Cameo appearances in films have always been exciting propositions for audiences to witness some of their favorite stars in a brief but significant part of a film’s narrative. Many of these superstars are paid hefty sums of money in return for their famous names being featured in films.
Hollywood veteran Meryl Streep has been known never to reprise any role or work with a film franchise throughout her career. In a rare occurrence, the Oscar winner made an exception to star in a brief cameo in one of her film’s sequels. But her decision to be part of the film proved to be extremely costly for the makers.
Meryl Streep Made A Lofty Monetary Demand For Mamma Mia! Sequel
In 2008, Meryl Streep along with Amanda Seyfried and Pierce Brosnan starred in the movie musical Mamma Mia!, a story that followed the life of Streep’s character Donna, a hotel owner in Greece, and her daughter Sophie, played by Seyfried. The film, which featured the famous Swedish band Abba’s iconic songs, was a resounding success at the box office, which then prompted Universal Pictures to make a sequel 10 years later titled Mamma Mia! Here we go Again.
The Iron Lady star, who has never reprised a previous role, was initially not in favor of being part of the film. But at the behest of the producers, the actor conceded to appear in a very small cameo, for which she was paid a staggering 3 million dollars as salary. Mamma Mia! producer Judy Craymer justified the star’s demands and stated,
“She’s the most lauded actress and the most extraordinary actress in the world so she doesn’t do sequels, so to speak. She gave 295% of her energy on the last film and I don’t think she wanted to be running around cliff tops singing a bunch of Abba songs.”
According to sources, the film’s lead Amanda Seyfried was reportedly paid the same amount as Meryl Streep, while actor-singer Cher, who played Sophie’s hilarious grandmother, took home 1 million dollars for her role.
Meryl Streep Once Endured Extreme Pain For A Perfect Shot
With an enviable repertoire of films and memorable performances over decades, there’s no stone that Meryl Streep has left unturned in her journey to become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Streep has also earned a reputation as the type of artist who will push boundaries to the extreme to create the perfect shot. On the sets of the Oscar-winning film Out of Africa, the veteran proved why she was the queen of a scene with her amazing power of endurance.
In a demanding and hot outdoor schedule, Meryl Streep remained unflinching during a particular scene that caused her a lot of physical pain. According to screenwriter Kurt Luedtke,
“But the instant Sydney said ‘Cut!’ her face contorted and she smashes her fist against her chest and yelled, ‘Get me this thing out of here!’. The costume person tore open her dress, and out fell an enormous insect! It had been crawling around in there all through the scene, but she had forced herself to ignore it.”
Out Of Africa took home 7 Oscars that year, including Best Picture. However, Streep missed out on winning the gold statuette for Best Actress in a Leading Role but proved that she was a master at understanding and living a character to the last detail.
Source: Cheatsheet
