What could make Hollywood’s most decorated chameleon lose her composure on live television in Paris? A name she hadn’t spoken in decades surfaced, and the past walked into the room.
Paris studio lights, a primetime set, and Meryl Streep on the promo trail for The Devil Wears Prada 2 sit at the heart of this scene, opposite Laurent Delahousse on 20h30 le dimanche. Then a face from Alan J. Pakula’s Sophie’s Choice steps forward: Jennifer Lawn, now Jennifer Lejeune. Streep, who had long avoided revisiting that film, is suddenly overcome, tears and gratitude mingling with memories of a role built on impossible choices. After four decades that helped crown her among cinema’s most decorated, the reunion offers a rare and disarming crack in her legendary composure.
A heartwarming moment decades in the making
Some reunions arrive softly, then hit like a wave. While promoting her latest work in Paris, Meryl Streep found herself face-to-face with Jennifer Lawn, the child actress who played her daughter in the 1982 drama Sophie’s Choice. More than 4 decades had passed since filming. The surprise brought Streep to tears, and for a brief, luminous minute, time seemed to fold in on itself.
Laurent Delahousse shows Meryl Streep a message from Jennifer Lawn, the actress who played her daughter in ‘SOPHIE’S CHOICE’ pic.twitter.com/oF5wGQ4jBl
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) April 26, 2026
Meryl Streep: a career that defines excellence
With a record 21 Oscar nominations and 3 wins, Streep has shaped modern screen acting. She can turn a quiet glance into a revelation. Even so, Alan J. Pakula’s Sophie’s Choice looms as one of her most demanding achievements. Streep has said she rarely revisits it, the film’s grief still close to the surface, its choices too raw to casually rewatch.
The unexpected reunion in Paris
The encounter unfolded on April 28, 2026, during a primetime French TV interview in Paris. As Streep discussed her career and fielded questions about the much-discussed sequel, The Devil Wears Prada 2 (reported to be in development), the host introduced a surprise guest: Jennifer Lawn, now Jennifer Lejeune. It had been 43 years since their last meeting on set.
Reflections on a challenging role and reunion
Sophie Zawistowski remains one of Streep’s most haunting characters, a mother forced into an impossible choice that earned her the Best Actress Oscar. Lawn recalled how Streep’s warmth steadied the set and shaped their scenes. Streep, fighting back tears, spoke of memory’s persistence, how a role like Sophie stays with you, and how the bonds formed in that intensity can outlast entire careers.
Looking ahead for Meryl Streep
In addition to the Paris reunion, Streep continues to navigate new chapters. Conversations around The Devil Wears Prada 2 have momentum, even as formal details for the U.S. remain to be announced. Whatever comes next, the Paris moment felt clarifying: past and present meeting in a single breath, reminding us that screen legends carry not just roles, but the people who filled them.