Meryl Streep: the French Chef's woman

The reigning queen of accents is about to tackle another challenge: Julia Child.

Meryl Streep will play Child in Julie and Julia, based on the book Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, by Julie Powell, which was based on the Julie/Julia Project blog. (I'm not sure if this is the first movie based on a blog, but hey, Hollywood, you know where to find me.) Nora Ephron will direct and Amy Adams will play Julie.

The Julie/Julia Project is part of the fine tradition of blog-to-riches stories. (I say "tradition" hoping that getting rich from blogging becomes one.) Julie Powell was a frustrated temp who decided to spice up her life. Literally. Here's how she described herself when she started her project:

"Government drone by day, renegade foodie by night. Too old for theatre, too young for children, and too bitter for anything else, Julie Powell was looking for a challenge. And in the Julie/Julia project, she found it. Risking her marriage, her job, and her cats' well-being, she has signed on for a deranged assignment."

The assignment? Cooking every recipe in Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, first edition, 1961, in a year. As Powell blogged her experience — in 2003, when a blog still was called a weblog — she caught the attention of other foodies and her blog took off. (I know she looks somewhat lesbianish, but, alas, no.)

Powell never met Child, although she wrote a lovely tribute on her blog when Julia died. So, how Child will fit into the film is not clear. But I'm sure looking forward to seeing Streep do her thing as the outrageous, entertaining French Chef. If you're not familiar with Julia Child, here are a couple of clips (in the second, her guest is a man dressed as a woman — anyone know the story?).

Production of Julie and Julia will start in 2008.