In an emotional speech that was by turns tearful, defiant and humorous, Meryl Streep doubled down on her harsh criticism of Donald Trump, and spoke of having become a target since she first took him on in her Golden Globes speech in January.
Addressing a cheering audience at a fundraising gala for the Human Rights Campaign, a national LGBT group, on Saturday night, Streep referred to Trump’s tweet after her Globes speech, in which he called the celebrated actress “overrated”.
“Yes, I am the most overrated, over-decorated and currently, I am the most over-berated actress … of my generation,” she said, to laughs.
She noted that she wished she could simply stay home “and load the dishwasher” rather than take a podium to speak out – but said “the weight of all these honors” compelled her to speak out.
“It’s terrifying to put the target on your forehead,” she said. “And it sets you up for all sorts of attacks and armies of brownshirts and bots and worse, and the only way you can do it is if you feel you have to. You have to! You don’t have an option. You have to.”