Meryl Streep has called out the late animator and business magnate Walt Disney for the views he allegedly that that would nowadays be considered highly offensive. The August: Osage County star made the comments at the National Board of Review awards gala where she was presenting fellow actress Emma Thompson with an award for her portrayal of P.L. Travers, the writer of the Mary Poppins books, in the new Disney film Saving Mr Banks.

Meryl Streep Apple Store
Meryl Streep Called Out Walt Disney At The National Board Of Review Awards Gala.

"Disney, who brought joy, arguably, to billions of people, was perhaps, or had some racist proclivities," said Streep, according to Vanity Fair magazine. "He formed and supported an anti-Semitic industry lobby. And he was certainly, on the evidence of his company's policies, a gender bigot."

Watch the 'Saving Mr Banks' trailer here.

Streep then read out a rejection letter that Disney sent to a female aspiring animator which said "Women do not do any of the creative work in connection with preparing the cartoons for the screen."

Meryl Streep Cartier
Streep Honoured Her Friend & Fellow Actress, Emma Thompson.

Of course, Streep's intention was not to make a scene to steal the limelight from Thompson or tarnish her achievement, but in fact paid tribute to the actress, saying she would appreciate the rejection letter because she's "a rabid, man-eating feminist, like [Streep]." Streep added "She's practically a saint!"

"When I saw [Saving Mr Banks], I could just imagine Walt Disney's chagrin at having to cultivate P.L. Travers' favor for 20 years [...] It must have killed him to encounter, in a woman, an equally disdainful and superior creature, a person dismissive of his own, considerable gifts and prodigious output and imagination," Meryl added.

Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson Was Floored By Her Elaborate Introduction.

What followed was truly astounding as Streep proceeded to recite a poem that she'd written for Thompson. "We think the Brits are brittle, They think that we are mush, They are more sentimental, though we do tend to gush [...] And Emma leaves us reeling, A knockout, truth be told."

"My god, I'm nauseous with gratitude!" exclaimed a stunned Emma Thompson as she took to the stage to collect her award, clearly floored by Streep's words. Though she did not address Streep's attack on Disney's views, she said "I've taken my heels off as a feminist statement really, because why do we wear them? They're so painful. And pointless, really." Hear hear!

Meryl Streep
Did We Really Need Any Further Proof That Either Actress Is Amazing?