Meryl Streep is calling on U.S. President Donald Trump's wife and daughter to join the growing movement raising awareness about sexual harassment and misconduct.
Streep was attacked and accused of turning a blind eye to disgraced film boss Harvey Weinstein's alleged actions as she made movies like The Iron Lady with him, but the Oscar winner fired back, insisting she had no idea about his bad behaviour.
And now she insists those keen to make her part of the problem should turn their attention to Melania and Ivanka Trump - the women closest to President Trump, who is also facing multiple accusations of inappropriate behaviour.
"I don't want to hear about the silence of me," Meryl tells the New York Times. "I want to hear about the silence of Melania Trump. I want to hear from her. She has so much that's valuable to say. And so does Ivanka. I want her to speak now."
Streep explains when she first heard about the allegations against Weinstein she waited to comment, because she wanted to take time to think and choose her words carefully.
"I found out about this on a Friday and went home deep into my own life," she says. "And then somebody told me that on (U.S. news show) Morning Joe they were screaming that I haven't responded yet.
"I don't have a Twitter thing (account) or handle, whatever. And I don't have Facebook. I really had to think. Because it really underlined my own sense of cluelessness, and also how evil, deeply evil, and duplicitous, a person he was, yet such a champion of really great work."
Confessing she is still shocked by the list of Hollywood and TV power players who have been accused of sexual misconduct in the weeks following the New York Times' Weinstein expose in early October (17), Streep adds, "You think you know everything about everybody... You don't know anything... Some of my favourite people have been brought down by this."
