as is Martin. I think the reason many of these films did not garner an Oscar is that Streep is so good, we just expect her to be and overlook how good. We're bored with excellence. Thanks for the list of movies I'll revisit and your excellent reviews.

[@tylerkochman1007]

Let’s be honest: we all correctly guessed (and agree with) his number one pick here. “Death Becomes Her” is a tour de force

[@roxy5588]

Thank you so much for this video Brian. Could you do one for Tom Hanks and could you also rank Tom Hanks' Oscar nominations?

[@pophector]

This video is so amazing and makes me so happy as a Meryl Stan! The top 5 at the very least should have been nominated. And I am super excited to see both the Death Becomes Her and The Devil Wears Prada Broadway musicals coming out later this year. Great video, Brian ❤ Death Becomes Her would have made an amazing Oscar nomination, though sadly easy to see why it didn't make it. And The Hours was an amazing performance (and my personal fave of the main 3) though the 2003 Oscar lineup was so strong, I can't imagine who I'd kick out.

[@LambentOrt]

Death Becomes Her is such an amazing movie.

[@MuhammadAhmad-oj6mf]

I absolutely loved Let Them All Talk when it came out. Such a great movie, in a perfect world it would have gotten a SAG ensemble nomination.

[@fruitcellarcinema]

I would include her performance as Mary Fisher in She-Devil. "I, in case you don't know it, Bob, am AN ARTIST!!" lol

[@travisdavid-schauwitzer1308]

I LOVE Death Becomes Her too! I always have! I need to watch some of these films for the first time, and rewatch the rest!

[@krob2445]

The River Wild was fantastic all around. Definitely should have had nods to both Streep and Bacon.

[@uiuc007]

love these! But brian, what about She-Devil? 😂

[@billcook4768]

Glad Manhattan made your list. She’s so good and, yes, she looks fabulous. As Woody quipped, “My analyst warned me, but you were so beautiful that I got another analyst.” I thought it might be too small a role.

[@nathaniel4780]

I can't believe Plenty didn't make your top 10! Streep's also phenomenal in The Seduction of Joe Tynan and It's Complicated.

[@tammyr1489]

One True Thing with Renee Zellweger. Subtle. Heartbreaking. Creates a real person.

[@atticusfinch3845]

How beautiful was Meryl in Manhattan. The long blonde hair ❤

[@DanCrowleyNYC]

I've seen 8 of these 10 performances and YOU DID GREAT!! My fun aunt took me to see Death Becomes Her in theaters as well, when I was 10 about to turn 11, and my little gay self loved it! I loved that you mentioned The Hours, one of my favorite films of all time, and we just recently went to see the opera version of it at The Met, and it made me want to revisit the film again. When it came out, I was in college and loved Julianne Moore and Nicole Kidman so much - I wasn't quite into my Meryl phase yet - but I loved her character and her journey the most. I still do. And you included my favorite scene from every time I watch it ("that wasn't the beginning of happiness; that WAS happiness"). We watched Marvin's Room for the first time during the pandemic and it was so sweet. Gwen Verdon riding Splash Mountain?! That was all I needed! And seeing Meryl with Margo Martindale years before they did August Osage County just warmed my heart. I am a massive fan of Woody Allen films (yeah I know, he's weird but he gets great performances out of his actors - we just rewatched Manhattan Murder Mystery with friends last night!), but I HATE Manhattan. Meryl is the absolute only redeeming thing about that one. And I usually defend his top tier work, but I never liked Manhattan. (Speaking of defending, I also watched Defending Your Life during the pandemic and loved it! So sweet!) Loved Let Them All Talk (anything with Wiest and Bergen, I am ON board!), and always enjoy Mamma Mia. And Heartburn? She's really funny in some scenes. But I wanted to like it more. I actually liked that DeNiro romance-adultery one Falling In Love more than Heartburn. But to each his own, and keep these wonderful videos coming! I've been wanting to see The River Wild for years!

[@עומריבןשושן-ש3ד]

For me "She-devil" always be my number one Meryl Streep performance.

[@kellie-nd1yp]

Streep winning her third for Death Becomes Her or The Hours would have been an all timer for me. I agree that Death Becomes is the perfect black comedy and perfectly cast. Mama Mia would have been another great nomination The Prarie Home Campanion is another underrated one.

