'Iron Lady' Meryl Streep: 'Lucky to be Working'

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Meryl Streep channels former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the new biopic The Iron Lady, and at Tuesday night's NYC premiere, the refreshingly modest Oscar favorite told ET that her role choices are not calculated to win awards.

"You take the roles that are wonderful, challenging, hard," explained Meryl, adding humbly, "I'm just really lucky to be working."

In limited release December 30, The Iron Lady chronicles how a determined woman was able to break through the barriers of gender and class to make her mark in a male-dominated political environment in the Reagan-era 1980s.

"I'm so proud of the movie … and I'm excited to show it to my friends, and to show it to New York," said Meryl.

Directed by Phyllida Lloyd The Iron Lady also stars Jim Broadbent, Olivia Colman, Nicholas Farrell, Anthony Head, Harry Lloyd and Richard E. Grant.

The film opens in wide release January 13.