After playing the Iron Lady, actress Meryl Streep is set to play a political activist in a new movie.

Streep, who won an Oscar for playing Margaret Thatcher, will play early 1900s women's rights icon Emmeline Pankhurst in "Suffragette", reports hollywoodreporter.com.

The project, which also stars Carey Mulligan, will go on floors next week.

Mulligan is roped in to play the young feminist, who becomes violent after growing frustrated with the Suffragette movement's peaceful protests.