Two-time Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep joins Hilary Swank (Amelia), Emily Blunt (The Young Victoria) and Penelope Cruz (Broken Embraces) as a lead contender to win an Academy Award in 2010.

According to The Daily Express, Oscar executives hav been struggling to form a list of Best Actress nominees for next year’s ceremony, and Streep is rumoured to be the favorite to pick up her third Oscar for her potrayal of French culinary ace Julia Child in the comedy Julie & Julia.

“It’s only just dawning that there’s a distinct lack of potentials in the best actress category,” an Oscar insider blabbed to the publication on Sunday.

“It’s been a pretty lackluster year for movies in general but it seems that no one wrote any decent lead roles for women. There are many to choose from when it comes to supporting actresses but very few in the lead.”

“It looks like Meryl Streep may do it again as she has played the lead to acclaim in two films out this year,” the source added.