Meryl Streep Reflects on Her Iconic Shampoo Scene with Robert Redford in "Out of Africa

In a recent conversation at the Cannes Film Festival, Meryl Streep opened up about the filming of her famous shampoo scene with Robert Redford in the 1985 movie "Out of Africa." The actress shared her initial discomfort and the unexpected challenges they faced with dangerous wildlife nearby.

Meryl Streep has shared her fond memories and behind-the-scenes anecdotes of her iconic shampoo scene with Robert Redford in the 1985 epic romantic drama "Out of Africa."

In the film, Streep portrayed a Danish baroness who falls in love with a big game hunter, played by Redford, while managing a coffee plantation in colonial South Africa. One of the most memorable scenes in the movie features Redford tenderly washing Streep's hair by a river while reciting lines from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner."

Speaking at the Théâtre Debussy in Cannes, Streep described the scene as "a sex scene in a way" due to its intimacy. "We've seen so many scenes of people f------, but we don't see that loving touch, that care," she said.

However, filming the scene wasn't entirely smooth sailing. Streep recalled that the production team had warned them of potentially dangerous wild animals in the area. "We had lions, but they were imported from California and they were supposedly fine — tame. They were not," she said.

The actress also revealed that hippos were present near the river where they were shooting, posing a significant threat. "The second thing we were told is the animal that kills the most people in Africa is the hippopotamus, if you get between the hippopotamus and the water," she explained.

Despite the concerns, Streep said that Redford was worried about their safety and initially wasn't washing her hair properly. However, the actress's longtime hair stylist and makeup artist, Roy Hellund, stepped in and demonstrated his technique, which Streep found relaxing.

"Redford took the lesson, and he just really got into it, and he was great," Streep recalled. "By take five, I was so in love!" The actress joked that she didn't want the scene to end, even despite the presence of hippos.

Directed by Sydney Pollack, "Out of Africa" was a box office success and received 11 Academy Award nominations, including a best actress nod for Streep. The film won seven Oscars, including best picture and best director for Pollack.

During a 1985 interview with the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Streep praised Redford's acting skills and personal qualities. "We really got to know each other after he arrived in Africa," she said. "I developed this huge crush on him, which made it easier to do the love story. He's really wonderful to work with."

Streep and Redford later reunited in the 2007 war thriller "Lions for Lambs," which also starred Tom Cruise. On Tuesday, Streep received a two-minute standing ovation when she was presented with an honorary Palme d'Or during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

In a conversation at the Théâtre Debussy, the three-time Academy Award winner shared her appreciation for the warm reception she received at the Palme d'Or presentation. "I felt just a wave of feeling coming from the audience, and it's so much bigger than I thought — so many tiers of people, all the way up to the top," she said. "Yeah, it was a lot. I live a very quiet life, and really I don't get any respect at home, so it's sort of amazing to come into this arena and have that big tidal wave."

Streep emphasized that she never set out to make movies that she thought would become blockbusters. "The ones that ended up being blockbusters — ‘Mamma Mia!’ and ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ — happened when I was 58 and 60, and I never thought they were going to be anything but fun," she said. "I didn't know they were going to be big, but I knew that I could get them made."