Barbra Streisand to Receive Life Achievement Award at 2024 SAG Awards: 'She Is a Colossal Icon'

The 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards will stream live on Netflix Feb. 24, at 8 p.m. ET

Barbra Streisand to Be Honored with the 2023 SAG Life Achievement Award
Barbra Streisand. Photo:

Russell James

The Screen Actors Guild is honoring Barbra Streisand.

On Thursday, SAG-AFTRA announced that Streisand, 81, will receive the SAG Life Achievement Award at the upcoming 30th SAG Awards in February.

The honor is given to actors who display the "finest ideals of the acting profession,” according to a press release, which also refers to EGOT honoree Streisand as "one of the greatest entertainers of all time."

“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 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.”

Barbra Streisand to Be Honored with the 2023 SAG Life Achievement Award
Barbra Streisand on June 12, 2016.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher called Streisand "an icon and unparalleled talent, a force of nature who has seamlessly woven her brilliance through the fabric of our industry" in a statement Thursday.

"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," Drescher, 66, said.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Barbra Streisand receives The Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Woman of Leadership Award on July 01, 2023 in Malibu, California.
Barbra Streisand on July 1, 2023.

Kevin Mazur/Getty

“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," the guild's president added. "We celebrate Barbra Streisand not just for her achievements but for the enduring legacy she has carved.”

Members of SAG-AFTRA's National Honors and Tributes Committee nominate and vote on each year's Life Achievement Award.

A press release identifies recipients of the award as "a well-established performer who has contributed to improving the image of the acting profession and has a history of active involvement in humanitarian and public service endeavors."

Singer-songwriter Barbra Streisand attends Tribeca Talks: Storytellers: Barbra Streisand With Robert Rodriguez during 2017 Tribeca Film Festival at BMCC Tribeca PAC on April 29, 2017 in New York City.
Barbra Streisand on April 29, 2017. Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic

Streisand is the award's 59th recipient: Sally Field and Helen Mirren accepted the honor at the 2023 and 2022 SAG Awards, respectively.

The announcement comes just over a month after Streisand released her memoir My Name Is Barbra, peeling back the curtain on her experiences on the stage, screen and as a recording artist for over six decades.

Streisand recently told PEOPLE she doubts she will make another film.

“No, not really," she said at the time. "I mean, it was 2009 that I was fighting for the rights to play Gypsy. In other words, it gets exhausting, trying to come up with the structure of the movie and then have it not happen.”

The 2024 SAG Awards will stream live on Netflix Saturday, Feb. 24, at 8 p.m. ET.

Related Articles