Emotional Video Of Meryl Streep Resurfaces & Highlights Her Stunning Transformation

Meryl Streep is one of the most iconic actors of all time, and for good reason. Her talent and drive have earned her 21 Oscar nominations and three wins, but, in 1979, Streep's film career was still in its infancy, and she had suffered both a horrible tragedy and a joyous event just the year before. 

In 1978, Streep starred in "The Deer Hunter," which would earn her her first Oscar nomination. Sadly, her co-star and the man she loved, John Cazale, died from lung cancer that March. But before the end of 1978, Streep would fall in love again and marry Don Gummer. As seen in this clip from a 1979 interview where she lays out her desires, Streep was very optimistic about what the universe had in store for her, though there is a hint of caution in her voice.

meryl streep in 1979 talking about her hopes and dreams... baby girl you did it all 😭❤️ pic.twitter.com/dhYJtguz2B

— ❄️ (@theicequeen333) March 30, 2026

In the snippet, Streep, who was 29 or 30 at the time, lays out what she wants her life to be. Starting with a nervous laugh and a glint of purpose in her eyes, she says, "I'm going to be a mother, I hope. God willing, everything goes OK. And I'm going to keep working, I hope, with people that I like, and whose work I respect. And if I can't get work that way, then to feed the mean little kid, maybe I'll do some commercials or something." Considering the rollercoaster that her life had been over the last two years, it isn't surprising that Streep would be hopeful but unsure about how her life would turn out. At that moment, it was impossible for Streep to have known that the dreams she lays out in these 30 seconds would all come true and transform her.

Meryl Streep's career hasn't slowed down since her cinematic debut in 1977's "Julia." In the nearly 50 years since, the actor has worked with the greatest filmmakers and fellow thespians of her time, and has created unforgettable characters, including Madeline Ashton in "Death Becomes Her," and the truly iconic Miranda Priestly in "The Devil Wears Prada," which earned Streep her 14th Oscar nomination. But Streep's career goes beyond movies. She has also been nominated for seven Grammys, and, fulfilling the last part of her vision of the future, she's even appeared in commercials.

Streep's work has connected with millions of fans, which can be seen in the responses to the clip. Some users couldn't get over how young the "Kramer vs Kramer" star is in the video, with @elysianxfields saying, "stop why is she the cutest," and @beauty_ambra noting, "her hair was TEA the bundles were working overtime." Others, like @supersketches, wanted to let the Streep of the past know that things would work out, screaming across time, "babygirl YOURE GONNA BE THE GREATEST ACTRESS OF ALL TIME." 

The dreams Streep had for her personal life have also come to fruition. Streep and Gummer have four children together, with her three daughters following in her footsteps, becoming actors themselves. Streep and her husband, Don Gummer, quietly separated in 2017. Since then, Streep has reportedly begun dating her "Only Murders in the Building" co-star Martin Short. Insiders told Page Six that the coupling wasn't something either of them expected to happen, saying "Meryl couldn't help but fall for Martin... He is a gentleman, he keeps her laughing and is an all-around positive person. She loves being around him."