Honestly, if you watch Out of Africa today, it feels like a fever dream of golden-hour lighting and Meryl Streep’s impeccable Danish accent. It’s been decades since the film swept the Oscars in 1986, yet people still argue about it. They argue about the pacing. They argue about the lions. But mostly, they talk about the Out of Africa actors and how that cast—led by Streep and Robert Redford—managed to sell a romance that was, in real life, significantly more complicated and tragic than Hollywood let on.
You’ve got to remember the stakes back then. Sydney Pollack was taking a massive gamble on a quiet, literary memoir. He needed stars who could command the screen against the literal backdrop of the Rift Valley.
The Meryl Streep Transformation
Meryl Streep wasn’t actually the first choice to play Karen Blixen. Hard to believe, right? Some producers were looking at Jane Seymour. Pollack himself was initially skeptical about casting an American woman to play a Danish aristocrat, fearing the accent would feel forced or distracting. But Streep did what she does. She showed up to her audition wearing a low-cut blouse and a push-up bra—not exactly her usual vibe—to prove she could be the "sensual" woman the role required.
She got the part.
Her performance is the glue. Streep’s Karen is a mix of stiff European pride and a raw, burgeoning love for the Kenyan landscape. She spent weeks perfecting that specific phrasing, working with her long-time hair and makeup collaborator J. Roy Helland. On set, she was a trooper. There’s that famous story about the "hair washing scene." Streep recently reminisced about it at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, calling it "intimate" and "gorgeous," despite the fact that they were filming in a river full of hippos. Hippos are terrifying. They kill more people in Africa than almost any other large animal, and Streep was fully aware they were lurking just upstream while Redford poured water over her head.
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Robert Redford and the Accent Controversy
Then there’s Robert Redford as Denys Finch Hatton. This is where the Out of Africa actors discussion usually gets spicy. Redford plays an English aristocrat, a big-game hunter with a soul for poetry. The problem? Redford is about as American as a Yellowstone postcard.
Initially, they tried. Redford began filming with a British accent. However, Pollack hated it. He thought it sounded stiff and took away from the natural charisma Redford brought to the screen. So, they made a executive decision: Redford would just speak in his normal voice.
It’s jarring if you’re a history buff. The real Denys Finch Hatton was deeply, undeniably British. Seeing Redford wander the savannah looking like he just stepped off a Malibu beach is a bit of a leap. But for the 1985 audience, his star power was the point. Redford’s Denys is less a historical recreation and more a symbol of the unattainable, free-spirited man. He was famously protective of his image on set, too. He reportedly demanded complete control over the safari ponies used during filming, refusing to let them be hired out for other safaris so he could film whenever the light was right.
The Supporting Cast: More Than Just Background
While the "Big Two" got the posters, the supporting Out of Africa actors did the heavy lifting for the film's authenticity.
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- Klaus Maria Brandauer (Bror Blixen): The Austrian actor was widely praised for being "uncannily like" the real Baron Bror. He played the philandering, syphilis-granting husband with a charm that made you understand why Karen married him in the first place. He managed to be a villain without being a caricature.
- Michael Kitchen (Berkeley Cole): Kitchen played Denys’s friend, Berkeley. During filming, he actually suffered a nasty facial injury from a horse-related accident. He was terrified he’d be fired, but the crew just used clever makeup and filmed him from one side until he healed.
- Malick Bowens (Farah): As Karen’s loyal majordomo, Bowens provided the emotional heartbeat of the domestic scenes. His dignity on screen reflected the real-life respect Karen Blixen had for her Somali staff.
- Iman (Mariammo): Yes, the supermodel Iman had a role! She played Mariammo, a brief but striking presence that added to the film's high-fashion-meets-rugged-wilds aesthetic.
What Really Happened on Set?
Filming in Kenya wasn't just about pretty sunsets. It was gritty. The crew had to deal with intense night shoots that attracted swarms of "bugs as big as your hand," according to Streep. One giant insect actually crawled down her shirt during a long take. She stayed in character until the director yelled "cut" before screaming for someone to get it out.
And the lions? They weren't exactly local talent.
The production actually imported "tame" lions from California because the Kenyan government was protective of its wild pride. Ironically, the "tame" lions were still incredibly dangerous. In the scene where Karen fends off a lion with a whip, those were real animals, and the tension you see on Streep’s face isn't just acting. It’s survival instinct.
The Legacy of the Out of Africa Actors
Robert Redford passed away in September 2025 at the age of 89. His death sparked a massive re-evaluation of his filmography, with many pointing to Out of Africa as his peak "romantic lead" era. Meryl Streep, meanwhile, remains a titan of the industry, recently celebrating the film's 40th anniversary with reflections on how much the industry has changed.
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The film is often criticized now for its "white savior" undertones and its glossing over of the brutal realities of British colonialism. The real Karen Blixen’s life was much harder. She dealt with a failing coffee farm (it was the wrong climate for coffee), a plague of locusts, and the devastating effects of the syphilis she contracted from Bror. The movie chooses the romance over the rot.
But that’s why we watch movies, isn't it?
We watch for the sweep of John Barry’s score and the way the Out of Africa actors make us believe in a version of the past that probably never existed. They turned a failing plantation and a messy affair into a myth.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Film Students
If you want to truly appreciate what these actors did, you need to look beyond the DVD cover:
- Read 'The Life of a Storyteller' by Judith Thurman: This was one of the primary sources for the screenplay. It gives you the "un-Hollywood" version of Karen’s life, making Streep’s performance feel even more layered when you realize what she was leaving out.
- Watch for the "One-Sided" Scenes: Keep an eye out for Michael Kitchen. Now that you know about his facial injury, try to spot the scenes where the camera suspiciously avoids the left side of his face.
- Compare the Accents: Listen to Streep’s Danish-inflected English vs. the real recordings of Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen). It’s a masterclass in subtle mimicry.
- Visit the Karen Blixen Museum: If you ever find yourself in Nairobi, the house where they filmed (and where Karen actually lived) is a museum. It puts the scale of the "farm" into a much more intimate, human perspective.
The film remains a polarizing masterpiece. It’s slow, it’s long, and the leads have a chemistry that feels more like mutual respect than burning passion. Yet, because of the talent involved, it stays in the conversation. It’s a snapshot of a specific time in Hollywood when you could spend millions of dollars just to watch two people talk about poetry in the grass.