Celebrity Chatter: Talking With Meryl And Uma, Oh, My!

Uma Thurman got the job because Sandra Bullock backed out. Meryl Streep got the job probably because she's Meryl Streep and because she said she thought it would be "fun."

The movie is "Prime" and it opens Friday. In it, Streep plays a New York therapist named Dr. Lisa Metzger, whose theme is "Get messy in life. At least you know you're living."

Sitting down with Streep for a one-on-one interview at The Regency in New York is like getting an audience with the Queen. It is true that Streep is a movie queen. She's a screen legend who has a record-breaking 13 nominations and has won two Oscars.

I guess you can call me a fan. I've seen every movie she's ever done.

The 56-year-old Streep's movie is about "aging gracefully. It's about going through these tough transitions. It's a wonderful, delicate funny script…I'm so happy with the way the film turned out because you never know," said Streep.

Her character is one of those women who shop at Bergdorf's, but only to buy stockings or a casual accessory. (Dr. Metzger wears a lot of big jewelry in the film.) And Streep's Jewish mother-Jewish therapist is right on, according to the preview audience who saw the movie with me.

"I had two roommates in college, who are both therapists and Lisa is not really like either one of them at all, but there are elements of her compassion and her expressiveness: The combination of having to shut up and just listen when you're just ready to die -- when you're 'schvitzing,' I believe is the word," says Streep.

Playing Metzger's patient, Rafi, the 37-year-old newly divorced Manhattan singleton is Thurman, who stepped in at the last minute when Sandra Bullock dropped out. Reports said Bullock had issues with the script.

"Sandra was going to do the movie and then she bailed," said Thurman.

Working with Streep was a dream come true for Thurman.

"I mean, she's my profession and like many people I've wanted to work with her all of my life," said Thurman.

Thurman's mother, ironically, trained as a psychotherapist, but never practiced. She just kept giving out the advice for free.

Tom and Katie In Toledo?

There are rumors running rampant that Tom Cruise may be buying a home for his beloved Katie Holmes near her parents' home in Ohio.

It's in Ottawa Hills, a village inside Toledo, an upscale neighborhood.

One of my editor pals, who lives in Toledo, told me he just had to take a cruise by the mansion.

His assessment? He didn't think the couple would get much privacy.

"It isn't really a gated community," said my friend, Hugh.

Hugh did say it was a "zoo" on Saturday when he drove by. "People were taking pictures, driving up to the house. It was nuts."

It hasn't been confirmed whether Cruise actually bought the $1.5 million house, but folks like Hugh are holding out hope, saying having a celebrity of Cruise's stature in the town would "be kind of fun."

Michelle Solomon's gossip column, Celebrity Chatter, appears each Monday. You can email Michelle at Michelle Solomon@Celebrity Chatter.