Meryl Streep is one of the most versatile actresses in Hollywood, but she too underwent a struggling phase like many other actresses before landing her first film role. She made her feature film debut alongside Jane Fonda in the 1977 film Julia. However, The Devil Wears Prada actress faced a particularly horrible experience when she auditioned for the lead role in the 1976 film King Kong.
Popular Hollywood producer, Dino De Laurentiis, insulted Streep after his son, Frederico De Laurentiis, invited her to audition for the role. Undeterred, Streep delivered a perfect comeback to the producer before exiting the audition.
Meryl Streep Had The Perfect Reply For The Producer Who Called Her ‘Ugly’
Meryl Streep was a Broadway actress before she ventured into films. Inspired by Robert De Niro’s Taxi Driver, Streep decided to try her hand at film auditions. Frederico De Laurentiis attended one of her Broadway plays and was very impressed with her acting talent. He invited her to audition for the lead role in King Kong, a remake of the 1933 film.
De Laurentiis Jr. served as an executive producer in the film, which was produced by his father, Dino De Laurentiis. The Mamma Mia! actress had one of the most horrible audition experiences with the producer. She recalled the audition when she appeared on The Graham Norton Show. Streep detailed the audition, which took place on the top floor of the Gulf and Western building in Manhattan.
When she walked in, both the father and son were sitting in their office. De Laurentiis Jr. was excited about bringing in a talented actress for the audition, but the Italian producer was not at all happy. He turned to his son and uttered in Italian, “Che brutta”. Unbeknownst to the producer, Streep understood Italian and realized that the producer had called her “ugly”. Streep shared on The Graham Norton Show:
“I walked in, and [Dino De Laurentiis’s] son was sitting there, very excited that he had brought in this new actress and the father said to his son — in Italian, because I understand Italian — he said ‘Che brutta?’, you know, ‘Why you bring me this ugly thing?’”
While Streep admitted to Graham Norton and fellow guests, Mark Ruffalo and James McAvoy, that the experience was “pretty sobering” for a young actress. However, she did give a Miranda Priestly-style reply to the producer in Italian, stating, “I understand what you’re saying. I am sorry I am not beautiful enough to be in King Kong.” Dino De Laurentiis should have known better than to underestimate Meryl Streep.
The King Kong Role Ultimately Went To Another New Actress
Dino De Laurentiis was looking for an innocent face to portray a damsel-in-distress in King Kong. After rejecting Meryl Streep, the role was proposed to Barbra Streisand who turned down the role. Goldie Hawn was also another contender for the role. But eventually, Jessica Lange, who was a model at the time, landed the lead role.
While the film achieved modest success and became the fifth highest-grossing film of the year, critics were largely critical of both the film and Lange’s performance. However, some critics gave her credit for pulling off a decent performance, despite her lack of prior acting experience. Lange received a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year in 1976.
King Kong (1976) is now available for streaming on Paramount+.
