Lessons from a Legend

Uma Thurman stars with screen legend Meryl Streep in the new romantic comedy Prime. In the film, Uma plays Rafi, a recently divorced career woman who's sharp, successful and sexy—but so far, unlucky in love. Rafi's rock is her therapist, Lisa (Streep), a woman with whom Rafi shares everything. When Rafi starts dating an attentive and charming new man, her life seems to take an unexpected and pleasant turn. The only problem... the 14-year age difference! To complicate things even further, Rafi's new beau turns out to be her therapist's son!

In Prime, Uma's character turns to Meryl for some answers about life. Now, Uma gets that chance for real! "I think that I played it pretty cool when we worked together," Uma says before their interview. "But she's probably about to see what a huge, horrible, geeky fan, obsessed, passionate admirer of her work I've been all my life. She's an icon. She's a legend."

With her Legends Ball, Oprah honored 25 women whose inspiring lives and careers make them living legends. In that same spirit, Uma's going on assignment for the Oprah Show to interview her personal living legend and Prime co-star, Meryl Streep.

Considered by many to be the greatest living film actress, Meryl Streep has performed in over 50 films. She's also a two-time Oscar® winner and has been nominated for the Academy Award an astonishing 13 times! A perfectionist in her craft, Meryl gave highly acclaimed performances in great films like Sophie's Choice (1982), Out of Africa (1985) and The Bridges of Madison County (1995).

In Lady Mendel’s Tea Salon at the Inn at Irving Place in New York, Uma and Meryl meet for tea and talk about what it means to be a legend.

Uma: What does it feel like to be a legend? Does that feel real to you?

Meryl: No, it doesn't. It doesn't mean anything. I can't feel that. It doesn't land.

Uma: Does accomplishment give you comfort? Are you proud of what you've achieved?

Meryl: Secretly, when I go back ... if there's something on TV, an old movie...I hadn't seen Plenty in about 20 years, and I just saw a bit of it. I thought it was really good this time. And I don't think I could see that 20 years ago. That was very satisfying.

With both actresses filling the roles of mother—Meryl Streep has four children; Uma herself is a mother of two— and leading lady, the pair had a lot to discuss about finding a balance between family and career.

Uma: Did you go through this anxiety of feeling like by wanting a family that you were going to risk your career?

Meryl: Yes. When I was a young actress, we dealt with the legacy of Katherine Hepburn who said, famously, "You can do one or the other. You can't do both." It came to my mind when I was a young actress. When I found out I was pregnant, I thought, "Now I'll never be like Katherine Hepburn!" Well, no. But I have a perfectly good life. And thank God I have my children. My God, it's everything. But it's not without compromise or it's not without mess...but I like mess."

Uma: Did you take your children with you when they were little?

Meryl: Yes, I found they're very portable when they're little and they don't get much of a vote on where we live, which is good. My son was in so many schools before he was in the third grade and then we just stopped all that world traveling and shot things closer.

Uma: I've managed to work [near] home for two years. But it's that weird thing suddenly wondering, "Can it work this way?" It's scary.

Meryl: It is scary. But time away is time away. The great central question in every working woman is: Is time away killing my children on a psychological level? Or is it building independence and a person who values work and what people do?

Uma says she's often felt conflicted over working and raising her children, but questions why the perceptions imposed on children about working mothers are often negative. Instead, she offers an alternative: "How about: 'I'm really lucky. My mom has a job. My mom has a skill set. My mom has a contribution to make.' It doesn't take away from dedicating yourself to being a homemaker."

"We live in a world that gives you the choice," Oprah says. "I think life is about fulfilling your whole self, not just a part of yourself. I think we need to start to honor that [choice] instead of making that the negative. ... We as women dishonor ourselves because we make one or the other bad."

At the end of their afternoon tea, Uma asked Meryl one of Oprah's favorite questions: What do you know for sure?

"I know life is short and I'm a lucky woman. I think that you find your own way. You have your own rules. You have your own understanding of yourself, and that's what you're going to count on. In the end, it's what feels right to you. Not what your mother told you. Not what some actress told you. Not what anybody else told you but the still, small voice. ... Beyond that, I don't know. And it's the not knowing that's the good part. To me, mystery is the most beautiful thing—the fact that you can't figure it out—that's it for me. That's for sure."