Movies Interesting Facts 
Actress Meryl Streep thinks the shampoo scene with co-star Robert Redford in her classic film, Out of Africa (1985) can be called a ‘sex scene’ because of its intimate nature. At the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, the actress confessed that she didn’t want it to end. (Also read: Meryl Streep honored at emotional ceremony at Cannes opening)
While chatting onstage at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival on May 15, the 74-year-old actor reflected on the famous scene from Out of Africa in which Robert shampoos his hair.
His favorite scene so far
“It’s kind of a sex scene, because it’s so intimate. We have seen a lot of scenes of people fucking, but we don’t see that loving touch, that caring,” merrill Said which brought huge applause.
Merrill recalled that filming this scene was not very pleasant. The actress revealed that she and Robert, now 87, were warned by production to be careful of potentially dangerous wild animals nearby.
“The animal that kills the most humans in Africa is the hippopotamus, especially when you get between them and the river,” Merrill said.
And they were shooting in the river, “right above the hippopotamus”. Merrill said the warning upset Robert who could not shampoo his hair completely, saying, “It was not good”.
He revealed that his longtime hair and makeup artist Roy Hellund took Robert aside and helped him by sharing some pointers. Only then his game improved a lot. She said, “I fell so in love as soon as I took five! I didn’t want it to end that day, even with the hippopotamus.”
about the incident site
In the romantic drama, Meryl played a Danish baroness who falls in love with a big game hunter, played by Robert, while running a coffee plantation in South Africa. In a memorable scene, Robert lovingly washes Merrill’s hair on the riverbank while reciting lines from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
Directed by Sydney Pollack, Out of Africa was based on Karen Blixen’s 1937 autobiographical book of the same name. The film was a box office hit and received 11 Oscar nominations, including Meryl winning for Best Actress. It earned Pollack seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Meryl’s Cannes outing
Merrill was awarded the honorary Palme d’Or at the festival’s opening ceremony on Tuesday. He was given a standing ovation for two minutes. She became emotional before giving an emotional speech reflecting on her decades-long career.
In her speech she recalled the last time she was in Cannes, saying, “I was already the mother of three children, I was about to turn 40 and I thought my career was over.”
“It was not an unrealistic expectation for actresses at that time. And the only reason I’m here tonight and continuing is because of the talented artists I’ve worked with,” he added.
