Meryl Streep Rejoins the Elite Oscar Club This Year

A few days ago, I wrote a post in which I noted that George Clooney (thanks to his best actor Oscar nomination last month for "The Descendants") is now a member of an elite club of men who have scored three or more best actor Oscar nominations within a span of just five years -- and that the majority of them wound up winning at least once during their streaks -- something that Clooney has yet to do, but hopes to do on February 26.

What I neglected to realize at the time was that Clooney is not the only one of this year's acting Oscar nominees who has been nominated at least three times since the 2007-2008 awards season, but it turns out Meryl Streep has accomplished the same feat.

Thanks to Streep's best actress Oscar nomination last month for "The Iron Lady," she is now a member of a comparably exclusive club of women who have scored three or more best actress Oscar noms within a span of just five years!

Whereas Clooney brought the male total to 16 men and 18 streaks (Spencer Tracy and Jack Lemmon had two each), Streep brings the female total to 20 women and 23 streaks. Most amazingly, this is her fourth such streak -- no other female has more than one. But, she has won a best actress Oscar only once and that was 29 years ago.

Although Streep lost this year's best actress SAG Award to Viola Davis ("The Help"), and although seven of the last 10 winners of that prize went on to repeat at the Oscars, she can take heart from the fact that 14 of the 19 other women's streaks produced at least one statuette (three produced two) -- five for the third film in the streak (as would also be the case for Streep).

– The Hollywood Reporter