Meryl Streep's Son Shunned His Famous Family Name & Chose His Own Career Path But Continues To Have Her Support

Sep 18, 2023

Meryl Streep is one of America's greatest actresses, frequently described as "the best actress of her generation." Streep is popularly known for her skills and talents in accent adaptation. Aside from having a successful acting career, Streep is also a loving mother of four children. 

As is typical for many stars, their children often follow their successful path by drawing inspiration from their work. However, not all children want to explore fame based on their parents' influences. 

Streep's first and only son, Henry Wolfe Gummer, has proved this over the years and decided not to use his famous family's name when he ventured into showbiz. Being a loving mother, Streep stayed supportive of him. In a January 2019 interview, Henry opened up about how he was worried his mom's fame would affect him. Streep has been happily married to Don Gummer for over four decades, and together they have four children. 

The couple married in September 1978 and have a son, Henry Gummer, and three daughters, Louisa Gummer, Grace Gummer and Mamie Gummer. Streep's family also grew in March 2019 when Mamie welcomed her first child with Mehar Sethi, while more grandchildren soon followed.

The Oscar-winning actress has always been there for her children. In August 2020, when Grace officially separated from her husband, Tay Strathairn, a source shared about Streep at the time, "She's sad about this, but she is completely, as she is with all of her kids, in Grace's corner."

The "Iron Lady" actress has always tried to pass down her vast knowledge to her children to make sure they are best advised. An insider told Closer Weekly in 2020, "She is a safe haven for them — she trusts them to make their own choices and be smart."

The Hollywood actress has always chosen her kids over her career, and this has helped form an unbreakable bond between her and her children. Streep and Don welcomed their first child and son, Henry, on Nov. 13, 1979. He is also a famous songwriter and singer and has also tried his hand at acting. In June 2019, Henry tied the knot with Tamryn Storm, and in October 2020, the pair announced they welcomed their daughter at the end of summer. Later, in May 2022, the couple announced they'd had another baby.

Streep and Don welcomed their first daughter, Mamie, on Aug. 3, 1983. The "Into the Woods" actress's first daughter followed in her mother's footsteps by becoming successful in acting. She has made appearances alongside Streep in films like, "Flash," "Cake," "Ricki" and "Side Effects." Before Mamie welcomed her first child with Mehar Sethi, she was married to Benjamin Walker.

Streep became a proud mother-of-three on May 9, 1986, when she welcomed her second daughter, Grace. Grace is also in showbiz and has been rocking the entertainment industry. She has had recurring roles in "The Newsroom" and "American Horror Story: Freak Show." Grace married her record producer husband, Mark Ronson, in August 2021. 

Streep and Don welcomed their third daughter, Louisa, on June 12, 1991. Unlike her siblings, who were interested in acting and music, Louisa took a career in modeling. She has a successful modeling career and has also modeled for famous brands like Dior. She has also appeared in films like "The Gilded Age" and "Gone Hollywood." 

Being the child of a celebrity could be amazing, but sometimes, celebrity kids prefer to be recognized without the pre-existing influence of their famous parents. Henry got candid about why he ditched his well-known family name to make a name for himself in the music world simply as "Henry Wolfe." He shared the fact that his mom is an icon and "can be overshadowing." Henry continued: 

"Sure, my mom is part of the story and I don't get pissed when people ask me about her, but I wish I had something that could eclipse that as far as compelling story lines."

He added that although the recognition helped him sometimes, "it also hurts because people start to think that I don't work hard and they don't take me seriously." The guitarist, who is a hard worker and was able to release an album on his label, explained his success story. He shared that he wanted to start a band but decided to go solo when he could not find the right people. 

Henry, just like his sisters, attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts for two years but dropped out to pursue music. He shared that for him, "music was more stimulating from day to day" compared to acting. Amazingly, Streep still stayed supportive of Henry, and he spoke openly about this. He talked about his New York show at the time and revealed:

"I can guarantee with 100% certainty that my mom will be at my concert. Not only is she completely supportive of my career, but there is a picture of her hanging on the back wall of Joe's Pub."

Henry wanted to carve a niche for himself without the possible assumptions that he leveraged on his parents' fame, and there is no doubt that his iconic mom is proud of him. 

Isn't it sweet to see that Meryl Streep is her son's greatest cheerleader despite his path to fame? What are your thoughts on Henry Wolfe's approach to popularity? Let us know, and be sure to pass this on to other Meryl Streep and Henry Wolfe fans.