Meryl Streep's Oscar Losses: A Brief History Of Meryl Losing The Academy Award (VIDEO)

With 17 nominations, Meryl Streep is the most lauded actor in the history of the Oscars. She's also working on 29-year losing streak: the last time Streep took home a trophy was in 1983, at the 55th annual Academy Awards. Since then, she's been nominated 13 times, including this year. Can Meryl's role as Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady" finally secure her a third Oscar? Not if the momentum built by Viola Davis is any indication. "The Help" star has racked up some major award wins in the last couple of months, including Best Actress at the Screen Actors Guild awards in January. That plaudit carries some major Oscar weight, since the actors' branch is the largest voting bloc in the Academy.

Still! Fingers crossed Meryl can get off the schneid -- if only because seeing her give one of those delightfully loopy speeches that she has given in recent years would make what is likely to be a boring Oscar telecast moderately palatable.

Above, watch a brief history of Streep's Oscar life, including a clip from the last time she won. Holler at a girl, Sylvester Stallone!

Comments

[MB1East]

05:29 PM on 02/26/2012

Win or lose, for those of us that grew up with her, I have to say she is the greatest actress of our time.

[Ugonna]

02:28 PM on 02/26/2012

I agree with the poster who said Barbara Stanwyck was the best ever.

[MattBenincasa]

12:52 PM on 02/26/2012

And what an amazing moment it would be if Meryl Streep did win. She has some remarkable competition, and I don't think she's as favored this year as she has been--but everyone in the room and everyone watching recognizes how legendary Streep is, so win or lose, we'll hear her name quite a few times tonight.

[MattBenincasa]

12:49 PM on 02/26/2012

I prefer to look at it is she's on a "29 year oh my god look how many Oscar nominations she has streak."

[crisafulli]

11:57 AM on 02/26/2012

A Holy Standard for Actors!

[Tugar]

11:14 AM on 02/26/2012

WELL, AFTER SEEING THE MOVIE..."THE IRON LADY" the other day, I think that Meryl Streep did a good job playing the character of England's former PM, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher ! But the story line itself was a total let down !

During the entire movie, Mrs. Thatcher (Streep),... is seen talking to her imaginary, DEAD HUSBAND, "DENICE" ! Yes, there were scenes reflecting back to her "Prime Ministers' days. But it captured her now, as an elderly woman, clearly suffering from a state of dementia ! And I don't believe that she, nor anyone else would appreciate being seen, thought of, or remembered in such a way !

And Hollywood could have told her story, in a better way in tribute to her !

[LibertyRoy]

10:14 AM on 02/26/2012

She has 0% chance of winning tonight.

To me she seems to be taking "Hey! Look at my acting chops!" roles than ones that require true great acting.

[BRiviera]

03:31 AM on 02/27/2012

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Duffy Sinclair]

09:00 AM on 02/26/2012

Hasn't won in almost 30 years... people are starting to talk, ya know.

[kenhamlett]

05:36 AM on 02/26/2012

Though I think she deserves to win, Ms. Streep will lose again tonight. She will do so with grace and good humor and go back to work. She will lose to Viola Davis, a talented actress whose career Ms. Streep has aggressively boosted. She is not just a great actress, she is also quite a good person.

[FloridaLAW]

10:38 AM on 02/26/2012

how has she boosted Viola's career? I think Viola Davis started without the advantages that Streep had and has made a way for herself through hard work.

[kenhamlett]

11:37 AM on 02/26/2012

Ms. Streep starred in the film "Doubt." Ms. Davis played a supporting role (Ms. Streep has cast approval on her movies, so she wanted Ms. Davis in the part). For that movie, Ms. Street won the Screen Actor's Guild award for Best Actress. In her acceptance speech, she singled out Ms. Davis as a gifted actress and urged Hollywood producers to find her some good parts, so Ms. Davis could show how talented she really is. I believe using your acceptance speech time to boost another actress qualifies as boosting Ms. Davis' career. Since then, I have read a number of articles about Ms. Streep in which she also praised Ms. Davis' abilities. Ms. Davis has undoubtedly worked hard, and she deserves her success. But, it has not hurt her chances that the most famous and most talented actress in Hollywood has been a booster. Ms. Streep studied acting at college (I believe Ms. Davis did, also). I am not sure what other advantages Ms. Street had that others do not. But, she has earned her career with brilliant acting and a professional and generous attitude. She has also continued to star in movies at an age when Hollywood generally turns women away for a younger model. That is testament, I believe to her talent and to her good working relationships.

[KIVPossum]

01:02 AM on 02/26/2012

Sick and tired of seeing Capt. Kirk go over the bridge. Wish he would stay dead.

[Ugonna]

06:22 PM on 02/25/2012

honestly, most actors do not even get one Oscar, this woman has two. Why are her losses such a tragedy?

[benskelly]

12:11 AM on 02/26/2012

It's not a tragedy. It's just that she gives one great performance after another and I, for one, think it's time she get another one. She's that amazing.

[kenhamlett]

05:24 AM on 02/26/2012

It is not a tragedy at all. But, if you look back now at the losses, and take note of who won, it is inescapable that she should have four or five by now. But, they like to vote for the new faces, and sometimes they make quite a stretch to do so. Given that, she probably will not win another Oscar. She will just have to content herself with being known as the greatest film actress of all time. I have a feeling she can live with that.

[ZenSufi]

06:19 PM on 02/25/2012

Give an oscar to Meryl Davis.

[rvsandy]

03:51 PM on 02/26/2012

The Oscar is not given, it is earned. Every actor will tell you it is hard work, win or lose.

[Zeroes]

01:49 PM on 02/25/2012

Is she presenting with Close?

[ptrgamb]

01:43 PM on 02/25/2012

One of her best performances was in "The Hours" ...she was stronger than Nicole Kidman, who won for the same movie

[kenhamlett]

05:26 AM on 02/26/2012

I completely agree with you, and I have said the same thing to friends many times through the years. Her performance was the best in the film, and it was the one not nominated. Instead, they gave the award to Ms. Kidman, who did fine and wore a prosthetic nose. They love it when you change your appearance -- but only if you have never done it before.

[ontariogirl]

11:49 AM on 02/25/2012

I still stand by Rachel Dratch. She gave some Oscar worthy performances on SNL for years.