The 2004 Venice Film Festival will show “The Manchurian Candidate”. Director Jonathan Demme and his cast, Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep and John Voigt are expected to attend the festival and the film’s photocall on September 02, 2004. “The Manchurian Candidate” will run out of competition.

Various sources, including an interview with USA Today, has mentioned Meryl’s involvement with the next Robert Altman film, “Prairie Home Companion”. The article quoted her to “play half of a female country music duo. It used to be a trio and might have been a quartet. We keep losing members”. Shooting begins in January 2005. Yet, Meryl’s involvement hasn’t been officially announced.

With the release of “The Manchurian Candidate”, Entertainment Weekly reported about Angela Lansbury’s displeasure on Meryl Streep taking over the role she performed in the original film. Further it was written that Streep had based her character on senator Hilary Clinton and that Paramount had to cut additional scenes that were too much Clinton. In an interview with NBC, Streep stated that she was disturbed by these reports, adding that her performance was not based on Clinton, but “who says I haven’t modeled it on a man?”. And although Entertainment Weekly stands by its taped interview, Streep reveals that Lansbury called her and denied she made the statements. “She said, ‘I never said this. I love all the people making this. I don’t know who started the rumor.”

Meryl has received a nomination as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Mini-Series or TV-Movie for her performances in “Angels in America”. She shares the category with Glenn Close (The Lion Winter), Judy Davis (The Reagans), Helen Mirren (Prime Suspect 6) and Emma Thompson (Angels in America). The mini-series leads the Emmy race with a total of 21 nominations, including for Best Mini-Series, Mike Nichols and his complete cast in the lead and supporting cate-gories. The Emmys are handed out on September 19, 2004. Congratulations & good luck!

Meryl was, while attending the Russia Film Festival, award with the Stanislavsky Award, the Russian honor for outstanding contribution to the world of cinema.

Meryl and her family attended the Shanghai Film Festival, as reported below. Presenting an award that night, Streep recalled to be a fan of the Chinese theatre.

“I love Chinese movies and don’t get enough of them in the United States and that’s why people hold film festivals to make others aware of films in other countries.”

The AFI’s Life Achievement Award took place this evening and was attended by many of Meryl’s co-stars, including Jack Nicholson, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Catherine O’Hara, among others, its evening featured many tribute speeches by her colleagues, surrounded with clips of her performances and never-before seen scenes from her two new films.

Meryl Streep was announced to attend the 2004 Shanghai Film Festival’s closing ceremony on June 12, 2004. For more information on her appearance and the festival, visit their Official Website

“The 32nd AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Meryl Streep” will air on USA Network on Monday, June 21, 2004, at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT). The gala, which take place on June 10, 2004, will be attended by Streep’s friends and colleagues, including Robert De Niro and Clint Eastwood, as well as Jim Carrey, Nora Ephron, Carrie Fisher, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline, Mike Nichols, Sydney Pollack, Robert Redford, Kurt Russell, Tracey Ullman and Claire Danes. Thanks to Todd from the AFI for submitting.

Meryl Streep was bestowed an honorary degree by Middlebury College president John McCardell during commencement ceremonies at the college, Sunday, May 23, 2004., in Middlebury, Vt. Visit the Middlebury College’s Official Website for further information.