The Iron Lady was human too: Meryl Streep

When Phyllida Lloyd offered me the character of Margaret Thatcher in 'The Iron Lady', my joy knew no bounds. Here was a biopic for which I was craving. A character which not only offered me solid substance but also scope to perform real life. 'The Iron Lady' still remains my greatest histrionic challenge after Sophie’s Choice. I have always been inspired by biopics.The couple of them I thoroughly enjoyed watching on the silver screen are 'Joan Of Arc' and 'Lawrence Of Arabia'. Seeing Ingrid Bergman as 'Joan Of Arc' gave me goose pimples and I cherished the desire to act in a biopic since I joined films.
As I started my study of Margaret Thatcher, I developed an interest in her. She was a character with too many shades, which appeared quite complicated for me initially. Popularly known as the Iron Lady, she did have many soft and emotional traits. She could not tolerate injustice of the oppressed and vehemently protested against atrocities. Very few know she cried like a child but only in person. Margaret Thatcher was the proverbial British woman who never believed in expressing her emotions in public. Yes, she could be ruthless if the situation demanded. But she was never sans humanity.
While facing the movie camera for my first few shots as the Iron Lady, I was nervous. I kept thinking if I could at all do justice to such a magnanimous character. As I carried on shooting under the apt guidance of Phyllida Lloyd, I slowly developed confidence and started feeling as well as behaving like Margaret Thatcher. I clearly remember one crucial scene in The Iron Lady. After a political debate in the British Parliament, I had to pause, look up for a while and put my right palm on my face, thinking. I understood that typical method acting was not the right manner to project the emotion. So I combined spontaneity with a certain amount of restraint and concentrated fully on my eyes, lips and right hand to deliver what was required of me. Phyllida congratulated me after the shot, saying it was very well executed.
While playing Margaret Thatcher, I had a strange feeling in me. At times, my mind took me to towards a dictatorial administrative attitude. In other moments, I was just an ordinary lady who rose to peaks by sheer dint of hard work and merit. Margaret Thatcher was unique in many ways, especially when she dealt with political and economic issues.
That The Iron Lady created cinematic history with Oscars and brilliant box office results is legion. I feel elevated even a year after the film was released that I received the golden opportunity of portraying one of the most significant and dynamic characters of the last century on screen. If one thoroughly analyses the history of international cinema, he may feel Catherine Hepburn was the ideal choice to have performed Margaret Thatcher if alive. True. Her looks were nearer to the late British Prime Minister and she was ideally gifted histrionically to have performed the character.
Hearing about the sad demise of Margaret Thatcher, I am shocked and moved to tears. Goodbye, Iron Lady. May your soul rest in eternal peace. You were so humane that your iron brand could never turn you into a heartless despot.
(As told to Ranjan Dasgupta)