The 'Into the Woods' actress is helping finance The Writers Lab, a program to support and mentor women screenwriters who are 40 years old or older.
- April 21, 2015
AceShowbiz -
Meryl Streep, who has been vocal about ageism in Hollywood, is making a contribution to fund a lab for female screenwriters who are 40 years old or older. The Writers Lab will be run by New York Women in Film and Television and IRIS, a collective of women filmmakers.
The Writers Lab will be held from September 18 to September 20 at Wiawaka Lodge on Lake George in upstate New York. Applicants can submit scripts between May 1 and June 1. There will be eight winners which will be announced on August 1.
Eight writers which are selected will be mentored by eight "acclaimed mentors," including Jane Skalski ("Win Win", "The Station Agent"), Kirsten Smith ("Legally Blonde", "Ten Things I Hate About You"), Gina Prince-Bythewood ("The Secret Life of Bees", "Beyond the Lights"), Jessica Bendinger ("Bring It On", "Aquamarine") and Caroline Kaplan ("Boyhood, "Me and You and Everyone We Know"), for script development and career advice.
Meryl memorably gave standing ovation to Patricia Arquette over her Oscars speech about equal pay for women. Recently, the star of "The Devil Wears Prada" also signed an open letter for action against female poverty worldwide along with Beyonce Knowles, Rosamund Pike and Sheryl Sandberg.
