There is a short list of actors and actresses that people would be willing to watch any project that they are in just as long as their name is attached to it. After decades of being in the industry and having some amazing projects under her belt, Meryl Streep is one of them. Streep’s stellar reputation has made her a household name in the film industry, and there is a sense of comfort and security we feel whenever we see her on-screen. Throughout her career, Streep has been nominated for a whopping 21 Oscars and has won three.

Anyone can make the argument that Streep is the greatest actress of our time. In fact, with all of her accolades, alongside her masterful performances as an actress, she has cemented herself in film history as an icon, a mentor, an inspiration, and a role model for young actors coming into the scene today. From The Deer Hunter to The Devil Wears Prada, join us in this mini history lesson on the best Oscar-nominated performances in Meryl Streep’s career so far.

10 Julie & Julia

meryl-streep-julie-and-julia
Columbia Pictures

When we think about Streep, a million and one movies come to mind. However, when it comes to movies we can always come back to, there is just something special about Julie & Julia. This 2009 romance movie stars Amy Adams as Julie Powell, a woman who has dedicated her time and effort into completing every recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, a cookbook written by Julia Child, played by the one and only Streep, This charming movie earned Streep an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in 2010.

Related: Meryl Streep Says Robert De Niro is Her 'Biggest Acting Inspiration'

9 The Deer Hunter

TheDeerHunter (1)
EMI

The Deer Hunter marked Streep's first-ever Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress back in 1979. In The Deer Hunter, Streep plays the heartbroken hometown sweetheart Linda to Nick, played by Christopher Walken. The story centers around a group of three friends: Michael (Robert De Niro), Nick (Walken), and Steven (John Savage). The group verge on a final hunting trip and find themselves facing the tragedies of war in Vietnam.

8 A Cry in the Dark

ACryInTheDark (1)
Warner Bros

1988 gave us the thrilling crime film A Cry in the Dark and earned Streep a 1989 Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Honestly, can the woman be stopped? This movie follows a family on their vacation to the Australian outback. Streep plays Lindy, the wife of Michael Chamberlain (Sam Neill) and the mother of his children. When one of them goes missing, signs point to their innocence until speculation seems to point otherwise.

7 The Iron Lady (Won Best Actress)

TheIronLady
Pathé

The Iron Lady is one of Streep's most recognizable roles in recent years. The Iron Lady came out in 2011 and stars Streep as Margaret Thatcher. The biographical drama film highlights the notable moments in her life and glass-ceiling-breaking career. The film also features names like Jim Broadbent, Olivia Colman​​​​​​​, and Alexandra Roach. This film marks Streep's third Oscar win for Best Actress in 2012.

6 The Post

ThePost
20th Century Fox

Streep has proven time and time again that she is one of the most versatile actors of our time. So, of course, a drama thriller would land her an Academy Award nomination. 2017's The Post saw Streep nominated for Best Actress in 2018. She plays Katharine Graham, the first woman publisher of The Washington Post. She is forced to work with a rivaling paper to uncover the buried truths that are masked by a massive cover-up. Starring alongside Streep are Tom Hanks, Bob Odenkirk, and Sarah Paulson.

Related: Meryl's Streep's Best Movie Transformations, Ranked

5 Sophie’s Choice (Won Best Actress)

SophiesChoice (1)
ITC Entertainment

It's incredible that Streep has only won three Oscars during her time as an actress. However, wherever it's given, we are here for it. Streep won a Best Actress Award for her role as Sophie Zawistowski in the 1982 drama romance Sophie’s Choice. Now, Streep in an 80s romance movie is right up our alley, and she absolutely shines in it. This film follows Stingo (Peter MacNicol), a writer who begins to uncover the story of his new friend Sophie, a survivor of the Holocaust.

4 The Devil Wears Prada

Hathaway Streep Blunt The Devil Wears Prada
20th Century Fox

We cannot forget 2006's The Devil Wears Prada. Streep and Anne Hathaway are absolute magic in this film, and Streep's Best Actress Oscar nomination for her role as Miranda Priestly is more than fitting. When Andy (Hathaway) becomes the assistant of Miranda Priestly, the editor of a magazine called Runway, she is thrown challenge after challenge in pursuit of making her writing dreams come true. The Devil Wears Prada is a comfort movie for many of us, so if you have yet to see it, consider this your sign.

3 Adaptation

Adaptation (1)
Columbia Pictures

Streep earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination at the 2003 Academy Awards for her role as Susan Orlean in Adaptation. This film is based on The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean. In this movie, a screenwriter is having an incredibly hard and frustrating time trying to make a screen adaptation of The Orchid Thief. With clashing points of view and ambition pooling out of the characters in this movie, this drama comedy is not one to look over in Streep's filmography.

2 The Bridges of Madison County

Bridges Madison County - Meryl Streep
Amblin Entertainment

Romance and drama films are in Streep's bag. The ease she appears to have in these roles is almost unfathomable, but her talent just speaks for itself. The Bridges of Madison County is a romance drama film that came out in 1995. Here, Streep stars as Francesca Johnson alongside Clint Eastwood as Robert Kincaid. Hopeless romantics should be running to this movie that plays on the ideas of fate and soulmates. Streep was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar in 1996.

1 Kramer vs Kramer (Won Best Supporting Actress)

Kramer Vs Kramer
Columbia Pictures

Kramer vs Kramer is one of Streep's earlier projects but, boy, it is a good one. This film follows the life of a broken family and an ugly legal battle. Streep plays Joanna Kramer, the wife of Ted Kramer (Dustin Hoffman), and the mother of their son Billy (Justin Henry). Joanna decides to abandon both her husband and her son, leaving Ted to raise their son alone. When she decides to return and fight for custody of her child, the battle of Kramer vs Kramer begins. This movie is one of the best in Streep's lengthy filmography and won her Best Supporting Actress — her first-ever Oscar — at the 1980 Academy Awards.