[@501Blonde-dq1ui]

Defintely agree with Prairie Home Companion! I love that film, and Streep & Tomlin together steal the show.

[@jons.105]

Agree about "Manhattan". She plays Woody's ex-wife in that, and writes a book about their marriage. In fact, that movie was seriously snubbed by the Academy. No nomination for Best Picture??

[@lexkanyima2195]

It was a equivalent of Annie Hall so it was also the same comparison

[@TheOscarDogs]

Heartburn is still one of my go-to’s. Super underrated performances from Steep and Nicholson

[@kristinebautz1859]

Finally! Death Becomes Her getting love! For me, as many great Meryl Streep performances I've seen, honestly Death Becomes Her is my personal favorite. She's so delightfully evil and hilarious in this movie ❤🖤❤❤🖤🖤

[@valetboy21]

You can't nominate Streep for Defending Your Life without also nominating Rip Torn for Best Supporting Actor. He dominates every scene he is in. A true big brain.

[@seymoursgal]

I'm about to get laughed at, but Meryl Streep IS in another comedy where she gives it 100%, plays an awful person, and is downright hilarious - it's called She-Devil. Yep, the one with Roseanne Barr. True, the movie itself is lacking in just about every way, but STREEP is comedy gold. I've watched it probably 50 times just to see her comic timing and the outrageous fun she's having. There are moments in that film that I love so much, all starring Streep. The woman can do no wrong.

[@richardherdman2121]

You won't get laughed at by me....because I'm right there with you. In fact - anecdotally speaking at least - I'm in the vast minority of Streep fans who much prefer her comic performance in She-Devil to that of Death Becomes Her. It probably has more to do with the type of film DBH is. Supernatural fantasies with special effects are not really my thing. That's probably why Defending Your Life is not at the top of my list either, though I do like it and think it's very well done. In particular, I love its message. So even though it's also a supernatural fantasy, it's more character driven, which I prefer. (That bit with Shirley MacClaine is comedy gold.) But I think Meryl is absolutely hysterical in She-Devil. "Ohh! - it's a Gummy Bear." 🤣

[@puppymcpupsters]

The River Wild is one of my favorites, just recently rewatched it and I wish it was way more popular it truly is not only a remarkable film but all the performances in the movie (shout out to David straithen because people throw a claim to Streep and Bacon mostly but David's character development was handled so well thanks to the talent of David's performance) but I reccomended it to my friends who usually never listen to my movie recommendations because I like some weird shit usually but they actually listened to me and asked me why the hell I hadn't told them about this movie sooner

[@zanifriz489]

She’s great in She Devil too

[@sito7186]

Mary Fisher ❤

[@legalmemories]

I love Heartburn - love the book and Meryl’s performance in this movie!

[@therealangelosettler]

"little gay Brian" is hilarious

[@vinnym5607]

She took him to see it at a theater at 8? She knew. I was older than he was and had to rent it even though I wanted to see it at the dollar theater but never did. A shame.

[@therealangelosettler]

@@vinnym5607 parents know their child plus he couldn't been mature for his age

[@ejm6460]

I absolutely agree. The Hours was as spellbinding as one's lead actress gets! I agree with Kidman but Streep ruled that movie! And Steep absolutely chews the camera in Death! Brilliant!

[@sontagtwist714]

She was absolutely brilliant in The Hours. Initially, I didn't care about her performance, but it has grown on me immensely. And it's a pity she was campaigned supporting for Kramer vs. Kramer, as she could have received a well-deserved nod for Manhattan, in which she is gorgeous. In addition, it's a surprise she never gained traction for Don't Look Up, she was one of the good things about the film.

[@leightonbate7516]

DBH is her best non nominated comedy role,that film is now a comedy classic,The Hours is her best unnominated dramatic performance and The Manchurian Candidate her best non nominated supporting role.

[@edhance9753]

Funny story about me with Death Becomes Her. I remember i was 4 and my sister and grandfather were watching and laughing during the scene where Meryl falls down the stairs and gets her head around and the scene with the shotgun, and i got SO scared i started crying.

[@topherv4229]

I agree with you on The River Wild (6th or 7th place in the Oscar nominations) but it is one of my favorites of hers. I also agree with you on her performance in The Hours.

[@nikolasheinz]

Just saying... But Meryl Streep and the Golden Globes would be a great video

[@alpe1987]

Every time someone mentions DEATH BECOMES HER in my head I break into singing I SEE ME….

