The real reason why Meryl Streep ruined several takes on ‘Don’t Look Up’
(Credit: Netflix)

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The real reason why Meryl Streep ruined several takes on 'Don't Look Up'

Meryl Streep is Hollywood royalty. With an illustrious career spanning over four decades and a record number of awards and accolades- 21 Academy Award nominations with three wins, 32 Golden Globe nominations with eight wins and more- Streep has been hailed the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) by her co-star, Jonah Hill on the Netflix Original Don’t Look Up.

Hilariously, the Sophie’s Choice actress thought she was being referred to as an actual goat!

Directed by Adam McKay, the Oscar-nominated 2021 disaster comedy Don’t Look Up became an absolute sensation. This disaster film infused with dark comedy became an allegorical climate change tale with a biting satirical undertone. The star-studded ensemble cast included Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Timothée Chalamet, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Ron Pearlman, Rob Morgan, Ariana Grande, Kid Cudi and several others.

The premise documents a pervading cataclysmic doom where a huge asteroid is heading straight towards the Earth and might lead to the potential destruction of the planet. However, in this bizarre expose of the sociopolitical response to the doom, the event is commercialised and experts are pushed to the sidelines. 

Streep appeared as Orlean, the president of the United States who attempts to find a way in which her country can profit from the celestial doom. With an uncanny resemblance to the former President, Donald Trump, Streep’s brilliant and eccentric performance became a major talking point in the film.

Although portrayed by a body double, Streep’s character even sports a ghastly tattoo on her naked rear in one of the mid-credits scenes which incurred DiCaprio’s disdain.

Jennifer Lawrence has been quite vocal about how she was terrified of annoying the veteran actress and tried to keep her fangirling at bay. When asked about the same, Streep hilariously said, “She failed”, before revealing the actor who made her ruin several takes. She said, “No, who’s annoying is Jonah [Hill]. I love him, but he did make me laugh, and I don’t have a lot of control. I would ruin a lot of takes, and he loved it.”

However, she praised Jonah Hill’s excellent improv. Talking about his character, she said, “Jonah’s character, he is the president’s son but also the Chief of Staff, which some might think is nepotism. And he is the worst. It was really, really hard filming with Jonah and just not ruining take after take laughing. We one time dedicated an entire day to him just improv-ing insults at me. It was amazing.”

Watch Don’t Look Up on Netflix now.