Meryl Streep's "Fight Song" and Female Biopics
Wednesday, July 27, 2016 at 11:45AM Meryl Streep for President in 2024! We're with her.
In case you missed Meryl Streep's "Grit & Grace" speech at the DNC last night, please enjoy the reappearance of her tacky but adorable American Flag dress and catch up. I thought I'd share it with a little movie angle since it's all about Trailblazing Women...
We've often bemoaned Hollywood's lack of biopics that don't fall under the "Great Man" umbrella. So let's consider how many of Meryl's name-checked women have had their own biopics.
Here we go...
What does it take to be the first female anything? It takes grit and it takes grace.
Deborah Samson - No biopic. Served in George Washington's army in disguise as a man. Movie-ready plot right there!
Hillary Clinton -No biopic. But played by Emma Thompson in Primary Colors (sort of) and played often on SNL but blonde funnywomen.
Sandra Day O'Connor -No biopic. First woman apppointed to the US Supreme Court
Rosa Parks -TV biopic starring Angela Bassett (Emmy nomination). "The first lady of Civil Rights"
Amelia Earhart -Multiple Films. The first female transatlantic aviator. In addition to her own biopics she's appeared as a character in random movies and has been played by Hilary Swank, Amy Adams, Rosalind Russell (sort of), and more
Harriet Tubman - No biopic. Yet. But competing projects are in the works including one from Viola Davis. Born a slave, became a brave legendary conductor on the Underground Railroad of the Civil War. About to be on the $20 bill.
Sally Ride - No biopic. The first woman and the youngest person ever to travel into space. No biopic.
Shirley Chisholm - No biopic. The first black Congresswoman and the first black person to run for President. No biopic.
Madeleine Albright -No biopic. The first woman to be Secretary of State. The TV series "Madame Secretary" starring Tea Leoni shares the title of her memoirs.
Geraldine Ferraro -No biopic. The first female vice presidential candidate.
Eleanor Roosevelt -Multiple Films. TV biopic starring Jean Stapleton (Emmy nomination) and Feature biopic (of sorts) Sunrise at Campobello starring Greer Garson (Oscar nomination). No other biopics but she has been played in various projects by Streep herself, Cynthia Nixon, Elizabeth Hoffman, Cherry Jones, and more.
It's really not hard at all to find worthy female subjects for biopic treatment. These are like prominent grains of sands on a beach full of them. Since Hollywood is so obsessed with biopics we hope they'll eventually branch out beyond male politicians and male artists.
Meryl's Speech if you missed it...
Did you catch that brief cutaway to the Gummer girls watching her?
And the "FIGHT SONG" which also played the DN
Singing Celebrities - You know how we love them! I watched this like 7 times last night. Key members of the casts of Pitch Perfect, Nashville, Modern Family and a whole bunch of other rando celebrities pop up to sing "Fight Song" for the Democratic National Convention. I mean, I'm gagging. Aisha Tyler, Connie Britton, Mandy Moore, Elizabeth Banks, Kathy Najimy, Ellen Greene, Kristin Chenoweth, America Ferrera, Billy Porter, Alan Cumming, Sia, Jane Fonda? I love everyone today.
Reader Comments (26)
N--you rock! Thanks for this post.
Hope Davis played Clinton outright in an HBO movie called The Special Relationship.
There is absolutely NO WAY that three studios aren't contacting Scarlett Johansson's reps today about a Deborah Samson biopic.
That is some serious everybodyness in that Fight Song...!
I think Anika Noni Rose is planning to play Chisholm.
I loved seeing Meryl last night, her speech was terrific!
The Horror! That Fight Song clip is the worst. The Brady Bunch meets Glee?
Tom M: Scarlett Johansson in the 1700s? No thanks, probably. I've (now) seen Girl with a Pearl Earring, and, unless David O. Russell wants to use her to tell that story, there's better uses of her time than deep period fare. I'm kind of interested in that Lucia Aniello movie she's got lined up, for example, even if that isn't "Oscar" fare.
Meryl , as always, was great. She really helped bring Clinton and women to the forefront last night. I watched the whole convention night and have way better feelings towards Clinton as a human being.
Thanks for this needed review of women and bios.
Meryl is so well...Meryl in that speech. Gotta love her for that.
So many great stories for biopics really. Deborah Samson's story practically writes itself. Hire Kathryn Bigelow, cast Kristen Stewart and we're ready to go.
I remember reading this great long list of amazing black women in history that shoud get a biopic. When you start to look for it, there are so many amazing female centric stories just waiting to be told that just need to get out there.
Great post here!
Hillary Clinton has never really been the warmest of personas and you know what?... she could care less!! After 2 nights of hearing how she has fought for others from the earliest age, I don't need her to be warm and fuzzy! I need her to be exactly what she is.. a kickass, assertive, smart, fearless leader. Go get em Hill!
Don't forget to credit Rachel Platten! It's her song!
Suck on that Susan Sarandon you shriveled old ping pong ball!
GO MERYL AND HILLARY!
That song tho, I cringe so much LOL love Jane Fonda 4eva
Craver -- That was unnecessary and as tacky as Meryl's blouse.
And they chose that version of "Fight Song" instead of Marilyn Manson's version back in 2000? Democrats are full of crap. What a bunch of morons. Oh and Republicans are shit too.
That blouse is an iconic Catherine Malandrino wrap dress. Yes please to these potential biopics on legendary women.
Jane Alexander was twice nominated for the Emmy for playing Eleanor Roosevelt in Eleanor and Franklin and Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years.
That blouse is ugly, the song is terrifying and if Meryl were Melissa Leo you will all be trashing her.
Thelma -- what? We love The LEOgend here.
Fairly certain Chisolm is getting a biopic. I think I read that somewhere?
It's technically a shirt dress. It has been worn by everyone from Halle Berry to Wendy Williams. There is a lot of symmetry in having the best actress introduce the best candidate, IMHO.
The blouse is tacky? Why? It's not a blouse btw, it's a dress and she already worn it in 2008 at a Doubt premiere I think.
She's american and not allowed to wear her national flag colors? Okay...
Love this!
This may need its own column:
July 28, 2016 | 05:23PM PT
Is Meryl Streep ready for a spoonful of sugar?
Sources tell Variety, the Oscar-winning actress is in talks to join Emily Blunt and Lin Manuel-Miranda in Disney’s “Mary Poppins Returns.”
If a deal closes, the family film would reunite Streep with the “Into the Woods” musical team of Blunt, director Rob Marshall, and producers Marc Platt and John DeLuca. Streep and Blunt also shared the screen in “The Devil Wears Prada.” Marshall and John De Luca are also producing.
Streep is said to play the role of Poppins’ cousin, Topsy, a supporting role that wasn’t in the 1964 classic. Streep would also sing for the part, much like she did in “Into the Woods,” which earned her a record 19th Oscar nomination.
I read a new nickname for her: Amerylca.
Should be her biopic title.