Is Meryl Streep INTP?

[Economica]

Or is she perhaps an INFJ... or something else entirely?

On Letterman (6 minutes)
With Devil Wears Prada costars (8 minutes)

Her type has been discussed elsewhere...

From the Famous living INTP women thread:

Originally Posted by Fortunato

All right, I watched the David Letterman interview.

• She threw the terms "objective" vs "subjective" into the conversation unexpectedly -- totally caught me by surprise, it was clear she actively thinks in those terms inwardly, it was part of her "personal language." I usually do not hear the words used outside of this board so freely.
  
• Had some very sharp humor... a little forced in spots and stilted, as if she had rehearsed the joke mentally ahead of time, but usually dry and funny when she was impromptu. Even straight-faced a few jokes convincingly.
  
• Used hands a lot to complement her comments, to give physical space to what she was describing, as if imagining the scene unfolding or visualizing the object in front of her. Non-visualizing hand movements otherwise involved regularly only hand twirls (a lot of them).
  
• Laughed at the appropriate times, and seemed to want to be in an open, "laughing" mode. I felt her body language was that of an open introvert... i.e., she was a little nervous, but was trying to communicate her willingness to be open and have fun.
  
• Lookswise, she was pretty, but nothing really "daring" per se... or no odd combinations or bold statements. Seemed to be simple and straightforward, while feminine.

To be honest, I have never met a female INTP in RL... so I have no body language repository to draw upon. The males are either stiff (unsure of how to hold their body), or else relaxed and easy-going. I did recognize a lot of Meryl's body movements in myself, when I'm wanting to be open and easy-going... especially that whole "leaning over thing" where she about collapsed when she was laughing in the chair. I do exactly the same thing... almost like I'm trying too hard to convey that I found something funny, or maybe that I haven't yet learned to express emotion physically in a nuanced way (it's usually either all or nothing).

She's not INTJ... too free and relaxed for that. Nor did she feel as "soft" as INFP.

That leaves me with INFJ vs INTP -- there is a stiffness to her, yet also a fluidity. Since I felt like she was exuding "P" behavior/attitude, any stiffness would have to come from T.

So I think it's plausible she is INTP -- but she is balanced in her functions. Her Ti is not *larger* than her Ne (they're close to equal), and I think she's developed some of her F functions as well, to round herself out as an actress.

Originally Posted by Economica

Thank you for your insightful analysis. I appreciate your arguments and of course am in complete agreement. Perhaps I can clinch the TP/FJ thing with this quote:

(On her role in The Manchurian Candidate) "I loved being someone so certain. Because certainty is just so attractive in people. To me, it's a completely bogus position - for me. Because, you know, I'm listening to every side. But it's so nice not to have to listen to all the different sides. To be so clear and on your track and sure. It's a fabulous thing. Unfortunately, it leads to fanaticism."

From the Edward Norton thread:

Originally Posted by meanlittlechimp

Meryl Streep, I'll have to find out more, but I haven't seen anything to indicate her being an INTP except being listed on a few sites as one. I've read a few things on her since this thread, and am not convinced yet. She seems to have a need for recognition that I don't think INTPs have (based on her interviews). Do the people here who think she's an INTP have any arguments for this, besides, she's smart?

... Quoting myself above, I realize I may have read way too much into the Manchurian Candidate quote. I'm used to thinking of INXJs as opinionated to a fault () but I probably shouldn't write off the INFJ typing on uncertainty/openness alone.

Actually, as I write this, I'm starting to lean toward the INFJ typing for Meryl Streep as well. ('As well' because I've begun to think the same about Edward Norton.)

What say you?

[_idiosyncracies]

She's really smart - what she says in interviews are really insightful. But she doesn't strike me really as an INTP because she's far too warm and graceful; she's very openly affectionate and emotionally intelligent. But perhaps she's a mature INTP?

[Economica]

Originally Posted by _idiosyncracies

She's really smart - what she says in interviews are really insightful. But she doesn't strike me really as an INTP because she's far too warm and graceful; she's very openly affectionate and emotionally intelligent. But perhaps she's a mature INTP?

Since I posted this thread, FineLine has made a persuasive case for her being... an ESTP!

[Jennifer]

Originally Posted by Economica

Since I posted this thread, FineLine has made a persuasive case for her being... an ESTP!

I am in blunt mode today: Isn't this topic dead yet?

I feel like people are analyzing the brush strokes, pigment colors, carbon and gas emissions, and a host of disconnected details and constructing elaborate philosophies of what they all could mean and what the picture might actually be... while meanwhile everyone could just step back and look at the picture itself (instead of reducing it to particles) and suddenly realize, "Hey, it's the Mona Lisa."

Likewise, if your data is all rounded off or estimated or only partial, you can't use it to do extensive data analysis, you can only use it to draw broad conclusions. The level of detail some of these readings go into can really only be done accurately by those in proximity to the person.

[Economica]

Originally Posted by Jennifer

I am in blunt mode today: Isn't this topic dead yet?

I didn't resurrect the thread; I merely responded to _idiosyncracies' post - partly in order to close the thread again.