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    1. Culture

    Robert De Niro sent Meryl Streep the sweetest letter after *that* Golden Globes speech

    ‘I have so much respect for you’

    Jenny Proudfoot's avatar
    By Jenny Proudfoot
    Published 13 January 2017 In Features

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    Robert De Niro letter
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    ‘I have so much respect for you’

    When Meryl Streep was honoured with the prestigious Cecil B. DeMille Award last week at the 74th Golden Globes, she took her moment on stage to address President-Elect Donald Trump.

    ‘There was one performance this year that stunned me; it sank its hooks in my heart, not because it was good. There was nothing good about it. But it was effective and it did its job—it made its intended audience laugh and show their teeth.’

    She referenced Trump’s public mocking of a disabled reporter in particular, announcing that it broke her heart when she saw it earlier this year and that it stuck with her because ‘it wasn’t in a movie; it was real life.’

    She continued: ‘This instinct to humiliate, when it’s modeled by someone in the public platform, by someone powerful, filters down into everybody’s life, because it kind of gives permission for other people to do the same thing. Disrespect invites disrespect, violence incites violence. When the powerful use their position to bully others, we all lose.’

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    Her powerful speech was met by an overwhelmingly positive response, with the Golden Globes audience giving her a standing ovation. Unsurprisingly, Donald Trump was not so thrilled, quick to call her ‘a Hillary flunky who lost big’, and label her ‘one of the most overrated actresses in Hollywood.’

    A host of A-list stars have rallied around Meryl since her speech, with her old friend, and four time co-star Robert De Niro, sending her a letter of support.

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    Robert De Niro letter

    ‘Meryl’, the letter read, ‘What you said was great. It needed to be said, and you said it beautifully. I have so much respect for you that you did it while the world was celebrating your achievements.’

    He continued: ‘I share your sentiments about punks and bullies. Enough is enough. You, with your elegance and intelligence, have a powerful voice – one that inspires others to speak up as they should so their voices will be heard too. It is so important that we ALL speak up.’ He signed off the letter, ‘We love you, Bob’.

    The Oscar winner and 2011 Cecil B. DeMille Award recipient, has previously spoken out about his feelings for the President Elect, voicing his thoughts in a viral pre-election video.

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    ‘He’s a punk, he’s a dog, he’s a pig, he’s a con, a bullshit artist. A mutt who doesn’t know what he’s talking about, doesn’t do his homework, doesn’t care, thinks he’s gaming society, doesn’t pay his taxes’, De Niro said in the #VoteYourFuture commercial,

    ‘He talks about how he’d like to punch people in the face. Well, I’d like to punch him in the face.’

    Taking on Meryl Streep AND Robert De Niro…? Dangerous move, Donald Trump.

    Jenny Proudfoot
    Jenny Proudfoot
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    Contributing Features Editor

    Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. After working at Marie Claire UK for seven years - rising from intern to Features Editor - she is now a freelance contributor to the News and Features section.

    In 2021, Jenny was named as a winner on the PPA's '30 under 30' list, and was also listed as a rising star in journalism.

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