Three-time Oscar-winning American actress Meryl Streep traveled to Spain last Friday (October 20) to receive the Princess of Asturias Award for her contribution to the arts.
Streep was one of several awardees who received the accolade in person in Oviedo, the capital of the northern province of Asturias, which also happened to be the hometown of Queen Letizia, the wife of Spanish monarch King Felipe VI.The Princess of Asturias Awards are among the most important in the Hispanic world.
Crowds gathered at the Campoamor Theatre in Oviedo to greet the awardees. Their cheers were prominent when Streep arrived at the venue, as well as when the royal family arrived.
Also part of the royal party was Leonor's younger sister, Infanta Sofia, as well as Felipe's mother, Queen Sofia, the wife of retired King Juan Carlos.
Royal Fangirls
The annual Asturian award is named after the title of the heir or heiress to the Spanish throne - in this case, the royal couple's elder daughter, Princess Leonor, who would turn 18 by the end of October and is scheduled to swear an oath to the Spanish constitution in the presence of the Cortes Generales, Spain's parliament.
Leonor had multiple major engagements this October, starting with the flag-swearing ceremony as a cadet at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza, which was attended by Felipe and Letizia, as well as the parents of her fellow cadets.
This was followed on October 12, when Cadet Borbon-Ortiz - as the crown princess was known by her fellow cadets - appeared alongside her parents at the National Day parade in Madrid, donning the gala uniform of her academy and saluting alongside her father.
Leonor is currently undergoing three-year military training on all three armed services of the Spanish military as part of her training and development as the future queen of Spain.
Town & Country revealed that Letizia and her daughters were seen chatting enthusiastically with Streep in a public reception before the awarding ceremony.
During the week of the awards, Streep also had a conversation with Spanish actor Antonio Banderas during the "Sin Guion" conference and met with acting students at the Superior School of Dramatic Arts (ESAD) in Gijon.
Streep Stresses on Empathy
During her acceptance speech, Streep spoke out about the empathy actors must feel for their characters, which people in cinemas and theaters felt for people on screen or stage that look or sound different to themselves, as something that could also be useful in everyday life.
"Empathy may be a radical form of outreach and diplomacy useful in other theaters of endeavor," she said. "In our world, in our increasingly hostile, volatile world, I hope we might take to heart another rule every actor is taught, that is: it is all about listening."
The Associated Press reported that Streep was one of eight awardees this year in areas covering the arts, literature, science, and international cooperation, among others.
Other awardees included best-selling Japanese author Haruki Murakami (literature), US biologists Jeffrey Gordon, Peter Greenberg, and Bonnie Bassler (scientific and technical research), Kenyan marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge (sports), Scottish charity group Mary's Meals (concord), and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (international cooperation).
French historian Hélène Carrère d'Encausse (social sciences) and Italian author and philosopher Nuccio Ordine (communication and humanities) received their awards posthumously and were represented by relatives.
