Picture:Getty Are relationships and divorce always complicated? I dont know what divorce is like from the inside but I have friends who retain feelings for their exes, even in the most vitriolic circumstances. I think about the audience for this film as being like kids because, like kids, we all like to see people getting back together. We dont like unhappy endings. What is the secret of your own happy marriage (shes married to sculptor Don Gummer)? I have no idea (laughs). Think being married to an actor is hard? Try being married to an artist. But my husband does understand the deal: the serial fixation actors have with their work. It would be different if I were married to a lawyer or someone less freelance. Artists wrangle their passions to make a living. I never have to say: Its not you, Im just thinking about this film now and and lots of children [Streep and Gummer have four]. That is it. You have to be able to step back because you are not No.1, so when everybody talks about youre the greatest this or that, in my own life I know where I am and Im happy to be there with all the love I am given. But Im not the star of the world and thats a better way of being. What was the most enjoyable scene to film? There is one scene where we are stoned. It was all imagination but I liked pretending to be stoned because it was fun. We came into work and we all had to do stupid things to make the other person laugh. It was heaven. Worried about losing her looks, Jane considers a nip and tuck. What are your views? To each his own. I really understand the chagrin that accompanies ageing, especially for a woman, but I think its driving me crazy. Because often it is the same for him. Jane, your Its Complicated character, goes to a shrink for help. Who do you turn to? Life gave me two great sisters-in-law who are like sisters, so I go to them. I have girl friends from college Im close to who I see twice a year. We travel to some horrible retreat and analyse each other. It sounds awful, but its great. Do married women take care of everyone else first? It varies from culture to culture, class to class and within families. In general women do defer. This is why box office statistics say women choose which film to see. And recently they chose 2012. I want to say, Yes they chose 2012 because they know he wont go to Bright Star with them. You go to 2012 with him and you rent Bright Star (a romantic drama) with your girl friend. This is why the box office is skewed. Do you have to put the family first even when you are a leading movie star? I feel like I have always made many, many accommodations to everybodys needs as well as my own and that, if you want, is the real secret to a long and happy marriage people look funny when they freeze their faces. In Los Angeles theres a lot of that. I pick up on the part that doesnt move on a face; Im immediately drawn to it and that is the opposite of what youre intending, you pull focus to the area thats been worked on. Whats it like being in so many recent box office hits Mamma Mia!, Julie & Julia... Ive made other films I thought were just as great but they werent supported in the same way. Im not a producer so Im not jumping up and down about box office grosses. It does mean there is more likelihood that someone my age can get a film made, distributed widely and promoted. But it doesnt feel any different; I dont love them more than other things I poured myself into. Have you ever been star struck? I went to the White House for an awards ceremony and was star struck by our president and the first lady and Bruce Springsteen. Would you like to direct? No I have never thought of it because it takes too much time. It doesnt stop at 6pm. I like to have a life. In my own life, I know where I am and Im happy to be there. I am not the star of the world and thats a better way of being With two Oscars, Meryl Streep, 60, is widely regarded as the worlds greatest actress. In her latest film, she stars as a divorcee having an affair with her ex (Alec Baldwin) while dating her architect (Steve Martin). Rom-com Its Complicated opens today :60second interview Interview by Elaine Lipworth D Thursday, January 7, 2010 metrolife 17 Meryl Streep index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html