Streep is slammed by Thatcher's former allies, who are disappointed because the Baroness was not mentioned when the 'Iron Lady' actress received her Best Actress gong at the 2012 Academy Awards.
- Feb 28, 2012
AceShowbiz - Meryl Streep is facing criticisms after claiming the Best Actress title at the 84th Annual Academy Awards for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady". The 62-year-old actress was blasted by Thatcher's former aide for failing to credit the former British Prime Minister on her acceptance speech.
Lord Norman Tebbit, a close political ally who was in Baroness Thatcher's Cabinet, told The Sun, "I'm not at all surprised she didn't mention her [Thatcher]." He added, "The film was about Meryl Streep, not Lady Thatcher. If Margaret Thatcher had been like the woman portrayed by Meryl Streep, she wouldn't have lasted six months as Prime Minister."
Tebbit was not the only one left disappointed over Thatcher's omission on Streep's winning speech. Thatcher's former press spokesperson, Sir Bernard Ingham, was also unhappy with it. Ingham admitted that he refused to see "Iron Lady" since it focuses on Thatcher's battle with dementia. "I don't propose to see somebody making money out of somebody's age," he claimed. "I think it demonstrates poor taste."
Streep won her third Oscar for her acclaimed role in "Iron Lady". Upon receiving her golden statuette, the veteran actress managed to thank her husband Don, her Hollywood pals and make-up artist Roy Helland. "I just want to thank Roy but also I want to thank, because I really understand I'll never be up here again, I really want to thank all my colleagues, all my friends," she said.
"I look out here and I see my life before my eyes, my old friends, my new friends and really this is such a great honor but the thing that counts the most with me is the friendships and the love and the sheer joy we have shared making movies together," so Streep added. "My friends, thank you, all of you, departed and here for this inexplicably wonderful career. Thank you so much. Thank you."
