"In one instance, I played dead and waited until the blows stopped, watching. People say you do, from about 50ft above, as I was beaten," she said. "In the second instance, someone else was being abused and i just went completely nuts and went after this man. Ask Cher, she was there."
"The thug ran away, it was a miracle," she said.
Streep and Cher worked together on the 1983 film Silkwood and have remained friends since.
Cher will also star in the 2018 musical comedy film, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, alongside Streep