Meryl Streep has earned acclaim for countless performances throughout her career, but one of her most celebrated roles came from a story she initially could not stand.
Long before she received an Oscar nomination for ‘The Bridges of Madison County‘, the actress had a brutally honest opinion about the bestselling novel that inspired the film. In fact, she once called it “a crime against literature” and even refused to let her assistant read it.
Meryl Streep Had No Love For The Bestselling Novel
Based on Robert James Waller’s bestselling 1992 novel, ‘The Bridges of Madison County’ tells the story of Francesca Johnson, a lonely Iowa housewife who gets in a brief but life-changing affair. The novel became an instant success, spending 164 consecutive weeks on The New York Times Bestseller List.
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It wasn’t long before it eventually attracted the attention of Hollywood. Steven Spielberg instantly saw the novel’s cinematic potential and explored several directors for the adaptation. Eventually, Clint Eastwood stepped in to direct while also taking on the role of the lead star. And he was determined to have Meryl Streep cast as Francesca.
However, convincing the Oscar-winning actress proved much too difficult. According to the 1995 Time magazine feature on the film, Streep’s reaction to Waller’s novel was overwhelmingly negative. In fact, she disliked the book so much that she reportedly refused to let her assistant even borrow a copy. “I’m not going to let you read it,” Streep said. “It’s a crime against literature.”
When the role was offered to her, she immediately turned it down. Streep is known for her thoughtful approach to storytelling and characters. But when it came to ‘The Bridges of Madison County’, it simply didn’t attract her.
The One Thing That Convinced Meryl Streep To Star In The Movie
Everything changed when Meryl Streep finally read screenwriter Richard LaGravenese’s adaptation of the novel. The screenplay managed to transform the source material. It preserved the emotional core of the story while also removing the elements that had turned her away from the book.
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Another factor also helped to win her over: Clint Eastwood himself. Streep was drawn to his efficient filmmaking style. Unlike directors who spend countless takes refining a scene, Eastwood preferred to trust his actors and move quickly. And this totally matched Streep’s own instincts as a performer.
She explained at the time, “You know, people have called me a technical actor. But I have always loved that first encounter. I almost always like the first reading better than anything we ever do subsequently. I come ready, and I don’t want to screw around and waste the first 10 takes on adjusting lighting and everybody else getting comfortable.”
The decision ultimately paid off. Despite Streep’s first impression, the film adaptation became a critical and commercial success and got her yet another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Today, the movie has cemented its position as one of the most memorable Streep movies of all time.
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