Meryl Streep has revealed that she had to brush the dust off her acting skills before she could fully dive into her role in the film, “Don't Look Up.” After going through a year of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, the legendary actress revealed that she needed some time to get back into her game.

"I found it really hard. I didn't feel funny in the lockdown," Streep admitted about stepping into the shoes of her character, President Orlean, in writer-director Adam McKay's new comedy.

The three-time Oscar-winning actress made the comments while speaking to Entertainment Weekly in an Around the Table chat Thursday with McKay, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Jonah Hill, and Tyler Perry.

“When I would come in to shoot my stuff, [I'd] get out of the car and hadn't spoken to anybody in three weeks,” Streep said. “[I'd] walk into the stadium in Worcester, put on the wig and the nails and the suit, and make a speech to all these people. I just lost it. I forgot how to act, I forgot what I was about. It sort of dismantles your humanity, to be isolated like that. But thank god for Jonah, because he kept us laughing.”

Although Streep had reservations about acting on the heels of the lockdown, her co-star Hill said she was “so rad” on set. The “21 Jump Street” actor plays Streep’s son in the film, and they appeared together in front of the camera for a number of scenes, New York Post reported.

"I had so much fun," Hill said, adding: "Once we were in that Oval Office it was so cool, because it was a bunch of people I either know really well and/or deeply respect. It was like, oh my god, we can joke around together. Meryl was so rad, not because of your stature in your art, but because of how fun and funny you were in the pocket of this character."

DiCaprio, who also stars in the comedy, spoke about what it was like to see Streep and Hill in the same room.

“I haven’t worked with Meryl since I was 18-years-old, and she had this incredible monologue, so to witness her mastery as an actor was a real gift. And then putting her in a room with Jonah Hill, who I’ve worked with and see as one of the greatest improvisational actors in the world, was inspiring,” DiCaprio said in a press release that was put out last month.

“They nailed their characters and portrayed them as completely unhinged, undependable leaders, which was a huge motivation for Jen and I for the rest of the film. It was amazing to be reunited with both of them,” he added.

Currently, “Don't Look Up” is running in theatres and will be available for streaming on Netflix from Dec. 24. The movie features a star-studded cast that also includes Timothée Chalamet, Cate Blanchett and Ariana Grande.

Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep at the AFI Awards January 9. The actress was involved in a North Korea skit at the 2015 Golden Globes Sunday. Reuters
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