[@CineRam]

I hadn't seen "Death Becomes Her" for a number of years...at least ten, probably much longer. Rewatching it recently, the moment that I laughed the hardest at was when Meryl and Goldie harmonize while saying "Pleeeeeeeze" to Bruce Willis. Also, love the moment when she's arguing with Goldie after blasting a hole through her midsection: "I can see right THROUGH you!" There are too many great moments and line readings of Meryl's to keep count.

[@ashleychilders6372]

Streep also did the audio book for “Heartburn” and it’s better than the movie. She also did the audio book for “Tom Lake” which was amazing. If you love audio books, totally listen to “Hearthburn”!

[@DiGrace44]

Meryl was hilarious in She-Devil.

[@eddietucker7005]

I can’t find anyone until now that has HEARD of “Defending You Life”! I love this film. I keep remembering when they are reviewing Streep’s characters life, Brook’s reaction when the house was on fire and she didn’t have to say a word. He’s was just like, “oh, come on. REALLY?!” When she went into a burning house to save a cat. Her embarrassed, “yeah, I kind of did” reaction was so good!! I’ve tried to be as good as her character so when I die, I want the projector to show good things like hers did! 🤣😁🤣 But it will probably be like his! 🙄😑 In “Death Becomes Her”, Meryl said she had to do it. After films like “Sophie’s Choice”, it was taking a toll on her mentally. It would take longer to come out from under those depressing, heavy films. She needed to be on a set that was total fun and nothing else. I was happy for her. “The Manchurian Candidate” wasn’t nominated because she was too good. Everyone was repulsed at the scene of incest with Shriver. From what I’ve heard in Academy circles, that was the deal breaker. I am still glad she hasn’t received as many Oscar’s than Katharine Hepburn. But if someone has to beat that record, I’d rather it be her rather than Frances Macdormand.

[@1957DLT]

I just rewatched Death Becomes Her last night, and honestly Meryl's physical comedy when trying to navigate with her twisted neck still puts me in hysterics.

[@daydreamer7618]

I've seen all Meryl Streep movies, many of them multiple times. I agree with you on most of these. She should have been nominated for most of these movies. Out of these movies The Hours is definitely my favorite. All the actors, and not just the women, give incredible performances in that movie. The scene with Ed Harris and Meryl Streep is one of the best scenes ever acted on screen.

[@TheRetrostud]

I thought Hope Springs was equally subtle and funny. To embody a lady in her late 50s, still seeking intimacy with her husband, is gold. 😂

[@sontagtwist714]

I agree that she did a great job in this one. It's funny and subtle.

[@j_mv]

Completely unpopular opinion (maybe not?) but "Falling In Love" (1984) is pretty good!

[@markbayer1573]

What about Hope Springs? As the wife of Tommy Lee Jones, who desperately wants an intimate relationship with him, she is incredibly warm and appealing. I just love the character and performance. And it came from the director of The Devil Wears Prada, who caught her at her coldest in that one!

[@branagain]

When you were saying comedic performance, I thought “he is not picking She-Devil for number one.” One movie I’d include is Still of the Night from 1982. Streep plays a sexy femme fatale, and she plays it well. I don’t think she’s done that since.

[@josephmenna1133]

We are about the same age and I have never related to anything more then what you say about death becomes her ... That could have easily been my story... And Sister Act .. ❤❤❤❤❤

[@mauriciojarufecaballero4630]

Meryl in It´s Complicated (2009). She is so warm and charming, lovely and easy-going, and with the needed degree of self-awareness for that comedic role.

[@jamespage3135]

No one seems to remember "Plenty" (1985). I think Streep gave a great performance as a not especially likeable woman. A good movie that also included Sting, Tracy Ullman, John Gielgud etc.

[@thebigl156]

Where's Plenty? I understood why it wasn't nominated, for it was released a few months prior to Out of Africa, but it's one of Streep's most captivating performances. I also believe her performance in The Seduction of Joe Tynan was more nomination worthy than Heartburn and Death Becomes her.

[@neutral7786]

Had Meryl streep been nominated for Deaths becomes her, the Best Actress Category would have been very close.

[@shesosaucy]

shedevil❤

[@tucucciolo1]

I heard she took herself out of contention for The Hours so Nicole and Julianne could have room to be nominated.

