You want to talk about a pretender, then you must want to talk about Da Trump?  Meryl Streep made her own way through a highly competitive industry.  She earned her reputation as a fine actress in front of the camera "that never lies".  Her personal reputation for humility and integrity has been earned during the many interviews she has granted about herself and her career. She is an amazing well-grounded, intelligent, and wise woman.  She gets paid what she does because her acting sells tickets.  She does so in a profession where even Henry Fonda said he wondered after each role whether he'd ever be hired again.  It's precarious employment, but does pull down a lot of bucks for the investors, so why shouldn't the actors be compensated for their capacity to produce ticket sales because they have built up a loyal following?