Meryl Streep takes home prestigious film award for portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady
Meryl Streep has proved to be a winner thanks to Margaret Thatcher.
The 62-year-old star was named best actress of the year by the New York Film Critics Circle, one of the most influential critics' groups in the U.S.
Streep won for her acclaimed portrait of Britain's first female Prime Minister in the film The Iron Lady in which the star plays Baroness Thatcher as she is now, an old lady suffering from dementia, looking back over her career.
Tipped for glory: Meryl Streep has been named best actress by the New York Film Critics Circle for her role in The Iron Lady
Spitting image: Streep as Margaret Thatcher in the highly-anticipated movie, and the lady herself
The prize from the New York Critics Circle is a strong indicator of possible Oscar glory.
Streep becomes the front runner for the best actress Oscar, which will be revealed in Los Angeles on February 26.
Mrs Thatcher won three general elections while Streep has won two Oscars.
Next stop, an Oscar? Streep as Thatcher with Jim Broadbent as Denis Thatcher
Her last win was 30 years ago for the film Sophie's Choice. She first won an Oscar in 1980 for Kramer vs Kramer.
Streep often jokes that she has lost the Oscar more times than anyone in history.
Talking about The Iron Lady, Streep declared herself to be 'in awe' of Thatcher, adding that 'it was a privilege to look at a life deeply with empathy' even though she did not share Thatcher's political beliefs.
Highly-anticipated: Streep attended a screening of The Iron Lady in Washington last night
However, Streep told the Daily Mail: 'I feel she believed in her policies and that they came from an honest conviction and that she wasn't a cosmetic politician just changing make-up to suit the times'.
In other awards, the New York Critics Circle named Brad Pitt best actor for the baseball movie Moneyball and the family drama The Tree of Life.
Winner: Brad Pitt was named best actor for The Tree Of Life (pictured) and Moneyball
Jessica Chastain, who played Pitt's wife in The Tree of Life, was voted best supporting actress for performances in that film and two others - The Help and Take Shelter.
Much-talked about French-made film The Artist, set in Hollywood during the silent movie era, took top awards from the New York Critics Circle for best film and best director.
The movie has no spoken dialogue.
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