Meryl Streep is one of the most successful actresses in Hollywood. She has been nominated for more Academy Awards than any other actor in history, and she has won three Oscars. Meryl Streep net worth is estimated to be $160 million. In this article, we will take a closer look at Meryl Streep’s life and her remarkable career. We will also discuss how she became one of the richest actresses in the world.
Early Life
Mary Louise “Meryl” Streep was born on June 22, 1949, in Summit, New Jersey to Harry William and Dana David. She has two younger brothers who are both actors. Her father worked as a pharmaceutical executive while her mother was a commercial artist and art editor. In high school, she was a cheerleader and named homecoming queen during her senior year. Additionally, Streep performed in many school productions and studied opera for four years with Estelle Liebling.
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At Vassar College, Streep continued her education, receiving her degree in 1971. After being in the play “Miss Julie” at Vassar, she took an interest in more serious theater and got her MFA from Yale School of Drama. To support herself, while going to school full-time and attending over a dozen stage productions each year, she worked as a waitress and typist.
Personal Life
Prior to his passing from lung cancer in March 1978, Streep dated actor John Cazale for three years. Don Gummer, a sculptor, and Streep have been married for several months now. Grace and Mamie Gummer, two actresses, are among the four kids Streep and Gummer have together. In February 2019, She turned into a grandmother when her first daughter Mamie gave birth.
Meryl Streep’s Career
The National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center served as one of Streep’s first paid positions in 1975. Over the course of six weeks, she appeared in five plays. She relocated to New York City the same year and appeared in numerous stage productions there. These include the 1976 Delacorte Theater productions of Henry V and Measure for Measure, the 1977 Martin Beck Theatre production of Happy End, and the 1976 Playhouse Theatre production of Secret Service (1976).
Her first leading role was in the 1977 movie Julia, starring Jane Fonda; however, most of her scenes were cut. She went to an audition for the part of Robert de Niro’s girlfriend in the movie “The Deer Hunter” at his suggestion after first noticing her in her stage production of “The Cherry Orchard” (1978). She received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her work in the movie.
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Streep would go on to forge a career in acting that is, to put it mildly, impressive. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in “Kramer Vs Kramer” a year after “The Deer Hunter” (1979). In addition to “Manhattan,” “Silkwood,” “Sophie’s Choice,” “A Cry in the Dark,” “Death Becomes Her,” “Defending Your Life,” “The Bridges of Madison County,” “The Devil Wears Prada,” “One True Thing,” “Adaptation,” “Mamma Mia!”,” “Julie & Julia,” “The Iron Lady,” and “The Post,” she has also starred in other well-known movies (2018). Her most financially successful film, which made $609 million, is “Mamma Mia!”
Streep has made appearances in television programs such as “Big Little Lies,” “Web Therapy,” “Freedom: A History of the US,” and “Angels in America” in addition to movies (2019). Several documentaries, such as “Ocean Voyagers” (2007), “Makers: Women Who Make America” (2013), and “Five Came Back,” have
Streep is one of the most honored actresses in the world, having received more than 150 honors from prestigious institutions. Other honors she has received include the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in November 2014, the Cecil B. Demille Award in January 2017, and the 2004 AFI Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute’s board of directors.
Other Work
Streep has taken part in many other endeavors in addition to her acting career. The children’s books “Spinky Sulks,” “Brae Irene,” and “The One and Only Shrek” by author William Steig are among the many audiobooks she has narrated.
She serves as the National Women’s History Museum’s spokesperson. She has also created two scholarships for University of Massachusetts Lowell students.
Salary Highlights
For “The Deer Hunter” in 1978, Streep was paid $35,000. That is equivalent to roughly $140,000 in today’s dollars after inflation. She received $85,000 for “Kramer Vs. Kramer” a year later, which is equivalent to $340,000 today. Streep consistently made $4 million per movie throughout the 1980s. In more recent years, she has been reported to receive up to $20 million for a movie, or $10 million if the project generates backend profits. She agreed to star in the 2011 film “The Iron Lady” for just $1 million, and she then donated the entire sum to the Women’s History Museum.
