Promotional interviews rarely offer such moments. While appearing on France 2 to promote "The Devil Wears Prada 2," American actress Meryl Streep was taken by surprise and deeply moved. It happened during the program "20h30 le dimanche," hosted by Laurent Delahousse. In the middle of the interview, a tablet was handed to her, a video started playing—and everything changed.
Recognition, then tears
Jennifer Lawn Lejeune, who played Eva Zawistowska, Meryl Streep's daughter in the 1982 film "Sophie's Choice," appeared on screen. In her message, she spoke of their bond on set with disarming sincerity: "It's incredible how it stays with you. I even told my mom she was my favorite mom because Meryl Streep was always kind to me and played with me." Jennifer Lawn Lejeune added that this connection was essential to the film: without it, the most intense scenes could never have achieved such emotional power.
Meryl Streep initially seemed to be trying to identify the woman on screen. Then, when Jennifer Lawn Lejeune's identity was confirmed, her face changed. Visibly moved, she asked, "Is that the little girl?" Before adding, her eyes shining, "Oh my God, this is incredible." She then turned to Laurent Delahousse to ask him where his team had found Jennifer—who, he replied simply, now lives in Paris.
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"Journalists never give me any breaks."
Meryl Streep thanked the team with genuine emotion: "It's very beautiful. What a gift. Journalists never give me gifts." A statement that speaks volumes about the rarity of such moments of authentic surprise in the promotional circuit, where everything is usually meticulously orchestrated.
"Sophie's Choice," a role that doesn't fade away
"Sophie's Choice," released in 1982 and directed by Alan J. Pakula, tells the story of a woman forced to make an impossible choice under the Nazi regime. The role earned Meryl Streep the Academy Award for Best Actress. Forty-four years later, the emotion of seeing her again—even on screen—ultimately proves that some film shoots leave their mark far beyond the cinema.
By rediscovering this face from her past, Meryl Streep offered a rare and heartfelt moment on television. Far removed from scripted interviews, this segment served as a reminder that behind cinematic icons lie enduring memories, human connections, and emotions that transcend decades. A moving interlude, proof that some encounters never truly leave those who experienced them.
