Most definitely Brenda Blethyn. I just saw here interviewed on Australian TV movie show this evening and she struck me as so like MT it was uncanny. I thought maybe she is in the running and looked up on the web to see if she was cast in such a role. Found this article and was astounded to see Streepy suggested for the role.

Richard MacEwan, Bendigo, Australia/VIC

You need to cast someone with Thatchers theatrical and OTT presence- how about Barbara Leigh-Hunt? A great British actor.

Andy. , London, UK

From Argentina, fan of Meryl: despite the hurt I'll feel when I see Meryl playing the Iron Lady I can't think of any other actress who could do better than her. It could finally bring her the Oscar she's been deserving for years now!

Valentina, Rafaela, Argentina

"Ms Streep playing MT?

It would be like getting a Brit to play Abraham Lincoln.
Really not on at all!"


Well, an Irishman IS playing Abraham Linoln: Liam Neeson, in Steven Spielberg's upcoming "Lincoln".

Meryl Streep is the best actress in the world. If she's cast, she'll do fine.

Miguel, London,

Ms Streep playing MT?

It would be like getting a Brit to play Abraham Lincoln.
Really not on at all!

tracy coles, london, UK

Ian McDiarmind. Just put him back in his Emperor Palpatine makeup, add a wig and a nice Marks & Spencer blouse, and Dennis himself wouldn't know the difference. Of course he would have to ratchet up the intensity, and shoot far more lightning from his fingertips.

Jason , Nashville, TN, USA

Rowan Atkinson. I think he'd be perfect.

Venky, Bangalore, India

Anyone other than Boris Johnson would surely be a compromise.

Jim Campbell, Paulton, UK

Robert DeNiro

Myles, Hardwick,

Penelope Wilton would be great as Margaret Thatcher.

royston, london,

Go back to the company that originally developed and made her and ask them to create a new younger robot

Stuart, Cardiff, Wales

Glenda Jackson or Patty Duke might be excellent conciderations for the role. Judy Davis is also an excellent Candidate and one of the youngest mentioned so far.

Michael Joseph Pieper, Westminster, California

Judy Davis. An incredible and brilliant Australian actress who brought Judy garland and Nancy Reagan to life on screen... i think she could do justice to Thatcher.

Linden Cooper, Northampton, England

Helen Mirren or Emma Thompson

annie, brisbane, australia

what about mt herself she was a great actress this is not a stupid coment it could be done

roy, wollongong, aust nsw

I know she's a little old for the part, but I think you couldn't do better than Vanessa Redgrave. She is beautiful, but has the angularity and the great gift that I would think would be necessary for the part.

c. newton, Raleigh, north carolina

I´d like to see Julie Walters as Thatcher.

Harald Hesse, Frankfurt, Germany

Angela Lansbury

Simon Gribben, Emmaus, PA

Diana Rigg...
Brenda Blethyn...
Alison Steadman...
Helen Mirren...
Judy Dench...
Barbara Leigh-Hunt...
...
Ewan McGreggor!!

RJ, L.A., CA

Emma Thompson

Barb, St. Paul, Minnesota

She should be portrayed by Condoleeza Rice, with pale makeup.
Another alternative is to turn back the clock and hire Indira Gandhi.

Olav Grinde, Bergen, Norway

Fiona Shaw great actress

Jacob, Cambridge, Canada

My first thought was also of Brenda Blethyn--she might be good for the part.

Melissa, Santa Barbara, Ca

Glenn Close?

Kyrkos Ekaterinaris, Cardiff,

Imelda Staunton, must play this part. Just give her the chance, and I am sure she will impress us.

Jose Flores, Guatemala, Guatemala

how about newcastle manager, glenn roeder. they have the same overbite.

Jude, Calgary, Alberta

It has to be Helen Mirren but should she be casted with Liam Neeson.

Amanda, Fort Smith,

Judy Davis?

Dawn, Odense, DK

Queen Latifah

John, Vancouver,

I think she should be portrayed by Brenda Blethyn. Extremely talented English actress

Barry Dingwall, Sunderland, England

I think MIranda Richardson would make a credible Thatcher.

Andy Barrett, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

I think Terry Jones from Monty Python would be perfect!

Mike, Boston, MA

Streep gets my vote with Maggie Smith not to far behind

annice, los angeles, california

i think Christopher Lee , mind you she has done loads more evil things than him.

john holland, london, UK

First let me say that Margaret Thatcher has certainly not won the hearts of ALL Americans. I'd be surprised if many Americans can even name 3 things that that Conservative nightmare accomplished during her time as PM. (By the by, I had no intention of saying anything about Thatcher's lack of success in my response until I read the glowing praises written above by others who clearly were not among the thousands whose lives were destroyed by that horrible woman.)

