Meryl Streep Thinks Actors Getting Plastic Surgery and Botox Is ‘Like a Wearing a Veil’ — ‘It’s Very Detrimental’

Meryl Streep is a popular actor who is often cited as one of the greatest performers in the world. A three-time Academy Award winner, Streep has been a mainstay in the entertainment industry since the ’70s. From comedies to dramas and musicals, Streep has tackled every genre, with her intense dedication to character earning her critical acclaim.

Meryl Streep is known as an unconventional beauty, but when it comes to her own looks, the veteran actor has some strict boundaries — most notably, she eschews plastic surgery. In a 2009 interview with Vanity Fair, she opened up on the subject, and why she believes actors should reject the effects of Botox and surgical procedures. 

Meryl Streep is one of her generation’s most acclaimed actors

Streep started work as an actor in stage productions, appearing in shows throughout the mid-70s. She made her film debut in 1977, and by the end of the decade, she was receiving praise as one of the most promising young stars of her generation. Streep received her first Academy Award in 1979 for her work in the film Kramer vs. Kramer, and just three years later, she scored the coveted award again for Sophie’s Choice.

Over the decades that followed, Streep continued to dominate both the box office and the awards-show circuit. In the early 2000s, she was bigger than ever, with roles in high-powered films such as The Hours, The Devil Wears Prada, and Julie & Julia. These days, she’s still choosing interesting, unconventional roles — and she doesn’t hesitate to change up her appearance for roles, wearing prosthetics and wigs in order to dive deeper into character.

Meryl Streep opened up about plastic surgery

Streep is an unconventional beauty with a look that is all her own. Her face is part of how she makes her living, and the star doesn’t like to mess with the tools of the trade. As she revealed in an interview with Vanity Fair, Streep noted that she doesn’t utilize procedures like Botox or plastic surgery.

“If you start to do something like that, it’s very hard to stop,” Strep explained. She went on to say that for actors “to try to stop the time, to look young—it’s such a futile, absurd way to look at life in general, and it’s very detrimental to their work.”

In the end, Streep maintains disdain for performers who overdo plastic surgery, telling Vanity Fair that “When I see it in people I meet, it’s like an interruption in communication with them. It’s like a flag in front of the view, and that, for an actor, is like wearing a veil—it’s not a good thing.”

Meryl Streep takes care of her health from the inside out

Although Streep doesn’t utilize plastic surgery or Botox, she maintains her youthful glow through a solid health and wellness routine. According to Resurrect Beauty, Streep studiously avoids the sunlight and wears SPF whenever she knows that she is going to be out in the sun or working on a movie set. She also makes sure to remove her makeup every night, washing her face and applying moisturizer to keep her skin soft and supple.

Streep likes to swim in order to stay strong and healthy, and when it comes to her diet, the stunning actor keeps it clean, avoiding heavily processed foods and choosing organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible. Streep’s dedication to her work, as well as her own strict moral compass, has contributed to her longevity in Hollywood as well as her ageless appearance.