When Meryl Streep was chosen to portray the role of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the 2011 biopic Iron Lady, many film buffs believe she was a perfect choice.

Known for her stellar performance which led to her recognition as one of the best actresses, Ms Streep breezed through her role which earned for the actress known for her craft her third OSCAR Best Actress trophy in 2012.

Besides being her 3rd Academy Award, it was also her 17th nomination for portraying strong women characters such as the divorced woman in the 1979 movie Kramer vs Kramer

the Polish migrant in 1982 film Sophie's Choice

the mean fashion magazine editor-in-chief in the 2006 flick The Devil Wears Prada

and the singing single mother in 2008 hit movie Mama Mia.

The Monday death of Ms Thatcher will likely lead to a spike in the sales and rental of the Iron Lady, the movie, similar to what happened to the 74-year-old song by Judy Garland from the movie Wizard of Oz, Ding Dong the Witch is Dead, which rose to UK's Top 10 iTunes chart.

YouTube postings of its trailer have almost 1.5 million hits.

In a 2011 CNN interview, Ms Streep admitted she admires the Iron Lady even if she disagreed with some of Ms Thatcher's policies.

In a statement on Monday after she learned of the former PM's death, Ms Streep said, "Margaret Thatcher was a pioneer, willingly or unwillingly, for the role of women in politics. It is hard to imagine a part of our current history that has not been affected by measures she put forward."

"But to me she was a figure of awe for her personal strength and grit," she added.

"To have come up, legitimately, through the ranks of the British political system, class bound and gender phobic as it was, in the time that she did and the way that she did, was a formidable achievement," Ms Streep said.

Referring to her reel role, the actres said, "I was honoured to try to imagine her late life journey, after power. But I have only a glancing understanding of what her many struggles were, and how she managed to sail through to the other side."

Ironically, while Ms Streep was applauded by the world for her portrayal of the steel-willed politician, Ms Thatcher is being sent into the other world with a mix of joy and sorrow for her real life role as Britain's Iron Lady.

While her Falklands War-themed funeral on Wednesday, April 17, would draw world leaders reciting well-crafted eulogies, on the same day, many Britons and Argentineans would probably mark it celebrating Ms Thatcher's death.