Meryl Streep Reveals 'Beef' With Goldie Hawn on 'Death Becomes Her' Set

As per People magazine, Streep recently reflected on her long career and spoke candidly about working on the dark comedy alongside Hawn and Bruce Willis.

The film follows rivals Madeline Ashton and Helen Sharp, played by Streep and Hawn, who take a potion promising eternal youth, with Willis portraying the hapless Dr. Ernest Menville caught between them.

"Goldie, she was always late to set, but she was so adorable," Streep said in an interview, as per People magazine.

"And I'm always on time, and annoying," she joked, adding, "but she's late, and she had a red convertible, I remember. And she'd drive herself to set. And so that was probably the problem."

The actor recalled how Hawn, now 80, would arrive apologetically, winning over the crew.

"And everybody thought, 'Oh, she's so cute,' " Streep said, adding, "So, I had a beef with her, but I loved her. I love her." She added that Hawn remains "one of my buddies."

Looking back, Streep said the film has remained a fan favourite. "Over the years, we've had some laughs about that movie because people love it," she noted, adding, "I thought it was like a documentary on Beverly Hills," as quoted by People magazine.

She also had high praise for Willis, calling him "divine." "He was such a gent and so game and willing to be ridiculous. And I just thought he was wonderful," she said.

Directed by Robert Zemeckis, 'Death Becomes Her' was notable for its groundbreaking visual effects, which earned it an Academy Award. However, Streep admitted she did not enjoy that aspect of filming.

"I remember being in a green spandex suit that encompassed my whole body," she said, describing the VFX process as "a completely different animal."

She added, "Tedious is a kind of a little word for what it is. It's excruciating," as quoted by People magazine.

Despite the technical challenges, Streep said the experience on set was filled with laughter.

"We just laughed. We just had a lot of fun. And she's the best laugher in America, really," she said, as quoted by People magazine.

The film, written by Martin Donovan and David Koepp, grossed over USD 140 million worldwide and earned Streep a Golden Globe nomination, as per People magazine.

Hawn, who is currently featured as a cover star for People magazine, also reflected on the film, praising Zemeckis as a "genius."

She credited her longtime partner Kurt Russell for suggesting a key character detail.

"And then [Zemeckis] made a whole scenario that made it work. But it shows you about collaboration," she said, adding, "We like to say, 'Oh, you're the star of this movie.' Well, no movie is starring."

"Everybody's important because otherwise there is no movie," Hawn added, as quoted by People magazine.

More than three decades later, 'Death Becomes Her' continues to resonate with audiences, even inspiring a Broadway musical adaptation in 2024 starring Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard.

The production received 10 Tony Award nominations and won for best costume design in a musical.

- ANI