MERYL STREEP PREFERS THE LOW-BUDGET FILMS THAT DON'T DO ENDLESS TAKES LIKE THE BIG FILMS DO "OVER AND OVER AND OVER..." - "60 MINUTES" SUNDAY

The Actress Says the Acting is Better Now than in the Old Days, But Today the Industry Narrows the Audience

Meryl Streep doesn't like to be kept waiting on a film set. Morley Safer could tell by the 15th time she said "over" while telling him she didn't like to repeat scenes. The two-time Oscar winner and Grande Dame of American film and stage sat down with Safer for a rare interview to be broadcast on 60 MINUTES on Sunday, Dec. 18 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Watch an excerpt.

"I don't like to go over things," she tells Safer, "and over and over and over...and over and over again....I guess I have less tolerance for it. I like movies that have a little budget and so they can't do [scenes over and over]," says Streep, who has another pet peeve: films increasingly being aimed at younger, less intellectual audiences.

"That's called the narrowing of the audience," she says. "The movie business has worked very assiduously to discourage you and other intelligent, discerning people from the...movie theater. They have worked hard to get rid of you because you don't go then and buy toys and games." What's better today is the acting says Streep. "I think the acting is better than in the classic days."

In Streep's next film, "Iron Lady," she plays a classic character in Britain's famous Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. "I am in awe of what she did. The policies you can argue with, but to sit in that hot seat," she says, "I can't even imagine having that steadfastness."

Reminded by Safer that the former world leader was also self-assured and very confident that her way was the right way, Streep replies "Oh yes...I have a lot of that," she tells Safer. So was playing Thatcher typecasting? "A little bit," says Streep.