Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks talk 'fake news', gender equality and their new film 'The Post'

Credit: ITV News

Although it is set in the 1970s, Steven Spielberg's new film 'The Post' grapples with themes that could not be more relevant today - press freedom, trust in government and sexism in the work place.

The story at the heart of the film is The Washington Post's decision in 1971 to publish the 'Pentagon Papers', secret government documents that revealed that the true extent of the US war in Vietnam was far greater than the government had publically acknowledged.

The decision to publish brought the paper into conflict with the administration of President Richard Nixon, and brought to prominence America's first female newspaper publisher, Kay Graham, played in the film by Meryl Streep.

Speaking to ITV News Arts Editor Nina Nannar, Streep and her co-star Tom Hanks stressed the relevance of the film at a time when the mainstream media is frequently attacked by the US president as promoting "fake news".

"It's an attempt to de-legitimise the news organisations themselves and take away all their credibility," said Streep. "And that is a danger."

In the interview, Streep also spoke about questions she has faced over what she knew about Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced movie mogul facing accusations of sexual harassment, and - at a time when the gender pay gap is in the news - whether the two stars were paid the same.

"I actually don't know," said Streep, but jokingly indicated she thought she had probably been paid more than her colleague.

  • Watch the full interview with ITV News Arts Editor Nina Nannar on YouTube: