She’s the most celebrated actress of her generation, but Meryl Streep has always kept her personal life private during her five decades in the spotlight.
That discretion enabled her to conceal the fact that she has been separated from her husband of 45 years, Don Gummer, for the past six years. A representative for the Oscar-winning actress told People earlier this month: “While they will always care for each other, they have chosen lives apart.”
During their marriage, Meryl, 74, and Don, 76, welcomed four kids, Henry, Mamie, Grace and Louisa, and despite their parents’ penchant for privacy, they’ve followed in their mother’s footsteps, and also have careers in the spotlight. Read everything there is to know about them below.
Henry Wolfe Gummer
Henry, 43, is Meryl and Don’s first child together and their only son. He was born on November 13, 1979, a year after his parents tied the knot.
Out of all his siblings, he’s most similar to his father and keeps a very low profile, though he works as a composer, singer and songwriter, and has had his work featured in some of his mom’s movies, such as Julie and Julia (2009) and Ricki and the Flash (2015).
MORE: Meryl Streep’s heartbreaking first love, and the tragedy that led her to now-estranged husband Don Gummer
Since 2019, he has been married to Tamryn Gummer, and the pair have two children, daughter Ida June Gummer, born in July 2020, and son Quinn William Gummer, born in May 2022.
© GettyMamie Gummer
Mamie, 40, was the first of the Gummer-Streep children to follow in their mom’s footsteps and pursue an acting career.
Her first role, naturally, was in one of her mom’s movies, 1986’s Heartburn, at 20 months old. (The film is based on the beloved book by the late Nora Ephron, which itself is an autobiographical novel about her marriage and divorce from legendary journalist Carl Bernstein, of Watergate fame. She was only credited as “Natalie Stern” in the movie, so as to keep her identity private.
She went on to have the starring role in medical drama Emily Owens M.D., which ran from one season in 2012, and has also had roles in movies like The Lifeguard (2013), The Collection (2016), The Ward (2010), among others, and had recurring roles on TV’s The Good Wife and The Good Fight.
MORE: Meryl Streep split: The telling signs we missed that her marriage to Don Gummer was over
Mamie has been married twice; she was first married to actor and comedian Benjamin Walker from 2011 to 2013. In 2019, she married writer and producer Mehar Sethi, and the two welcomed a baby boy – Meryl’s first grandchild – in February of 2020.
© GettyGrace Gummer
Grace, 37, was born on May 9, 1986, and like her sister, her first acting role was in one of her mom’s movies: she played her mom’s younger self in 1993’s House of Spirits, and again like her sister, she was credited as Jane Grey to omit her real name (and family).
Grace followed in her mom’s footsteps in more ways than one, not only by pursuing an acting career, but she also graduated from her mom’s alma mater, Vassar College, where she studied art history and Italian. Since graduating from the liberal arts school, she has had roles in Frances Ha (2012), Aaron Sorkin’s The Newsroom (2012-2014), Mr. Robot (2015-2019), American Horror Story (2011), and in 2015, she ironically starred as Nora Ephron in Good Girls Revolt; Nora was the creative force behind her mom and older sister’s movie Heartburn.
MORE: Mamma Mia! is 15: The cast’s best photos and what they’ve said about a third movie
In July 2019, she married actor Tay Straithairn – his dad, David Straithairn, played Meryl’s husband in 1994’s The River Wild – however they separated only a month into their marriage, and finalized their divorce in 2020. Grace then tied the knot with legendary music producer (and fellow Vassar attendee) Mark Ronson in August 2021, two months after getting engaged; in early 2023, they welcomed their first child together, a daughter.
© GettyLouisa Jacobson
Louisa, 32, was born on June 12, 1991, and once again, like her mother and older sister, also graduated from Vassar and of course pursued acting. Unlike her sisters, she uses Jacobson (her middle name) instead of Gummer as her last name, because of SAG rules preventing her from having the same name as an already established actress.
The actress’ first major role was in Max’s The Gilded Age as Marian Brook, which is just headed into its second season, premiering October 29th.
MORE: 9 celebrity children who are identical to their famous parents
As of last year, Louisa was in a relationship with fellow actor Jonathan Higginbotham, who she met at the Yale School of Drama (where her mom attended post-Vassar), and the two lived together in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Though the two have made public appearances in the past, it’s unclear if they are still together.
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletterand get them delivered straight to your inbox.
