She initially wanted to become a stewardess for the airline Garuda Indonesia, but began acting, modelling, and singing while studying in Dago Catholic High School, Bandung.

[3] Owing to her increasingly busy schedule, Meriam dropped out of senior high school while in her second year in order to focus on her career.

[2] Her films of this period often included steamy scenes; one, in Wim Umboh's Pengantin Pantai Biru, had her having sex while on a deserted island inhabited by savage natives.

[7] Beginning in 2007 Meriam returned to regular film production when she took a supporting role in Hanung Bramantyo's comedy Get Married portraying the main character Mae's mother.

[6] In March 2012 she reported her then-boyfriend, lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea, to the police for allegedly physically abusing her and harassing her through text messages and phone calls.

[9] After several months of arguments and court struggles the case was settled: Meriam withdrew her report and Hutapea agreed to end their relationship and recant a statement that they had married in Las Vegas.