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Meryl Streep Net Worth
Meryl Streep’s net worth is $160 million. One of the most loved and highly followed actors of her generation is her. She has garnered numerous accolades throughout her career. Meryl’s first of many award wins came in 1978 when she won a Primetime Emmy Award for her leading role in the TV mini-series Holocaust. Out of 21 nominations, she has won three Academy Awards, eight Golden Globes, two BAFTAS, and two Emmy Awards. She also won her first Oscar nomination for the movie titled, The Deer Hunter.
One of the highest-paid actresses in the world on a consistent basis is Meryl. For instance, she made $25 million between September 2019 and September 2020 from her various acting roles. Although she has been known to accept lower pay for significant roles or roles that came with a share of the backend revenue, her single-movie standard salary is $20 million.
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Real Estate
Meryl and Don spent $2.175 million on a townhouse in New York City in 1995. They received $9.1 million when they sold this house in 2005. A four-bedroom townhouse in New York City cost $10.13 million to buy for Meryl and Don in 2006. In 2018, they put the house up for sale for $25 million. They lowered the asking price to $18.25 million in September 2018. Early in 2020, they finally secured a $15.8 million sale.
The Streep/Gummers invested $3.6 million in a mid-century modern house in Pasadena, California, in December 2017. In addition, they have a 90-acre farm on which they live in Salisbury, Connecticut.
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Conclusion
Meryl Streep is one of the most celebrated and highest-paid actresses in Hollywood. Her successes, both critically and commercially, as well as her extensive list of awards, attest to her talent and dedication to her craft. Meryl Streep’s net worth is estimated to be around $160 million, a figure that speaks highly of the actress’s success in the industry. With more than two hundred acting credits under her belt, Meryl Streep shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon and will continue to add to her net worth over the years. Despite all of her accomplishments, she remains humble, an inspiration for many aspiring actors out there who look up to her as a role model.
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Estimated Income Breakdown
How the fortune is built. Figures are independent editorial estimates aggregated from the public record.
| Income source | Estimated lifetime value |
|---|---|
| Film salaries + residuals | $140.0M |
| TV residuals + appearances | $15.0M |
| Real estate + rental | $18.0M |
| Other (speaking, misc.) | $7.0M |
| Estimated total | $180.0M |
As of 2026-05-19. Editorial estimate. Aggregates publicly disclosed contracts, salary leaks, residuals (where reported), endorsement disclosures, real-estate filings and SEC equity stakes. Lifestyle inflation and undisclosed private investments not reflected. Methodology · Corrections.
Known Career Earnings
Documented project-by-project earnings for Meryl Streep, sorted by year. Figures are editorial estimates compiled from reported salaries, backend deals and public disclosures. Where only a salary is known, the entry reflects the upfront fee; backend, residuals and bonus payments are separated where reported.
