5 Devastating Facts About Meryl Streep And John Cazale's Tragic Love Story

The enduring legend of Meryl Streep’s rise to Hollywood royalty is often intertwined with a devastating, two-year love story that shaped her entire career. In the mid-1970s, before she became a household name and the most nominated actor in Academy Award history, Streep was a young, ambitious stage actress who fell deeply in love with one of the greatest—and most underrated—character actors of the era, John Cazale. This powerful, but tragically short, relationship remains one of the most poignant tales in Hollywood history, a testament to profound devotion found in the face of insurmountable loss. As of December 2025, the story continues to be revisited as a cornerstone of Streep’s personal and professional foundation, revealing the depth of her character and the impact of her first great love.

Their bond, forged in the intense world of New York theater, was cut short by a brutal illness, leaving an indelible mark on Streep’s life and pushing her to a level of emotional artistry that would define her career. The details of their final months together reveal an extraordinary commitment, including a dramatic sacrifice made by a co-star to ensure Cazale's final performance could be completed.

The Complete Biography and Film Profile of Meryl Streep and John Cazale

To fully appreciate the gravity of their relationship, it is essential to understand who these two titans of the stage and screen were at the time they met.

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John Cazale: The Underrated Icon

• Full Name: John Holland Cazale
• Born: August 12, 1935, in Revere, Massachusetts
• Died: March 13, 1978, in New York City (aged 42)
• Cause of Death: Lung Cancer
• Unique Film Record: Cazale appeared in only five feature films during his career—The Godfather (1972), The Conversation (1974), The Godfather Part II (1974), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), and The Deer Hunter (1978)—every single one of which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
• Most Famous Role: Fredo Corleone in The Godfather films.
• Meeting Streep: Met Meryl Streep while co-starring in the 1975 Shakespeare in the Park production of Measure for Measure.

Meryl Streep: The Rising Star

• Full Name: Mary Louise Streep
• Born: June 22, 1949, in Summit, New Jersey
• Early Life: Trained as an opera singer as a child; graduated from Vassar College and the Yale School of Drama.
• Career Pre-Cazale: Primarily a New York stage actress, earning a Tony Award nomination for A Memory of Two Mondays/27 Wagons Full of Cotton in 1976.
• Age Difference: She was 26 when they met; Cazale was 14 years her senior.
• Post-Cazale Life: Married sculptor Don Gummer just six months after Cazale's death; they have four children: Henry Wolfe, Mamie Gummer, Grace Gummer, and Louisa Jacobson.

The Devastating Timeline and Emotional Turmoil

The relationship between the established character actor and the brilliant newcomer was immediate and intense. They moved into a loft on Franklin Street in New York City, becoming a celebrated couple in the New York theater scene. Their life together, however, was tragically brief and defined by a fierce battle against time.

1. The Fateful Diagnosis Came Swiftly.

Streep and Cazale met in 1975 during the production of Measure for Measure and quickly fell in love, moving in together in 1976. Just a few months into their shared life, Cazale was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. The news was a shock, immediately casting a shadow over their burgeoning professional and personal lives. Streep put her career on hold, dedicating herself entirely to caring for him.

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2. Streep’s Fierce Devotion and Financial Sacrifice.

Upon receiving the diagnosis, Meryl Streep took on every acting role she could find to help pay Cazale's mounting medical bills. This period of intense work—including her breakout roles in Julia and The Deer Hunter—was driven by love and necessity. She was reportedly "passionately devout" in her care, spending nine months trying to nurse him and lift his spirits.

3. Robert De Niro’s Secret Act of Kindness.

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One of the most powerful and little-known facts about this period revolves around the film The Deer Hunter. Cazale was cast as Stan, but his cancer diagnosis made him uninsurable, and the studio wanted to remove him. Robert De Niro, a close friend and co-star, reportedly paid the entire insurance premium for Cazale himself, ensuring that his friend could complete his final film role alongside Streep. This act of profound professional and personal loyalty allowed Cazale to work until the very end.

The Profound Impact of Loss and Legacy

The death of John Cazale on March 13, 1978, was a devastating blow that forced Meryl Streep to confront grief and loss at a young age, forever changing her perspective on life and her art.

4. The Tragedy That Shaped a Legend.

The loss of Cazale is often cited as the crucible that forged the emotional depth and intensity seen in Streep's subsequent performances. The raw experience of caring for a loved one through a terminal illness, followed by his death, instilled a profound understanding of human fragility and devotion that she channeled into her early, Oscar-winning roles like Kramer vs. Kramer and Sophie's Choice. The tragedy shaped her, making her realize she "had to go on living."

5. A Love That Still Resonates Decades Later.

Despite her long and fulfilling life with her husband, Don Gummer, Meryl Streep has continued to speak about John Cazale, acknowledging the enduring roots of her first love. The story remains a touchstone in Hollywood, symbolizing a pure, uncompromising love that defied the harsh realities of show business and terminal disease. Cazale’s legacy is not just his perfect five-film record, but the depth of emotion he inspired in the woman who would become the world’s greatest living actress.

John Cazale’s short but perfect filmography and Meryl Streep’s subsequent global success ensure that their tragic love story will always be remembered as one of the most heartbreaking and inspiring tales of devotion in cinematic history. The memory of the time they shared, and the sacrifices made, remains a powerful, emotional core to the Meryl Streep legend.