Movies

Barbra Streisand brings stars to tears while accepting SAG Life Achievement Award

"I wanted to be in the movies even though I knew I didn't look like the other women on the screen," the EGOT said in her speech.

By

Jessica Wang

Published on February 24, 2024 10:41PM EST

Barbra Streisand brought her fellow stars to tears Saturday evening when she accepted the Screen Actors Guild's highest honor, the SAG Life Achievement Award, at the 30th SAG Awards.

After glowing introductions from Jennifer Aniston and Bradley Cooper that drew a standing ovation, Streisand, 81, delivered a heartfelt speech that reached back to her days as a teenage girl watching black-and-white films at the theater and a young actress pursuing her dreams in Hollywood. "This is such a wonderful award to get because you know in advance that you’re going to get it and you don't have to sit there and squirm," she joked, adding that she was proud to be a SAG-AFTRA member for more than 60 years.

"I didn't like reality," Streisand said. "I wanted to be in the movies even though I knew I didn't look like the other women on the screen. My mother said you better learn to type, but I didn't listen and somehow, someway — thank you, God — it all came true."

Jennifer Aniston, Barbra Streisand, and Anne Hathaway at the 2024 SAG Awards.
Netflix; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images; Netflix

Anne Hathaway, Hannah Waddingham, and Quinta Brunson were among the stars in attendance who had visibly emotional reactions to Streisand's speech.

The 59th recipient of the honor, Streisand received the award for her expansive career accomplishments and humanitarian efforts. She's starred in such classics as The Way We Were, Funny Girl, A Star Is Born, What's Up Doc?, Yentl, and The Prince of Tides.

"Barbra did not just pave the way for us women, she bulldozed the road for us," Aniston said during her introduction. She also noted, "I haven't had the pleasure of working with her yet, but I've been fortunate enough to spend cherished time with her over the years, and I even got to kiss her at midnight one New Year's Eve."

Meanwhile, Cooper said of the EGOT winner, "In her autobiography, Barbra writes that she is always thinking about a piece as part of a whole, and that is evident in everything that she does. It defines her not only as a great singer, actor, director but as a true auteur."

The 2024 SAG Awards are airing live Saturday night from the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles. Check out the full list of winners.

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