Hollywood is not the place you think of first when it comes to stories of true love or long-lasting romantic relationships. But just like in her professional life, famed thespian Meryl Streep bucked the trend with her real-life relationship with the late actor John Cazale. The relationship even made the fastidious Streep break her own rule of doing a role purely for the sake of money.
When Meryl Streep Met John Cazale
Cazale was a rising star in Hollywood when he first made Streep’s acquaintance thanks to their joint work in a 1976 stage production of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure. Streep was in her 20s, while Cazale was 14 years older and making a name for himself with prominent roles in The Godfather and its sequel, The Conversation, and Dog Day Afternoon.
The couple were head-over-heels in love, but tragedy struck when Cazale was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Bereft of funds and with mounting medical bills, Meryl Streep did something she would normally never do as a serious actress with a reputation for putting art above commerce.
The Most Difficult Role Meryl Streep Ever Did
She accepted a role in an NBC miniseries titled Holocaust. For the role, Streep had to move to Austria to shoot the series, leaving her in constant agonizing worry for Cazale, who had to undergo treatment for his illness without Streep by his side.
Meryl Streep has since cited the role in Holocaust as one of the most difficult of her career. Not because of the character’s demands, but because it was so hard for her to maintain a professional demeanor on set when she was constantly worried about Cazale and his lonely fight for survival back in America.
Indeed, Streep turned down her first PrimeTime Emmy award for Holocaust as a matter of principle, explaining in an interview,
“I did it for the money. I needed it very badly, and I make no bones about that.”
At long last, Streep was able to wrap the shoot for Holocaust and return to take care of Cazale in his worsening condition.
The Final Days Of John Cazale With Meryl Streep
In 1978 John Cazale was shifted to a hospital for a final round of treatments, where Streep stayed devoutly by his side. Al Pacino, who was a friend of both Cazale and Streep, remarked on the actress’ devotion to her partner in an interview.
“I’ve hardly ever seen a person so devoted to someone who is falling away like John was. To see her in that act of love for this man was overwhelming.”
Despite their best efforts, John Cazale passed away due to his illness at the age of 42, a few months before the release of his final movie The Deer Hunter, also starring Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken, and Robert De Niro. The film was a success at the box office and was met with universal acclaim, today considered one of the best movies ever made.
Despite the heartache of the relationship, Meryl Streep was able to move on professionally and personally. She met and married sculptor Don Gummer less than a year after Cazale’s death, with the duo raising four children together.
The Deer Hunter is now available for streaming on AppleTV+.
