Washington, Dec 15 : American actress Meryl Streep has revealed that she was denied a role in the 1976 movie `King Kong' because she was "too ugly".

Streep, 59, had an audition for the role with Italian producer Dino De Laurentis, and she heard him saying in Italian to his son that she was too ugly.

Laurentis had not realised that the Oscar winner could understand and speak the language fluently when he crudely dismissed her.

"He said to his son, who organised the meeting, `She''s ugly. Why did you bring me this thing'," Contactmusic quoted her as saying.

"He didn''t realise I''d just graduated and studied Italian 105.

"When I replied in Italian, he looked like he had been shot," she added.

The role was later given to actress Jessica Lange. (ANI)