Every Best Actress Oscar Movie Winner Of The 21st Century Ranked
21. Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady (2011)
Who should have won: Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Meryl Streep is almost unanimously agreed to be one of the finest actresses of all time, and for many obvious reasons, but that's exactly what makes her third Oscar win for playing late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher so frustrating.
As the UK's first female PM, caught in the later years of her controversial political career, Streep does a fantastic impression but never digs any deeper than getting the voice right and embracing an authentic wardrobe. Like The Iron Lady itself, Streep is merely okay, but lacks the depth needed to explore such a powerful figure.
Considering all the nominations she'd had since her last win in 1982, it's hard to see Streep's win as nothing more than long overdue pity, which is especially irritating given she beat Rooney Mara's career-best work in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.