Meryl Streep is perhaps one of the most celebrated actresses in Hollywood, known for her long-standing career and incredible performances.
But beyond her acting achievements, Streep is also a devoted mother. Now, her children have grown up, and you might be surprised at how much they’ve accomplished!
Streep keeps her personal life quite private. She started making a name for herself in Hollywood during the 1970s. At that time, she was deeply involved with someone she met in the theater, John Cazale, when she was in her twenties.
Streep was only 27 when she began living with 41-year-old Cazale. He had quite a reputation and had contemporaries like Al Pacino, who only had positive things to say about him. The two met while casting for Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, and it was reportedly love at first sight.
John Cazale and his longtime girlfriend, Meryl Streep, were a beloved couple in the industry. Streep has said that Cazale “wasn’t like anybody I’d ever met.”
The couple soon moved in together into Cazale’s loft in Tribeca, sharing a few happy years as they both advanced their careers in entertainment. However, their story took a tragic turn in May 1977, when Cazale fell seriously ill. Shortly after, he was diagnosed with lung cancer, which had already spread to other parts of his body.
Al Pacino was one of the few people aware of just how sick Cazale was, even accompanying him to a few appointments. Tragically, Cazale was hospitalized in March 1978 and passed away shortly after, with Streep remaining by his side throughout the ordeal.
When Streep informed Cazale’s brother of his passing, he told her to leave the apartment immediately. With nowhere to go, Streep reached out to her brother Harry, who connected her with his friend Don Gummer, then in Pakistan. Gummer sublet his apartment to Streep, and soon, the two began exchanging letters. They fell in love and decided to be together.
Meryl Streep married Don Gummer in 1978. Their marriage has thrived for over 44 years, an impressive feat in Hollywood. Gummer, a sculptor by profession, is always happy to let his talented wife take center stage.
Streep and Gummer have four children. Their eldest, Henry Wolfe Gummer, was born in 1979. He is an actor and musician, married to Tamryn Gummer, and the couple has two children together.
Their second child and oldest daughter, Mamie Gummer, was born in 1983. Mamie was just a toddler when she appeared in her mother’s 1986 movie Heartburn. She later made a cameo in The Devil Wears Prada.
Following in her mother’s footsteps, Mamie is also an actress, known for roles in The Good Wife, Emily Owens, M.D., and Elementary, among others. She bears a striking resemblance to her mother.
The third child of Streep and Gummer is Grace Jane Gummer, born in 1986. Like her mother and sister, Grace is also an accomplished actress with a Theatre World Award for her Broadway debut. She has appeared in notable shows like The Newsroom and American Horror Story: Freak Show. In 2021, she married British-American DJ Mark Ronson and last year, the couple announced they are expecting their first child together.
The youngest of the Gummer children is Louisa Jacobson Gummer, born in 1991. Louisa, now 31, is an actress who, after gaining experience in theater, appeared in the series The Gilded Age alongside Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon.
All four of Meryl Streep’s children have followed her into the entertainment industry, each making a unique mark of their own.
It’s wonderful to see how Meryl Streep’s influence extends beyond her legendary career to her talented and accomplished children. Spread the love by sharing this heartwarming story with other fans of Meryl Streep!