[@cobrahotly]

Of Meryl’s long and illustrious career my favorite movie of hers is still Death Becomes Her. I also have a soft spot for A Series of Unfortunate Events as that was my first exposure to her. Neither are standard Oscar fare, I know, but I dig them all the same.

[@charynoy]

Heartburn is a hidden gem. Not only does it feature Streep and Jack Nicholson, it's written by Nora Ephron, and is a semi-biographical account of her marriage to Carl Bernstein.

[@adamboswell5533]

Yes!!! Everything you said RE: Death Becomes Her is my exact same experience except I was 9 not 8. It’s the only movie I’ve watched over 60 times.

[@lot5940]

This list just moved to my top favorite.

[@teresah.6696]

Definitely should have been nominated by the Academy for MARVIN'S ROOM, MAMMA MIA and DEATH BECOMES HER.

[@atticusfinch3845]

Nicole Kidman did not deserve her Oscar nomination for The Hours . She only won because of a prosthetic nose. Streep should have been nominated for Best Actress. She was incredible in The River Wild and Marvin's Room and Death Becomes Her.

[@jonathanvelazquezph.d.2719]

😮

[@MrMverellen949]

Death Becomes Her is my all time favorite ❤

[@FinleyHarrison-hy2sm]

Can you do Meryl's TV work. I don't know it as well as her movies and would be interested.

[@tomfleischhacker3172]

She easily deserved a nomination for The Hours and she was a lot better than Nicole Kidman. Guess it’s the Weinstein machine that sensed it was ‘Kidman’s time’ and ran with it.

[@ChrolliForever]

Great Idea: Kate winslet next please! I mean she was not nominated for Revolutionary road, Heavenly creatures, Findimg Neverland, Quills, Hamlet, Jude, Labor Day, The Dressmaker, Carnage, Windet Wheel, Enigma and Ammonite and she could be nominated for them all and it would be very deserved!!!

[@poihpioakarp8845]

Her not getting nominated for Manhattan is still wild to me, and almost certainly speaks to the fact that she was just on the cusp of becoming "Meryl Streep" but wasn't there yet. Release that movie just 2 or 3 years later and she's nominated and in winning convo.

[@roberthenrypoet]

#1 made perfect sense.

[@prismaticmarcus]

Did she get one for She Devil? She was great in that...

[@richardherdman2121]

I'm gonna say that Meryl's character in Rendition might be even more evil than the one she played in The Manchurian Candidate. (Isn’t it interesting - and depressing - that both characters are tied to the upper echelon of American political life?)

[@jonalonzo3632]

Meryl is the G.O.A.T. ❤

[@outinsider]

I think Streep fatique was very real, and trying to shake it up with great comedies and even taking supporting role characters did little to help that. That being said, I don't think Meryl's performance in The Hours is a leading one- it's a supporting one. I think with her stature at the time making it possible for other actors to win Oscars because of their screen association with her is huge. It clearly was the case with Nicole Kidman, whose characters creative ideas were playing out in two preceding generations from writing Mrs. Dalloway to lead the film. I like that Streep doesn't have a type, she's her own and that seamlessly bouncing works well for her. I do like her work in Marvin's Room, and again, showing that her star power can influence and help highlight other actors working for her did appear true for Diane Keaton getting the Oscar nomination. I don't know if its allowed to say that Meryl has given mediocre performances, but none seem featured here.

[@americker]

I'd like to talk about.... Madeline... Ashton

[@guesswho2378]

Aww, no mention at all of, "Dancing at Lughnasa" (Lunhassa, Luhnhaha, whatever)?

[@Mntguy-nr9vl]

Comedic performances very rarely get academy award nominations and they win even less I can't believe this is your number one.

[@albalbuena6478]

I watched DEATH BECOMES HER about a month ago after not seeing it for many years. I was slightly disappointed in it. The plot seems to end before it really begins. My favorite Meryl Streep comedic performance is from POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE. I am surprised that PLENTY didn’t get mentioned as it was completely overshadowed by OUT OF AFRICA.

[@superseries3913]

I would easily swap her nomiatoons for Into the Woods, Florence, Music of the Heart for The River Wild, the Hours and The Manchurian Candidate

[@Awardshq]

Did i miss The Manchurian Candidate?

[@MarisolFerreiraMarysoul]

I loooooooove defending your life

[@paulvoorhies8821]

I’d put The Hours at #1.