Ellen Burstyn Cries as She Gets Venice Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: ‘It’s One Thing to Win an Oscar, Tony or Emmy — All of Which I’ve Won. But This Is a Lot’ — SkimNews
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- Ellen Burstyn, 93, received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival on Monday, arriving on stage with a walker after a recent fall
- Maggie Gyllenhaal introduced Burstyn from the podium, noting the fall, before the audience erupted in a minutes-long standing ovation that left Burstyn wiping away tears and saying "You're overwhelming me"
- Burstyn called the Golden Lion more meaningful than her Oscar, Tony, or Emmys, telling the crowd "this is a lot" and reflecting that "at 93, it means you have a far about of lifetime to look back on"
- Burstyn turned her acceptance speech political, recounting how she navigated a nighttime driving scene for Martin Scorsese's "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (1974) by following the road's white line — then saying: "I hope — no, pray — that my own country will find its own white line"
- Burstyn has two films at this year's Venice: Gyllenhaal's 20-minute short "Flesh Impact," dedicated to Marilyn Monroe on her 100th birthday with Dakota Johnson as Monroe, and the comedic drama "Place to Be" premiering Wednesday with Taika Waititi, Pamela Anderson, and Murray Bartlett
- Burstyn is one of the few performers to earn the Triple Crown of Acting: an Oscar for "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" and a Tony for "Same Time, Next Year" (both 1975), plus Emmys for "Law & Order: SVU" (2009) and "Political Animals" (2013)
- At a Monday press conference, Burstyn recalled Bette Davis's early-career advice — "the only thing that's important is your work... You are my enemy" — and said roles for women have changed "enormously," crediting the late Gloria Steinem
Why it matters: Burstyn's "white line" speech turned a career-tribute moment into an implicit political statement about America's direction — unusual for a nonagenarian whose last Oscar was 50 years ago. Her two Venice premieres (one directed by Gyllenhaal, the other reuniting her with "Pieces of a Woman" director Kornél Mundruczó) confirm she's still a working actor, with industry validation of her continued relevance rather than a nostalgia booking.
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