Goldie Hawn responds to Meryl Streep’s chronic lateness remark on set, calls it ‘our joke’

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Actress Goldie Hawn has reflected on her long-standing friendship with co-star Meryl Streep and the running joke about her being “late” to set while filming the 1992 dark comedy 'Death Becomes Her'.

Hawn addressed the topic during a recent interview on Wednesday, May 6, with Entertainment Weekly, where she responded with humor to Streep’s earlier remarks and revisited their shared experience on the cult classic film.

Meryl Streep revisits on-set lateness joke from 'Death Becomes Her'

Streep recently joked about a “beef” she had with Hawn during production, saying, “Goldie, was always late to set, but she was so adorable, And I'm always on time, and annoying.”

She continued, “but she's late, and she had a red convertible, I remember. And she'd drive herself to set. And so that was probably the problem.” Streep also imitated how Hawn would arrive on set, noting she would show up apologetically while everyone still found her charm hard to ignore.

Calling Hawn “one of my buddies,” Streep said the two often laugh about the film years later, adding, “I thought it was like a documentary on Beverly Hills.”

Hawn admitted she has long struggled with punctuality, saying, “I think I'm 15 minutes late to everything. I do, I mean, honestly, it's unbelievable.” She added that despite the habit, it never affected their bond on set or their friendship over the years.

Goldie Hawn reflects on friendship and lasting collaboration

Hawn emphasized that the dynamic between them was always lighthearted and built on mutual respect. “But it is our joke, She said I was too late on the set. Maybe she's too early. I don't know,” she said, adding that being early can sometimes simply mean waiting longer.

She also noted how their differences in timing never created lasting tension. Instead, it became part of the humor they still share decades later.

Both actresses were major stars at the time of filming, and 'Death Becomes Her' went on to become a box office success, earning over $140 million and winning an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.

Streep was also nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in the film, which followed two women locked in rivalry over youth and beauty, alongside co-starred Bruce Willis as a plastic surgeon.

Hawn reflected on the collaborative nature of filmmaking, saying that input from multiple people shaped the final story, including contributions inspired through conversations with her partner Kurt Russell.

She added that the experience reinforced her belief that every role on set matters, saying, “everybody's important because otherwise there is no movie.”

The friendship between Hawn and Streep has continued beyond the film, with Hawn later honoring Streep during the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award ceremony in 2004, where she warmly celebrated her longtime friend.