Hey, SAG Awards, here she is…
Multihyphenate entertainer Barbra Streisand has been named the 59th recipient of SAG-AFTRA’s highest honor, the SAG Life Achievement Award, for her career accomplishments and humanitarian efforts. Streisand will receive the tribute Feb. 24, 2024, at the 30th annual SAG Awards ceremony, which will stream live on Netflix.
“Ever since I was a young girl sitting in the Loew’s Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, I dreamed of being one of those actresses I saw on the screen,” Streisand, 81, said in a statement. “The movies were a portal to a world I could only imagine. Even though I was an unlikely candidate, somehow my dream came true. This award is especially meaningful to me because it comes from my fellow actors, whom I so admire.”
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Though the award comes from the Screen Actors Guild, Streisand is an endlessly versatile talent, having begun her career on Broadway, recorded Grammy-winning albums, and directed and produced numerous projects to critical acclaim. She broke out on the stage in 1964 as Fanny Brice in the original production of Funny Girl, a role she reprised in a 1968 film adaptation and for which she won the Best Actress Oscar. Streisand is now synonymous with the part.
Since then, she’s starred in classics such as The Way We Were, the 1976 version of A Star Is Born, What’s Up, Doc?, Yentl, The Prince of Tides, and more. She won her second Oscar for writing the love theme to A Star Is Born, “Evergreen.”
Streisand made her directorial debut with Yentl in 1983, becoming the first woman to direct, produce, write, and star in a feature film, and the first woman to win a Golden Globe Award for Best Director. Her features The Prince of Tides andThe Mirror Has Two Faces were also Oscar-nominated, including a Best Picture nod for Tides.
“Barbra Streisand is an icon and unparalleled talent, a force of nature who has seamlessly woven her brilliance through the fabric of our industry,” SAG president Fran Drescher said in a statement. “From her earliest days captivating audiences on Broadway to her unforgettable roles in cinematic classics like Funny Girl, The Way We Were, and A Star Is Born, Barbra’s ability to inhabit her characters with authenticity is nothing short of extraordinary. Her enduring career is a testament to her genuine performances, connecting with audiences on a profound level. She is a colossal icon with a relentless work ethic, evolving with each stage of her remarkable journey. We celebrate Barbra Streisand not just for her achievements but for the enduring legacy she has carved.”
Streisand has also released more than 80 albums over the course of her career. Her other accolades include 10 Grammys, five Emmys, three Peabody Awards, and a Tony Award.
Most recently, Streisand published a long-awaited memoir, My Name Is Barbra, which became an instant New York Times best-seller.
Though we do hope Drescher has worked out Streisand’s health insurance issue — or things might get a little awkward.
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