Acclaimed actress Meryl Streep says the two times in her life she dealt with violence were so profound it changed her “on a cellular level”.
Streep made the remarks at the Committee to Protect Journalists’ 27th annual International Press Freedom Awards in New York.
The Oscar-winner praised journalists for their bravery, telling the audience she did “know something about real terror”.
Streep recounted two incidents, one in which she said she was attacked and “played dead and waited until the blows stopped, watching like people say you do from like 50 feet above where I was beaten”.
Streep then described another incident when someone else was being abused.
She said in that case, she “went completely nuts” and chased the man off.
“But I was changed by these events on a cellular level because women do know something particular about coming to the danger place.
“We come to it disadvantaged through the many millennia preceding our present moment and because of our vulnerability we anticipate danger, we expect it.
“We’re hyper alert to it, we have the 360 on the whole room.
“We have measurably more acute hearing, we have a better sense of smell, we notice details, what people are wearing, their tics and peculiarities.”
Streep went on to praise the journalists at the event for their contributions to society but also highlighted journalism in Mexico, where five journalists had been murdered in 2017.
The Committee to Protect Journalists is an organisation which protects the rights of journalists and promotes freedom of the press.
“Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you,” Streep told the crowd.
“You are the fourth estate, you are our first line of defence against tyranny and state-sanctioned news.”
Cher describes incident in 2013 Reddit Q&A
Streep did not give any more details about the incidents, other than to say Cher witnessed the second incident.
“Someone else was being abused and I just went completely nuts and went after this man. Ask Cher. She was there. And the thug ran away. It was a miracle.
“But I was changed by these events on a cellular level.”
Cher described the incident in full in a 2013 Reddit Ask Me Anything, saying they had gone out to get ice cream together in New York City when the incident occurred.
Source: gearsofbiz
Post a Comment