At some point in any actress’ career, they have to be linked to a movie where they’ll co-star with Meryl Streep, if only for the prestige. However it’s perhaps surprising that with Julia Roberts the biggest female star of the last 20 years, and Meryl Streep the most critically acclaimed actor of the past few decades, they’ve never actually been in a movie together (not counting The Ant Bully, where they were both just voices).
That may change though, as Deadline reports this high profile pairing are being lined up for the bigscreen adaptation of the Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer and Tony-winning play August: Osage County. Both have apparently agreed in principle to star in the movie, and they’re now hammering out deals and working out when they’d actually have time to shoot it.
According to Deadline, ‘Streep will play Violet, the drug-addicted matriarch of the working class Weston clan. Roberts will play Barbara Fordham, the oldest daughter in the family. While mom’s problems and her penchant for revealing family secrets is a big issue, Barbara is melting because her husband is cheating with a college student. They are brought together when Violet’s husband goes missing and all three of their daughters come home to rally around mom. In the process, a lot of family secrets get revealed.’
Harvey Weinstein has been developing the film for several years, but it’s only now that it’s moving forward and attracting big name talent. Streep and Roberts could make an interesting pairing, and with such well respected material, you’ve got to imagine they’re eyeing Oscar nominations already.