Meryl Streep on Who Should Play Her on Film: ‘Amy Schumer, of Course’

Many have called Meryl Streep the greatest actress of her generation. Now “the Great One” shines light on who she’d choose to play her in a biopic.

“Amy Schumer, of course,” says the three-time Academy Award winner and 19-time nominee.

The revelation came during a press junket with The Huffington Post promoting Streep’s latest film, “Florence Foster Jenkins.”

Also Read: Meryl Streep Explains Why She Wanted to Sing So Badly in 'Florence Foster Jenkins'

When Schumer got word of Streep’s compliment, she was understandably stunned. Her response: “Holy s—.”

Also Read: 'Florence Foster Jenkins' Review: Meryl Streep Achieves Greatness as an Awful Singer

HuffPo’s entertainment reporter Matthew Jacobs sat down with Streep for a quickie five-minute chat and got creative with questions the star, undoubtedly, had never been asked before. Like, which former co-star would be best at scaring off a bear while camping. Streep’s response: “Liam Neeson. Duh.”

“I’m not sure she was all that into it, but she is the greatest actress of our time, so it’s hard to know for sure,” Jacobs said of Streep. “I intended to keep it going for a bit longer, but by the time she started drawing blanks on which of her co-stars could best fake obscure talents, I had to move on.”

Streep plays a real-life society grand dame who sang with enormous enthusiasm but only the vaguest of acquaintances with things like pitch, timing and tone in “Florence Foster Jenkins,” which opened Friday to so-so reviews. The Stephen Frears-directed film also stars Hugh Grant and Simon Helberg, best known as the genius with a seriously bad sense of style on “The Big Bang Theory.”

Is Cate Blanchett the New Meryl Streep? 9 Actresses Who Idolize the Aussie Oscar Winner

• Rooney Mara
  Mara revealed that she was enamored by her "Carol" co-star when she was 13 and first watched "Elizabeth" in a recent conversation with Interview magazine: "I was like, 'Oh, my God, who is that woman?' She's just so incredible."

  Also Read: Rooney Mara Was ‘Terrified’ to Share Screen With Cate Blanchett in ‘Carol’

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• Emilia Clarke
  At TheWrap's seventh annual Power Women Breakfast LA in 2015, the "Game of Thrones" actress said Cate Blanchett inspired her approach to Khaleesi in season 1 of the HBO hit.

  Also Read: Emilia Clarke Recalls ‘Game of Thrones’ Casting and How Cate Blanchett Inspired Her

  Foc Kan/WireImage

• Jennifer Lawrence
  In an interview from 2013, the "Hunger Games" star said, "I don’t know if I’d necessarily call her an idol or a role model, but someone I admire, who’s an incredible actress, is Cate Blanchett."

  Also Read: Jennifer Lawrence Says Katniss Everdeen Inspired Her to Write Gender Pay Gap Essay

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• Natalie Portman
  In a Harper's Bazaar interview, the "Black Swan" actress revealed that Blanchett is her celebrity mentor, especially when it comes to parenting advice.

  Also Read: Natalie Portman to Play Ruth Bader Ginsburg in ‘On the Basis of Sex’

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• Rachael Taylor
  While promoting her Marvel-based Netflix series "Jessica Jones" in 2015, Taylor said she’d like to follow in the footsteps of fellow Aussie stars Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths.

  Also Read: ‘Marvel’s AKA Jessica Jones’ Casts Rachael Taylor

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• Julia Stiles
  In 2003, Stiles spoke to USA Today about her role models, mentioning Blanchett, Kate Winslet and Mary Louise Parker.

  Also Read: Julia Stiles, Scott Speedman Movie ‘Out of the Dark’ Lands U.S. Distribution

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• Nina Dobrev
  In an October interview with the Latin Post, the former "Vampire Diaries" star cited Blanchett and Audrey Hepburn as her inspirations.
  

  Also Read: ‘Vampire Diaries’ Season Finale: Nina Dobrev’s Last Episode Gets #GoodbyeElena Sendoff From Stars, Fans

  The CW

• Carey Mulligan
  In an April 2015 interview with Vogue, the "Suffragette" star mentioned three actresses she looks up to: "Kate Winslet or Cate Blanchett or Tilda Swinton—every time I watch them on screen, they’re just nailing it.”

  Also Read: ‘Suffragette’ Telluride Review: Carey Mulligan Is the Reason to See This Masterwork

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• Emily Ratajkowski
  In an interview with the Editorialist, the "We Are Your Friends" actress said she sees Blanchett and Rooney Mara as her two role models.

  Also Read: Emily Ratajkowski Calls ‘Blurred Lines’ Music Video ‘Bane of My Existence’

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• Mamie Gummer
  In an August 2015 interview, Meryl Streep's daughter cited Blanchett as her role model: "Theater has remained a priority in her life. She’s been able to balance the [theater and movies].”

  Also Read: ‘The Good Wife’s’ Mamie Gummer Joins WGN America’s ‘Manhattan’

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Hollywood stars used to cite Streep as their role model, now they want to be like Cate — including Meryl’s daughter Mamie Gummer

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