She's got big shoes to fill! First look at Meryl Streep portraying British political activist Emmeline Pankhurst in Suffragette

By Daily Mail Repoter

PUBLISHED: 18:44 EST, 24 March 2014 | UPDATED: 18:46 EST, 24 March 2014

The last time she played an Englishwoman, she ended up with an Oscar for her portrayal of late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

So after it doing it so well before, it looks like Meryl Streep is gearing up to play another iconic female British political figure - Suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst.

The 64-year-old actress was spotted in costume for the first time as she filmed scenes for her cameo role in the upcoming film Suffragette.

Spitting image: Meryl Streep (left) is portraying political activist Emmeline Pankhurst (right) in the upcoming British film Suffragette
Spitting image: Meryl Streep (left) is portraying political activist Emmeline Pankhurst (right) in the upcoming British film Suffragette

Spitting image: Meryl Streep (left) is portraying political activist Emmeline Pankhurst (right) in the upcoming British film Suffragette

Big role: The 64-year-old actress was seen filming a scene for the film in London on Monday

Big role: The 64-year-old actress was seen filming a scene for the film in London on Monday

Parkhurst was a British political activist and leader of the suffragette movement who ultimately helped women win the right to vote.

Though she is American, Streep looked like she fitted right in to the Edwardian fashion from Emmeline's political heyday in the 1900s onwards.

The Devil Wears Prada actress donned a grey cloak with large flowy sleeves and a black collar over a black jacket with silver flower trimming and a white blouse. Fittingly dressed: Despite the fact that Streep is American, she looked comfortable in the garb of the British Victorian era

Fittingly dressed: Despite the fact that Streep is American, she looked comfortable in the English period costume

Period piece: Streep was dressed in a grey cloak with large flowy sleeves and a black collar

Period piece: Streep was dressed in a grey cloak with large flowy sleeves and a black collar

Hip headwear: Streep donned a grey-coloured hat with black feathers toward the back of the headpiece

Hip headwear: Streep donned a grey-coloured hat with black feathers toward the back of the headpiece

Over the star's curled brunette locks was a dark grey-coloured hat with black feathers peaking out from behind.

The Sophie's Choice actress seemed to be portraying the activist later on in her life as she donned make-up that gave her more wrinkles, despite the star only being five years short of the age Pankhurst passed away.

Streep appeared to be shooting a scene where she spoke from a balcony, much like Pankhurst did to address the crowd of fellow women suffragettes.

Accessorizing in the Victorian era: The actress completed the look with a pair of grey mittens, a pearl necklace, and a silver medal pinned to the collar of her coat

Accessorizing in the Victorian era: The actress completed the look with a pair of grey mittens, a pearl necklace, and a silver medal pinned to the collar of her coat

Comfortable in her costume: She also wore a black long-sleeved jacket with silver flower trimming over a white Victorian-era styled blouse

Comfortable in her costume: She also wore a black long-sleeved jacket with silver flower trimming over a white blouse

Emmeline spent decades fighting for women's suffrage, only to die just a few weeks before the British Government passed the Representation Of The People Act which extended the vote to all women over 21.

Meryl is only in the UK for two weeks to shoot her small role as Emmeline, after being convinced by the producers behind The Iron Lady, in which she portrayed Thatcher, to take part.

The movie starts Carey Mulligan as a laundress who demands equal pay to men after finding out she was being paid the third of what male workers took home.

Definitely not a ball cap: Streep made sure to adjust in order to keep the large hat on as she filmed the scene

Definitely not a ball cap: Streep made sure to adjust in order to keep the large hat on as she filmed the scene

Flashing a smile: The Hours actress seemed to be having fun despite the serious nature of the role

Flashing a smile: The Hours actress seemed to be having fun despite the serious nature of the role

Speaking about the role to the Mail's Baz Bamigboye recently, Meryl said: 'She was born in Manchester, but studied in Paris - and spoke fluent French. I don’t know whether she kept her Northern roots in her accent.

'I am as fascinated by Emmeline Pankhurst as I was by Margaret Thatcher.

'These are women who made a difference, whatever you thought of them.'

Birds of a feather: The star also made sure that the black feathers on the back of her cap were fluffed up

Birds of a feather: The star also made sure that the black feathers on the back of her cap were fluffed up

Helena Bonham Carter, Romola Garai, Anne Marie Duff and Ben Whishaw also star in the film.

The movie was written by Abi Morgan and is being directed by Sarah Gavron

Suffragette is set for a January 2015 release.

Take a bow: The film follows the women foot soldiers of the early feminist movement

Take a bow: The film follows the women foot soldiers of the early feminist movement

Emmeline Pankhurst (14 July 1858 - 14 June 1928)

  • Born Emmeline Goulden on 14 July 1858 in Manchester

  • She married Richard Pankhurst who was a lawyer and supporter of the women's suffrage movement

  • In 1889, Emmeline founded the Women's Franchise League, which fought to allow married women to vote in local elections

  • In 1903, she help found the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), an organisation that gained much notoriety for its activities and the first to be called 'suffragettes'

  • She was arrested on numerous occasions and went on hunger strike, resulting in violent force-feeding and due to this the 'Cat and Mouse Act' was passed

  • In 1918, the Representation of the People Act gave voting rights to women over 30.

  • She died on 14 June 1928, which was shortly after women were granted equal voting rights with men at the age of 21

Comments (7)

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Dot Cotton

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Yes, Pankhurst was fighting for freedom for women, Thatcher was fighting for the 'freedom' of markets to better exploit men and women.

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Pankhurst campaigned for an involuntary draft of men during World War I and those men could not vote or own property just like the women she was campaigning for. She was a hypocrite.

11
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Meryl Streep can do no wrong. I'm sure she'll be fabulous.

6
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An amazing actress, one of the best.

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Too old for the part. Why can't they simply give new people a chance. She has been good, but frankly, I am sick of seeing her

30
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I smell Oscar number 4. Love her.

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