Meryl Streep has offered a rare glimpse into her day-to-day life as a grandmother of six during a joint interview with Anna Wintour.
Streep has recently stepped back into the role of Miranda Priestly for The Devil Wears Prada 2, which is due to arrive in theaters next month.
The first movie premiered two decades ago and has long been rumored to draw inspiration from what it was like working at Vogue under Wintour. Wintour left her editor-in-chief position last year, closing out 37 years in one of fashion’s most scrutinized jobs.
Director Greta Gerwig (best known for 2023’s Barbie) sat down with both women for Vogue and steered the conversation toward family—especially what it’s like being a grandmother while maintaining a demanding career.
“How does being a grandmother balance with work?”
“It’s just grabbing seconds, just grabbing everything you can of them, with the knowledge of how completely fleeting it all is and how rapidly time goes. This is what my mother said to me, and I said, ‘Yeah, yeah.’ It’s the longest, shortest time. And you can’t get anything back. So take as much as you can…. I find it divine.”
Streep went on to explain that her grandparenting world is currently full-on, with little ones at a whole range of early ages.
“I have six grandchildren, six under six. They’re six, five, four, three, two, and one. I hope we’re not done, but we’ll see. I can’t even talk about how much it means to me that my kids give me as much time as they do with their kids.
“The only thing is that they’re on two coasts, so I’m in the airplane a lot.”
She also joked that, depending on who you ask, she may be a little too present in her grandchildren’s lives.
Streep is the mother of four: Henry Wolfe Gummer, Mamie Gummer, Grace Gummer, and Louisa Jacobson (born Louisa Gummer, later using a different surname due to Screen Actors Guild naming rules and an existing performer with the name Louisa Gummer).
The award-winning actor shares her children with sculptor Don Gummer. The pair separated privately some time ago, though the split only became public in 2023, and they are reportedly in the process of divorcing.
Wintour also spoke about her own family, noting her role as a grandmother to four grandchildren, along with four step-grandchildren, who she said were a constant presence as they grew up.
“I try to instil in my children and my grandchildren that it’s family that counts and family who will give you love and support,” said the 76-year-old. “If you have that, everything else will be fine.”
She added that family traditions are a major theme in their household, with celebrations and shared routines helping keep everyone close.
“We love to celebrate birthdays and weddings; traditions are important—we’re English, so we constantly play games and stage countless tennis tournaments—and we try to take care of each other through thick and thin.”