There are two reasons Meryl Streep shocked us by making the Vogue December cover – firstly, she is 68 and it’s generally only 20-somethings who grace the fashion bible’s cover page. No.2 – and this is even more important – her character in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada had been modelled on the magazine’s editor, the formidable Anna Wintour. Priestley, as editor-in-chief of an influential fashion magazine, was infamous for treating her subordinates in a manner that bordered on emotional and psychological abuse.

So, full marks to Wintour and no less credit to the absolutely marvellous Meryl Streep for this coup of sorts. Streep is making waves for her new Steven Spielberg film The Post, in which she plays the late Katharine Graham, publisher of The Washington Post. A video interview has also been released which has Wintour interviewing Streep in the Vogue office. Some highlights…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW4wpGg64pE

Most challenging role… Meryl looked she was about to Miranda in The Devil Wears Prada, but Anna says, “We’re not going there Meryl,” and they share a laugh. Wow!

The Weinstein Effect… Streep also shared that she struggles with being a good mother to her three grown daughters and admits that at dinner they talk Harvey Weinstein. 'Harvey Weinstein, that's all we talk about. It's horrible… We want them to be free, we want them to be proud, we want them to be female. You put them in danger by not informing them about the male gaze and how it works on young girls.”

Impact on Feminism… Streep shared that no matter how difficult it may be, the conversation around workplace behavior would help advance the feminist agenda. “This moment is absolutely thrilling. This is a door that will not be closed. We got our foot in there now. It will be very difficult for people to conduct their lives the way they have in the past...We're civilized people, and we learn from our mistakes.”

The Post & Women… “One of the themes of the film is how difficult it is to stand up,” said Streep, “And so that sort of speaks to our moment where the truth is so amorphous and difficult to nail down...It's hard to risk a great deal to tell the truth.”

Streep for President… Anna tells Meryl that she should 'run for office' but Streep returns the compliment and says, “You should, you're a good boss. I'm a boss that's beat up at my house.”

That ‘award’ moment… When Wintour presented Streep with her Vogue cover, Meryl appeared touched and actually said, “I wish my mother were alive to see it.” Straight out of an award’s speech, that one!