Streep 'auditioned during night out'

Meryl Streep auditioned for her role in Julie & Julia on a night out, the film's director has revealed.

Nora Ephron, who wrote, produced and directed the film, told Streep about the project when they met up at the theatre, WENN reports.

Ephron explained: "I was at the theatre one night, Shakespeare In The Park in New York Central Park, and I saw her and she said, 'What are you doing?'

"I said, 'Blah, blah, blah... Julia Child' and she immediately rose up. Julia was six [foot] two [inches], Meryl five-six and she suddenly grew in front of me and went into this Julia thing, this warble thing of Julia.

"I thought to myself, 'Well, that's the end of the casting search'. It seemed to me she was auditioning for it. It's as close as you'll get to Meryl Streep auditioning."