Meryl Streep wants to take a break from acting. The Oscar-winning star has been left “exhausted” by her grueling schedule and is planning to spend some quality time with her family.

Meryl - who has four children with her husband sculptor Don Gummer - said:

“Seven movies in two and a half years. I have never worked this hard ever. I am exhausted, I’m feeling like I need a break. Promoting movies is not fun. The most fun part is making the movies. Selling a movie is more to do with wardrobe and shoes and cleaning up and being presentable. I haven’t ever considered giving up acting, but I do need enforced rest in my career. When each of my children was born I took a year off. It is very nice to have time to live, gather experiences and watch other people.”

Meryl insists her decision to take a break from movies has nothing to do with the landmark birthday she celebrated earlier this year. “Turning 60 was important to everyone else. It was a big number, to me it was, ‘Well yeah, that comes after 59’, and I don’t even want to look it in the eye,” the Julie & Julia actress explained to Britain’s The Times newspaper.

“The biggest thing that happened to me was not to do with my age but my youngest child Louisa graduating from high school and going off to college. I always said when she did I would do theater, but I’m kind of so exhausted at the moment, the thought of doing a play put me on a gurney.”