Full Breakdown
Meryl Streep’s Emotional Reunion with Her On-Screen Daughter from “Sophie’s Choice”
4/28/2026, 10:24:14 PM
The On-Air Moment: Streep’s Reaction to a 44-Year-Old Clip
On April 24, during an interview on the French news program *Journal de 20 heures*, Meryl Streep was shown a video of Jennifer Lejeune, who played her daughter Eva in the 1982 film *Sophie’s Choice*. Streep teared up, asked “That’s the child?” and exclaimed “Oh my God, that’s amazing.” The clip prompted a shared emotional response with co-star Stanley Tucci.
Background & Context: The Film’s Origin and Legacy
*Sophie's Choice* premiered in 1982 as Alan J. Pakula’s adaptation of William Styron’s 1979 novel. Streep’s portrayal of Zofia “Sophie” Zawistowska earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe in the drama category. Lejeune was four years old when she filmed the harrowing scene in which Sophie must choose between her children, a moment that has become a defining element of the film’s depiction of Holocaust trauma.
Key Participants & Groups
- Meryl Streep – three-time Oscar-winning actress, lead of *Sophie’s Choice*.
- Jennifer Lejeune (formerly Jennifer Lawn) – child actress who played Eva Zawistowska.
- Stanley Tucci – co-star present during the French interview, later reunited with Streep in *The Devil Wears Prada 2*.
- Alan J. Pakula – director of the original film.
- Kevin Kline and Peter MacNicol – featured in the 1982 production.
Quantitative Highlights
- 44 years elapsed between the original release of *Sophie’s Choice* and the 2024 interview.
- Streep was 76 years old at the time of the interview.
- The original film’s awards: 1 Academy Award (Best Actress) and 1 Golden Globe (Best Actress – Drama).
Why the Moment Matters
The reaction illustrates the lasting personal impact of a performance that required intense emotional bonding between adult lead and child actor. Revisiting historic cinema can evoke genuine affective responses from veteran performers, underscoring the film’s cultural resonance, especially regarding its depiction of Holocaust trauma.
Official Statements & Responses
Streep described the video as “a gift” and noted that journalists rarely present such personal surprises. Lejeune characterized Streep as “always nice” on set and credited their early bond for the powerful emotional reaction she experienced during filming. Both actors emphasized the significance of the on-screen mother-daughter relationship in shaping the film’s emotional core.
Criticism & Opposition
No dissenting commentary was presented in the available sources.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Meryl Streep was always nice to me and playing with me,” — Jennifer Lejeune, actress.
- “That's the child?” — Meryl Streep, actress.
- “Oh my God, that's amazing.” — Meryl Streep, actress.
- “What a gift. Journalists never give me gifts!” — Meryl Streep, actress.
- “I think if she wasn't able to build that bond with me, there's no way we would ever have had that kind of reaction on set,” — Jennifer Lejeune, actress.
What’s Next
Streep appears in *The Devil Wears Prada 2*, which opened in U.S. theaters on Friday, marking a reunion with Stanley Tucci, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt twenty years after the 2006 original hit.
