Streep wins third Oscar for 'Iron Lady'

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Meryl Streep won her third Oscar in Los Angeles Sunday night for her portrayal of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

A 17-time Academy Award nominee, Streep won the Best Supporting Actress prize in 1979 for her work in "Kramer vs. Kramer." She followed that up with a win for Best Actress in 1982 for her performance in "Sophie's Choice."

"When they called my name, I had this feeling I could hear half of America going: 'Oh no. Come on ... Her, again?' You know. But, whatever," Streep said as she took the stage to collect her Best Actress statuette for "The Iron Lady."

She then said she wanted to thank her husband of more than three decades, sculptor Don Gummer, before anyone else because she didn't want her message to him to get lost when the show's producers inevitably started playing cut-off music.

"I want him to know everything I value most in our lives, you've given me," Streep, 62, said. "Also, I want to thank, because I really understand I'll never be up here again, I really want to thank all my colleagues, all my friends. I look out here and I see my life before my eyes -- my old friends, my new friends -- and, really, this is such a great honor. But the thing that counts the most with me is the friendships and the love and the sheer joy we have shared making movies together. My friends, thank you, all of you ... for this inexplicably wonderful career. Thank you so much."