Meryl Streep and Martin Short are expected to 'spend the rest of their lives together in some way or another,' a source has claimed, despite the actress's packedThe Devil Wears Prada 2schedule keeping the couple apart and Short still in grief after the death of his daughter earlier this year.
The news came after weeks of speculation about whether Streep and Short were still together, as the Oscar winner threw herself into global promotion forThe Devil Wears Prada 2while Short largely remained out of sight. According to an insider speaking exclusively to In Touch, what appears from the outside to be distance is, in reality, a relationship quietly built on loyalty, mutual respect and an unusual refusal to label what they are to each other.
Streep and Short, both 76, have been linked for months, though neither has publicly defined their status. The source describes a bond that sits somewhere between a traditional romance and a lifelong partnership, insisting that the pair avoid calling each other 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' but are, in practice, inseparable.
'Meryl and Martin have a complex dynamic because they do not refer to each other as boyfriend and girlfriend per se,' the insider said. Even so, they are said to share 'an incredibly close, intense relationship' and will 'probably spend the rest of their lives together in some way or another.'
It is not a sugary Hollywood love story, and perhaps that is why it sounds more convincing. Both are well into their seventh decade, have known loss and career turbulence, and have chosen work that demands sustained public exposure. That they are still, according to the source, committing to a shared future hints at something sturdier than red-carpet chemistry.
Short's world changed in February, when his daughter, Katherine Short, died from a self‑inflicted gunshot wound. It is a detail easily turned into a headline and just as easily glossed over, but the source stresses that his grief is not neatly resolved in the background while Streep does the talk‑show rounds.
'He still loves his show business career and he is constantly pushing that forward, even amid the extreme grief over his daughter's death,' the insider said. That attempt to keep working, to stay tethered to something familiar, frames the couple's current arrangement: she is chasing a long-awaited big-screen moment; he is trying to function through mourning.
Streep and Short, the source suggests, have reached an understanding about ambition that many younger couples might struggle with. Streep has thrown herself into an extensive promotional campaign forThe Devil Wears Prada 2, her first major cinema release in years, despite the presence of high-profile co-stars such as Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt, who could easily shoulder the bulk of the publicity.
'Nobody is forcing Meryl to do all this promotion forThe Devil Wears Prada 2,' the insider said. 'She has famous co-stars like Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt who are happy to go do interviews and talk shows. But Meryl is doing it because she loves the project and because she has not had a big movie in cinemas in years.'
Far from resenting the time apart, Short is portrayed as the one quietly encouraging it. 'Martin is an intelligent, undemanding person and Meryl is putting herself out there with his blessing and support,' the source explained. The plan, as they see it, is simple enough. 'When the movie is released in May and it is a hit, then Meryl and Martin can retreat to one of their homes and be together to savour the success.'
Source: International Business Times UK
