Britain’s House of Commons will open its doors to a commercial film crew for the first time next month in a bid to raise cash, welcoming Meryl Streep for a movie about the suffragettes, officials said. Streep is appearing alongside Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham Carter in the British film “Suffragette”, the fictional tale of one woman’s fight for the right to vote. Parliamentary authorities decided last year to try to boost their coffers by renting out parts of the Palace of Westminster when lawmakers are not sitting, although crews will not be allowed to film in the debating chamber. Alan Haselhurst, chairman of the Commons administration committee, said a film about the fight for women’s suffrage a century ago was a perfect way to start. “As a British film which clearly relates to parliament’s history and heritage, this is an ideal pilot for the House of Commons to identify the opportunities for location filming and income generation,” he said on Tuesday. Adrian Wootton, chief executive of the British Film Commission, commented: “Opening up such an iconic location as the House of Commons for filming is fantastic news.” Many thanks to Frank for the heads-up.

Last night on his post-Oscars show, Jimmy Kimmel premiered what fans have been looking for all awards season: parody movie trailers based on classic viral videos. Among them is “Bitman Begins”, “based” on “Charlie Bit My Finger, and starring Chris and Liam Hemsworth as well as Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks! Short but funny, especially Streep’s “subtle” dialogue. Don’t miss the other videos as well, “Ameowadeus“, featuring Kevin Spacey, Christoph Waltz, Gary Oldman and Ben Kingsley, “Sweet Brown: Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That“, featuring Queen Latifah and Barkhad Abdi, and “David After Dentist Double Rainbow Oh My God!“, featuring Joseph Gordn-Levitt and Samuel L. Jackson. “Bitman Begins” can be found in the video archive, alongside captures and production stills in the image library.

Lots of additional pictures from yesterday’s Academy Awards have been added to the image library. This has been a fun ceremony, giving us Meryl dancing with Pharrell Williams, breaking Twitter records and eating pizza while Brad Pitt plays waiter – not bad for an Oscar broadcast. Check out the pictures from the red carpet and the show, with clips coming next.

The red carpet for the 86th Annual Academy Awards are in full swing and the first bunch of pictures have been added to the image library. There will be a live coverage of the ceremony on Simply Streep, so refresh the page and check the gallery for additions throughout the evening.

Meryl Streep has attended yesterday’s Pre-Oscar Party by the Weinstein Company in celebration of today’s Academy Awards. Pictures have been added to the image library.

Three video clips reviewing Meryl’s recent visit to Paris, France, to promote the theatrical release of “August: Osage County” have been added to the video archive. Many thanks to Beatrice and Emmanuelle for the heads-up. Also, a video of Meryl being honored at the 2012 Charlie Foundation has been added as well. Enjoy the new clips.

Video Archive – News Segments – 2014 – Le Grand Soir 3 (February 24, 2014)
Video Archive – News Segments – 2014 – Telematin (February 24, 2014)
Video Archive – Career – August: Osage County – August: Osage County – Interview 02
Video Archive – Public Appearances – 2014 – The Charlie Foundation (2012)

Jimmy Kimmel’s post Academy Awards bash has been a tradition of awards season for the past nine years with previous guests for the hour long special including Ben Affleck and Tom Cruise. This year, the host has scored a lineup that includes nominees and some of his favourite guests. Best Actress nominee Meryl Streep will join Best Director favourite Martin Scorsese along with Captain Phillip’s newcomer Barkhad Abdi and this year’s Oscars host Ellen DeGeneres. Also dropping by will be Kevin Spacey who will serve as the lead guest while big names like Tom Hanks and Morgan Freeman will also make an appearance. Fans of the Hemsworth brothers are in for a treat as both Chris and Liam are scheduled to appear along with Christoph Waltz, Ben Kingsley, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Seth Rogen, Andy Garcia, Adam Driver, Queen Latifah, Gary Oldman and Anjelica Huston. Kimmel’s A-list guest list is largely helped by the fact he shoots his show across the street from the Dolby Theatre where this year’s Oscars will take place on Sunday night. The show will air live on ABC after the 86th Academy Awards and will also include a popular comedy video segment following the success of last year when Kimmel premiered the trailer for the star-filled Movie: The Movie. Many thanks to everybody for the heads-up.

The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center announced that tickets are publicly available for the 14th Annual Monte Cristo Award, honoring Meryl Streep. The award, presented to Ms. Streep at a Gala event in her honor, will be held at the Edison Ballroom, New York City, on Monday, April 21. Individual tickets start at $750, and can be purchased at www.theoneill.org. The Monte Cristo Award celebrates and honors a theater artist who exemplifies the great American dramatist Eugene O’Neill’s pioneering spirit and unceasing artistic commitment to excellence. The 14th Annual Monte Cristo Award will be presented by close friend, colleague, and fellow O’Neill alumnus Joe Grifasi. Meryl Streep’s great empathy for her characters and the diversity of women she has chosen to portray have distinguished her work in film, television, and theater for nearly three decades. A graduate of Vassar College and Yale School of Drama, one of Ms. Streep’s first professional jobs after Yale was with the O’Neill’s National Playwrights Conference in 1975, acting in five plays over six weeks. More information on ticket purchases can be found here.

Indiana University has announced actress Meryl Streep will receive an honorary doctoral degree during an April visit to the Bloomington campus. Streep will receive the degree during a ceremony in the beginning of her Jorgensen Guest Filmmaker Lecture at 3 p.m. April 16 at IU Auditorium. In 2010, Streep served as a keynote speaker for the Colloquium for Women of Indiana University’s fall workshop, part of the IU Women’s Philanthropy Initiative.

Indiana University is delighted to recognize Meryl Streep, one of our nation’s greatest living actors, for her extraordinary talents, her highly visible place in the arts and her role as a powerful advocate for women, as well as for her longstanding connection to our institution,” IU President Michael A. McRobbie said. “Through conferral of this honorary doctoral degree, we not only welcome her to the IU family but pay tribute to her remarkable contributions to cinema and to the fabric of American culture while also recognizing our own rich academic traditions in film and theater.

Streep will receive her honorary degree during a ceremony in the beginning of her Jorgensen Guest Filmmaker Lecture at 3 p.m. April 16 at IU Auditorium. The interview-format lecture will be led by Barbara Klinger, a professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Communication and Culture. The lecture is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Tickets are available beginning March 3 at the IU Auditorium box office, open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. There is a limit of four tickets per person for the lecture. Thanks to everybody for the heads-up.

Scans from two French magazines have been added to the gallery, with many thanks to Alvaro. There’s a great pictorial and article in the February 20 issue of Paris Match, and another article in the February 20 issue of Le Point. Click the previews below to launch the scans.

Image Library – Magazine Scans – 2014 – Paris Match (France, February 20, 2014)
Image Library – Magazine Scans – 2014 – Le Point (France, February 20, 2014)