Cohen exuberant over Streep film

Oscar winner Meryl Streep has played some of the most memorable big-screen characters of her era. But for Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), it’s one of her less, umm, appreciated roles that’s No. 1: The overalls-wearing, middle-aged hippie Donna Sheridan in the musical remake of “Mamma Mia!” 

Cohen, admittedly a big Streep fan, was seated next to the actress at Tuesday’s National Women’s History Museum dinner at the Mandarin Oriental hotel. 

{mosads}The lawmaker was one of only a handful of men at the estrogen-heavy fundraiser, but unfortunately for him, Streep had to move to a seat at the front of the room halfway through their meal.

Before asking ITK to take a photo of him with Streep, Cohen grew animated trying to recall his favorite of her films. 

“The one with the three!” he exclaimed. Wait, was he talking about the three women of the critically acclaimed drama “The Hours”? 

“No, the three husbands!” Cohen said, grinning. “The singing one!” 

By all accounts, the musical “Mamma Mia!” is not exactly highbrow theater, and Cohen was reluctant to describe, why, precisely, he would choose to watch “Mamma Mia!” over other Streep classics like “Out of Africa” or “The Devil Wears Prada.” 

“I have my own reasons,” he said cryptically. 

Good films or not, Streep put in a top-notch performance at the dinner, leaving the audience in stitches with her speech, and more importantly, pledging $1 million to help build a museum of women’s achievements on the National Mall.