Barbra Streisand to receive SAG Life Achievement Award

LOS ANGELES – Legendary actress and singer Barbra Streisand will receive the SAG Life Achievement Award at the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, it was announced yesterday.

“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-AFTRA 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.”

Barbra Streisand performs in Toronto on Oct. 17, 2006. Streisand will be honored with the SAG Life Achievement Award for career achievements and humanitarian accomplishments. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP, File)

The SAG Life Achievement Award is presented annually to a performer who fosters the “finest ideals of the acting profession.”

Throughout her career, Streisand has received numerous honors, including two Academy Awards, 10 Grammys, five Emmy Awards, three Peabody Awards, and a Tony.

Streisand recently released her memoir, “My Name is Barbra,” which became a New York Times best seller. The book captures her life and career in her own words.

“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,” said Streisand in a statement released by SAG-AFTRA.

“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.”

Streisand’s journey into acting began with the musical “I Can Get It for You Wholesale” in 1962, which earned her a New York Drama Critics prize and Tony Award nomination for supporting actress.

In 1964, she returned to the stage with “Funny Girl,” earning critical acclaim for her portrayal of Fanny Brice. Her first film was a reprisal of her breakthrough role in “Funny Girl,” for which she earned an Academy Award for best actress.

One of Streisand’s most memorable roles during was in the drama “The Way We Were” (1973), earning her an Academy Award nomination as best actress.

Her second Academy Award came for composing the music for best original song winner “Evergreen” from “A Star Is Born” (1976), a movie in which she also starred.

With “Yentl,” Streisand became the first woman to direct, produce, write, and star in a major motion picture, and the first woman to win a Golden Globe Award for best director.

“Her enduring career is a testament to her genuine performances, connecting with audiences on a profound level,” said Drescher. “She is a colossal icon with a relentless work ethic, evolving with each stage of her remarkable journey.”

The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be held at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in downtown Los Angles Feb. 24 and will stream live on Netflix. (CNS)