| Year | Project | Type | Note | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | The Deer Hunter (debut major film) | contract | Acting fee for Michael Cimino's Vietnam War drama — Streep's film debut alongside De Niro + Walken + Christopher Walken Oscar win | $35K |
| 1979 | Kramer vs Kramer (Best Supporting Actress Oscar) | contract | Acting fee for Robert Benton's custody drama — won first Oscar (Best Supporting Actress) at age 30 | $200K |
| 1982 | Sophie's Choice (Best Actress Oscar) | contract | Acting fee for Alan J. Pakula's Holocaust drama — won second Oscar (Best Actress) | $1.3M |
| 1985 | Out of Africa | contract | Acting fee for Sydney Pollack's Karen Blixen biopic — won 7 Oscars including Best Picture (not Streep individually) | $1.5M |
| 1995 | The Bridges of Madison County | contract | Acting fee opposite Clint Eastwood — earned 13th Oscar nomination | $4.5M |
| 2006 | The Devil Wears Prada (Miranda Priestly) | contract | Acting fee for David Frankel-directed adaptation — $326M worldwide gross, defining late-career commercial-peak role | $5.0M |
| 2008 | Doubt (vs Hoffman + Adams) | contract | Acting fee for John Patrick Shanley's adaptation — earned 15th Oscar nomination (Best Actress) | $4.0M |
| 2008 | Mamma Mia! (ABBA musical) | contract | Acting fee for Ol Parker's ABBA musical — $609M worldwide gross | $5.5M |
| 2011 | The Iron Lady (Best Actress Oscar #3) | contract | Lower acting fee for Phyllida Lloyd's Margaret Thatcher biopic — but won third Best Actress Oscar | $1.0M |
| 2013 | August: Osage County | contract | Acting fee for John Wells-directed Tracy Letts adaptation — earned 18th Oscar nomination | $4.0M |
| 2018 | Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again | contract | Reduced acting fee for the prequel/sequel — Streep's Donna character died between films, appearing only in flashbacks | $3.0M |
| 2023 | Only Murders in the Building (Hulu, Loretta Durkin) | contract | Combined recurring-role fees for Hulu OMITB seasons 3 + 4 (2023 + 2024) as Loretta Durkin character | $4.5M |
Reported figures only — projects without public salary disclosure are omitted. See our Methodology for sources and our Corrections Policy if you can document a different figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the most common questions about this profile. For our sourcing and update method, see our Methodology page.
What is Meryl Streep's net worth in 2026?
Our editorial estimate places Meryl Streep's 2026 net worth around $180 million. The figure aggregates her career-spanning film fees (Sophie's Choice 1982, Kramer vs Kramer 1979, The Devil Wears Prada 2006, Mamma Mia 2008 + 2018, The Iron Lady 2011, August: Osage County 2013, Doubt 2008, Florence Foster Jenkins 2016, Don't Look Up 2021, Only Murders in the Building 2023-2024), her producer fees, her substantial residuals from the Mamma Mia franchise (combined $1.04B worldwide gross across two films), plus her Manhattan + Connecticut + LA real-estate.
How many Oscars has Meryl Streep won?
Streep has won 3 Academy Awards across her career: Best Supporting Actress for Kramer vs Kramer (1980), Best Actress for Sophie's Choice (1983), and Best Actress for The Iron Lady (2012). She holds the all-time record for Academy Award nominations with 21 — across 17 Best Actress + 4 Best Supporting Actress nominations. She is widely cited as the greatest screen actor of her generation.
Was Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia?
Yes. Streep played Donna Sheridan — the Greek-island taverna-owner mother — in Mamma Mia! (2008) and the prequel/sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018). The combined franchise grossed $1.04 billion worldwide. Her famous Dancing Queen + Money Money Money + Winner Takes It All ABBA vocal performances became defining late-career commercial moments. Her death in the second film (her character dies between movies, appearing only via flashbacks) was a substantial plot-narrative decision Streep helped shape with director Ol Parker.
How old is Meryl Streep?
Meryl Streep was born Mary Louise Streep on June 22, 1949 in Summit, New Jersey — making her 76 years old in 2026 (turning 77 on June 22, 2026, in just over one month from the editorial-estimate date). She continues to work selectively into her late 70s, with her recurring role as Loretta Durkin in Only Murders in the Building (Hulu, 2023-2024) being her most-recent regular ongoing project.
What was Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada?
Streep played Miranda Priestly — the fictional powerful editor-in-chief of Runway magazine, widely understood to be a thinly-veiled portrayal of Vogue's Anna Wintour — in The Devil Wears Prada (2006). The David Frankel-directed adaptation of Lauren Weisberger's 2003 novel grossed $326 million worldwide on a $35 million budget. Streep's calm, devastating delivery of every line + her trademarked That's all. dismissal became internet-meme-defining and was Oscar-nominated. A sequel was announced 2025.
Who is richer than Meryl Streep?
A side-by-side comparison with other hollywood profiles where reported estimates are available.