Now, as to who should portray her: Emma Thompson, Emma Thompson, Emma Thompson, Emma Thompson, Emma Thompson, Emma Thompson, Emma Thompson, Emma Thompson. Do I need to say it again? Emma Thompson.

David, San Diego, US

What about Dame Judi Dench? Amazing talent!

Angela Parry-Marshall, Perth, Western Australia

It has to be Dame Maggie Smith. The two Maggie's have a great deal in common; the eccentricity, the elegant grandeur, the hair colour, the name. Maggie Smith is also said to be a great mimic, so she could merge how own magical personaility with that of the Iron Lady's. Helen Mirren would be good, but I don't think she has quite the same charisma and character as her fellow Dame.

Ben Franks, Worthing,

Angela Thorne! Period!

Per H Forsberg, Fredrikstad, Norway

Glen Close might be a better option than Meryl Streep but it would be nicer and better for Britain if we could have a British actress play the part! How about the Welsh actress Penni Rhys for the younger Maggie? Any time I have seen Ms Rhys' stage performances she has always commanded the audience's attention just like the Mrs Thatcher of the early 1970s

Jo Hodges, Wakefield,

Despite her acclaimed talent, Meryl Streep cannot handle accents outside the US. Her dire attempt at an Australian accent is well documented. How on earth do the producers expect her to be able to handle such a strong, extremely pucca British accent. Unless the person emulating Margaret Thatcher is believable, in every way, the movie will just be a farce. There are many top British actresses that could handle the role - why go outside?

Lyn Turner, Sydney, Australia

Definitely Angela Thorne - a brilliant and much under-rated actress. Not known in the USA ,so of course they wouldn't think of her.

LINDA WRIGHT, hornchurch, U.K.

Emma Thompson could probably be transformed into a believable Thatcher. Please pass on Streep... She always over act.

Anonymous, LONDON,

Maggie Smith would be perfect.
Miss Jean Brodie 30 years on.

P.Almaz, London, UK

You seem to forget that Angela Thorne played Margaret Thatcher in "Anyone for Denis?" She performed the part so well that I would wholeheartedly suggest that she be cast as Mrs. Thatcher in the biopic.

Kathryn N. Allan, Nantwich, Cheshire

Maxine Peak would be able to play both the young and older Thatcher.

david rayfield, london, england

No one has been better than Patricia Hodge in "The Falklands"
She was Lady Thatcher.
I love Meryl Streep what ever she does. BUT.

donald a_ bagley, dublin county, Ireland

Stephen Fry

Ken Tuohy, Twickenham, Middx.

Meryl Streep - facially as well as being able to do a convincing accent.

Simon, Aberdeen, Scotland

Judy Davis is brilliant, one of our greatest living actresses.

RFDIII, Waco, Texas, USA

Emma Thompson, of course.

Margaret, Venice,

celia Imrie

canaway, brackley,

To: Jeff cox, Takanini, New Zealand who says "The last thing we want is a yank playing the greatest primeminster this country has had since Churchill". Jeff, you do know that MT and Churchill were the prime ministers of the UK and not New Zealand, don't you?

In any event, so long as the actor/actress is talented, who cares what their nationality is.

anthony, London, UK

Not wanting to seem anti-British, but the comment about
Meryl Streep's qualities as an actor sound suspiciously
xenophobic. There are many great British film actresses but in my mind the only two actors who could possibly pull this role off are the American, Meryl Streep and the Australian, Judy Davis. Talent shows through, no matter what the nationality.

John Klintworth, Toronto, Canada

We don't care what the nationality of the actress chosen is, as long as she has all the superb qualities the role will demand. I have always thought Glenn Close would make a good MT. I do hope the film will be objective and not the usual snide , hate-inspired haracterisation we get of Mrs T. It will be completely uncommercial to do it that way, it has to be seen from her point of view and what a brilliant leader and strategist she was against a backdrop of a let's run for it establishment and a snearing, condescending press.

tom moncrieff, london, england

Well said Jeff. There are several British actresses who could play the part much better than the hopelssly overrated Streep.

Roger Tilbury, Worthing,

This reminds me of the Comic Strip episode 'Strike'. Which had Al Pacino as Arthur Scargill, and Meryl Streep as his wife.

Robert, Manchester, UK

Once upon a time, Winston Churchill was the most revered of any British leader, or any from a foreign shore. I daresay that Mrs. Thatcher now easily eclipses him. Americans both love and respect those democratic leaders who have the strength of their convictions and the resolve to lead their nation in times of crisis while others shilly-shally and are ready to capitulate.

She won the American hearts, and still has them!

Bob Evans, Anaheim, California

The last thing we want is a yank playing the greatest primeminster this country has had since Churchill, surely we have an actress ( oops sorry actor) of significant standing somewhere in the UK to play Maggie, without importing one from across the pond.

jeff cox, Takanini, New Zealand

She was mainly about fiction,anyway

ken, bournemoth, uk