Here’s a new addition to the magazines archive courtesy Times Live: In an industry that’s notoriously shameless in its dismissal of actresses past a certain age, Meryl Streep has managed to beat the odds and now earns up to $8-million a movie. What’s more is that she’s not done this by playing the little-seen grandmother of the younger, blonder heroine, but by commandeering hit movies and taking on a variety of challenging lead roles. Last year alone, she starred in two films that made over $90-million apiece just in the US, one of which garnered her a Golden Globe nomination and the other an Oscar nod. She’s also just signed on to play Margaret Thatcher in upcoming biopic The Iron Lady. Not a bad way to spend her 61st year. Being the international household name that she is, it’s easy to forget just what an achievement her continued success really is. As it stands, Streep is peerless. Her 16 Oscar nominations are as yet unmatched by any other actor and her position as the only actress over 50, let alone 60, who can open a movie on the power of her name alone is unrivalled. Streep has said herself that the US doesn’t reward people of her age. But, why is this? What happened to all the other women who she was at a level pegging with back in the day? You can read the complete article in the magazines archive.

August 17 marks the 30th anniversary of Azaria Chamberlain’s disappearance, a case that has taken Australia – its people and its media – by storm and was eventually made into one of Meryl’s 1988′s drama “A Cry in the Dark” – a performance I personally consider her best. In its latest issue, Lindy Chamberlain talks to Woman’s Day, an excerpt can be found online, the whole interview has hit Australian newsstands yesterday.

The red blanket of parched earth is endless, each kilometre stretching out the same as the last. Yet to Lindy Chamberlain, a certain patch stands out like a beacon, even 30 years on. “Stop here,” Lindy says suddenly, causing a convoy of four-wheel-drives to come to an abrupt halt. “It’s over there,” she says without hesitation. All heads turn in the direction of her pointing finger. All that’s visible is yet another dry, dusty patch of desert. But not to Lindy. For her, this is a sacred place, a site redolent with memories both terrifying and touching. This place, she says, is where her baby Azaria’s clothes were found. It’s hard to believe it’s 30 years since a distraught Lindy clambered desperately from a dishevelled tent, screaming into the night, “The dingo’s got my baby”. For Lindy, 62, the horror of that evening and the nightmare that followed burns more intensely than ever. “You can’t turn it off,” says a pensive Lindy, who is returning to The Rock with Woman’s Day to mark the anniversary of the disappearance of her baby daughter. More at Woman’s Day and the Daily Mail.

Eight new clips have been added to the video archive. Check the previews and additional information to each video below.

First, the AFI has posted Meryl’s complete speech at Mike Nichols’ Lifetime Achievement Award, so this one has replaced the shortened broadcast version. Then, a clip of Cher winning the Golden Globe in 1984 for “Silkwood”. A profile on the 1986 Academy Awards and “Out of Africa”, including interviews with Klaus Maria Brandauer and Sydney Pollack. A very funny clip from “Sesame Street” and their 1980s character Meryl Sheep! Also, an excerpt of Meryl’s voice work on “King of the Hill” in 1999. Her appearance at the 1995 Golden Golem Film Festival in Prague, where “Sophie’s Choice” was shown. From 1999 comes an interview with Lindy Chamberlain courtesy the “Animal X” series. And finally, a clip of Meryl attending an American Film Institute panel before receiving their 2004 Lifetime Achievement Award. Enjoy the new videos!

There’s still no official confirmation of Meryl’s participation, but this is a step towards the official direction. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Sony has picked up “Mommy & Me,” the comedy package featuring Meryl Streep and Tina Fey as a mother-and-daughter duo to be directed by Stanley Tucci. CAA circulated the project around town earlier in July and signs pointed to Sony, which made last year’s Streep comedy “Julie & Julia,” as a strong contender. Storylines are under wraps, although it spotlights the thorny and funny sides of mother-daughter relationships. Joby Harold wrote the treatment that went with the package and is exec producing with Tucci, Steve Buscemi and Joshua Astrachan. Wren Arthur, Lucy Barzun Donnelly and Tory Tunnell are producing. Streep and Tucci have worked together on-screen in “Devil Wears Prada” and “Julie & Julia.” It’s unclear at this time if Tucci would appear in the movie or just stick to directing.

This is kind of off-topic, but a funny one – and a nice opportunity to raise the word on the great Catherine O’Hara. The actress – who co-starred with Meryl in 1986′s “Heartburn” – was a member of the classic Canadian comedy show “SCTV” in the 1970s and 1980s, performing an array of characters and impersonations (brilliantly from Katharine Hepburn to Brooke Shields). In 1981, she did an impression of Meryl Streep. If there’s one person to impersonate Miss Streep, let it be Catherine O’Hara. More background information below the video.

The “Film Farm Report” evolved into a film review show where a couple of farmers enthuse about films where people are blown up. Recognizing that movies are hardly integral to seeing things get blown up, Farm Report finally became the show it was always meant to be: Big Jim and Billy Sol talk briefly with celebrity guests, and then blow them up. In an interview with the Toronto Star in 1986, Catherine recalled re-watching her impersonation in Meryl’s presence during the wrap-party of “Heartburn”:

Mike Nichols called me over to explain the skit to her. So it was like ‘Well, uh, Miss Streep… John Candy and Joe Flaherty did these two country bumpkin characters and they would have guests on their little talk show and then, umm, blow them up. So I went on as you and, well, I got blown up.” Then, Mike decided to run a tape of the SCTV sketch at the Heartburn wrap party. “People kept coming up to me and saying ‘Meryl is watching it! Meryl is watching it!’ And her face is like this close to the monitor. Afterward she came up to me and said ‘I saw what you did to me!’ But she laughed. It’s a compliment to be impersonated. ‘Very funny, just wait until you see my version of you!’