Meryl Streep Stunned After Receiving Emotional Video Message From Actress Who Played Her Daughter In 'Sophie's Choice'

Some roles never really leave an actor. For Meryl Streep, one of them resurfaced in a deeply personal and completely unexpected way. The three-time Oscar winner was visibly moved during a recent appearance on the French news program Journal de 20 heures, where she sat down alongside Stanley Tucci to promote The Devil Wears Prada 2.

At the end of the interview, host Laurent Delahousse handed Streep a tablet. As the camera lingered on her face, her expression changed from polite curiosity to shock.

On screen was Jennifer Lejeune, formerly credited as Jennifer Lawn, reflecting on her time filming Sophie’s Choice and her bond with Streep:

"Amazing how it stays with you. I even told my mother that [Streep] was my favorite mother, because Meryl Streep was always nice to me and playing with me."

Lejeune was just 4 when she played Eva, the young daughter of Streep’s character in the 1982 drama. It was her first and only acting role, but the bond she formed with Streep clearly never faded.

As the message continued, Streep appeared increasingly overcome, lifting a hand to her chest and tilting her head back in disbelief as the realization of who she was watching set in.

Lejeune concluded by recalling the emotional intensity of filming one of the film’s most devastating scenes:

"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.”

Turning to Delahousse, Streep asked in astonishment, “That's the child?” When the host confirmed that it was indeed Lejeune, all grown up and living in Paris, Streep responded emotionally, "Oh my God, that's amazing."

Moments later, still processing the surprise, she thanked Delahousse for the gesture:

"Well, that's amazing. That's very beautiful, thank you for that. What a gift. Journalists never give me gifts!"

You can view the emotional interview below:

Adapted from William Styron’s 1979 novel, Sophie’s Choice remains one of the most devastating films of Streep’s career. Set in postwar Brooklyn, the story follows Sophie, a Polish immigrant haunted by an unthinkable decision she was forced to make at Auschwitz.

At the center of that story is one of the most searing scenes in modern cinema, when Sophie is forced to choose which of her two children will live. The moment hinges on the bond between mother and child, making Lejeune’s performance essential to its emotional impact.

That connection, as Lejeune later recalled, was very real.

In a 2014 Blu-ray commentary, she described filming the tear-filled separation scene, which ultimately required multiple takes:

"I totally thought it was the end of the world. Absolutely. People tried to explain it to me, but I had such a bond with Meryl, so I think I got into the whole emotional part of it. Just as she was getting more emotional and scared, so was I."

Decades later, that connection came rushing back and bridged one of the most emotionally demanding roles of Streep’s career with the present day.

The clip quickly spread online, with viewers revisiting the film’s legacy and reacting to the reunion:

Streep is currently stepping back into the red-bottom heels and sunglasses of one of her most iconic roles. In The Devil Wears Prada 2, she reprises her role as Miranda Priestly, the formidable editor-in-chief of Runway magazine, as she navigates a rapidly changing media landscape. The sequel reunites her with Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci, and Emily Blunt.

The film premieres this Friday, and the trailer offers a first look at the highly anticipated sequel:

- YouTube 20th Century Studios