ling in that she brings depth to each role she tackles. Even in her most forgettable films, she usually renders a powerful impression among critics and audiences alike. It’s no wonder Streep is frequently touted as the

world’s greatest living actress

, with the chops and professionalism to back up the accolade.

“I was an ugly little kid with a big mouth, an obnoxious show-off,” Streep has said of her younger self. That tendency to seek attention would pay off in a big way. Singing before rapturous audiences as early as age 12, she soon took to the stage for various high school plays. After graduating from Vassar College, Streep enrolled in the Yale School of Drama, and continued to pursue her passion for stage acting. From there it was off to New York’s theater scene, where she quickly established herself as a formidable talent.

In 1977, Streep made her major motion picture debut in the World War II drama “Julia.” Just two years later, she earned her first Academy Award nomination for her performance in “The Deer Hunter.” To date, she has a record-smashing 21 Academy Award nominations; she’s won three. That’s joined by eight Golden Globes, two British Academy Film Awards, two primetime Emmy Awards, a slew of other awards, and an even greater number of nominations. Streep has run the full gamut in terms of genres and styles, starring in musicals and tragedies and everything in between. That includes frequent collaborations with notable talents like Mike Nichols, Rob Marshall, Emily Blunt, and Robert De Niro.

Meanwhile, Streep’s personal life is no less extraordinary, albeit not in ways one might expect. In 1976, she began a relationship with actor John Cazale, only to watch him die from terminal lung cancer. She married sculptor Don Gummer soon after, and they have been together ever since. They have four children, including actresses Grace and Mamie Gummer. Streep is also an outspoken “humanist” and liberal, who’s publicly advocated for women’s equal rights, along with various other causes.

It all has made for a life of considerable accomplishment, both on-screen and off. But which of Streep’s films are the best? Check out the following list, which ranks the best Streep movies as of 2019 according to IMDb user ratings. Only feature films and TV movies with more than 1,000 votes were considered; any ties were broken by the number of overall votes.

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