Ellen Burstyn Receives Venice Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Emotional Ceremony

Ellen Burstyn was overcome with emotion Monday as the legendary actress received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, marking another major recognition in a career that has spanned more than six decades.

The 93 year old actress arrived at the ceremony using a walker after recently suffering a fall. Actress and filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal appeared on stage before Burstyn and told the audience that the veteran performer was recovering well but was moving more slowly than usual.

The announcement was met with warm applause, which grew even louder when Burstyn eventually entered the room wearing a striking yellow gown. She received a lengthy standing ovation from the audience and became visibly emotional as she tried to compose herself.

Burstyn wiped away tears before thanking the crowd for the extraordinary reception. She acknowledged that she had already received some of the highest honors available to an American performer, including an Academy Award, a Tony Award and Emmy Awards, but said the Venice recognition carried a particularly deep personal meaning.

For Burstyn, the Golden Lion represents more than another trophy. At the age of 93, she said she has spent considerable time reflecting on the journey that brought her to this stage and on the lessons she has learned throughout her life and career.

She suggested that a lifetime achievement award should not simply represent a record of professional accomplishments. Instead, she said, it can also serve as an opportunity to consider what a person has discovered and understood through decades of experience.

Burstyn used one of the most memorable stories from her career to illustrate that idea.

She recalled working with director Martin Scorsese on the 1974 film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. During one nighttime driving sequence, she said, the positioning of the director and cinematographer made it difficult for her to see the road clearly.

The situation could have been dangerous because she was responsible for driving while her view of the road was restricted. Burstyn eventually noticed the center line separating the two directions of traffic and realized she could use it as a guide.

With characteristic humor, she explained that following the line allowed her to complete the scene without causing an accident involving herself, Scorsese or the rest of the production team.

But the amusing memory took on a more serious meaning when Burstyn connected it to the current political and social climate in the United States.

She said she hoped her country could find its own guiding line during a period of uncertainty and division. Her remarks transformed a humorous story from her early career into a broader reflection on the direction of the nation.

The award ceremony took place during the Venice premiere of Gyllenhaal’s short film Flesh Impact. Several of Burstyn’s co stars from the upcoming film Place to Be were also present, including Taika Waititi, Pamela Anderson and Murray Bartlett.

The performers joined the audience in celebrating Burstyn, helping create an emotional atmosphere as she left the stage and returned to her seat.

Burstyn has a significant presence at this year’s festival because she appears in two productions. Along with Place to Be, she is featured in Flesh Impact, a short film directed by Gyllenhaal and dedicated to Marilyn Monroe on what would have been the iconic actress’s 100th birthday.

The 20 minute film features Dakota Johnson portraying Monroe during the height of her fame, while Burstyn plays an imagined version of Monroe that represents the woman behind the public image.

The project explores the difference between Monroe’s carefully constructed celebrity persona and the person who existed beyond the cameras. Monroe died in 1962 at the age of 36 following an acute barbiturate overdose.

Burstyn also spoke about her brief connection to Monroe during a press conference before the Golden Lion ceremony.

She recalled seeing Monroe only once, when both women were at a nightclub. Burstyn was still early in her acting career at the time and remembered being fascinated by Monroe’s presence.

According to Burstyn, Monroe looked toward her and nodded. The moment left Burstyn wondering whether the famous actress had actually recognized her.

Years later, Burstyn heard additional stories about Monroe through Ralph Roberts, an actor who later worked as a masseur for Hollywood stars and had been close to Monroe. Burstyn said Roberts shared personal memories about Monroe and helped her understand how much of the star’s public personality had been deliberately created.

Burstyn also recalled meeting another Hollywood legend, Marlon Brando. She joked that the brief encounter was so overwhelming that she almost fainted.

Her memories of Hollywood’s past also included advice from acclaimed actress Bette Davis, who was more than two decades older than Burstyn.

Burstyn remembered meeting Davis after she had begun gaining recognition and receiving blunt career advice from the veteran performer. Davis emphasized that an actor’s work should remain the central priority and warned Burstyn not to allow people or distractions to interfere with it.

That advice stayed with Burstyn throughout her career and became part of the philosophy that guided her professional life.

Her continued presence at major international festivals demonstrates the remarkable longevity of her career. Burstyn stars in Place to Be alongside Waititi, Anderson, Edgar Ramirez, Lena Waithe and Bartlett. The film reunites Burstyn with director Kornel Mundruczo, following their earlier collaboration on Pieces of a Woman, which premiered in Venice in 2020.

Despite being in her 90s, Burstyn continues to accept new acting roles. She explained that her decision to work on a project is driven primarily by an emotional response to the material.

She said a script needs to make her feel something. If it makes her laugh or cry, she considers that a positive sign. If it manages to do both, she becomes particularly interested.

For Burstyn, the emotional reaction to a story remains more important than simply adding another credit to an already extraordinary résumé.

Her career has earned her a rare place in entertainment history. Burstyn is among the select performers to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting, having won an Academy Award, a Tony Award and Emmy Awards.

Her Oscar came for Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, while she won the Tony Award for Same Time, Next Year. Her Emmy victories came for her television work, including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Political Animals.

Over the years, she has also earned major recognition for performances in films and television productions including The Exorcist, The Last Picture Show, Requiem for a Dream and House of Cards.

Beyond awards and nominations, Burstyn has witnessed enormous changes in the entertainment industry, particularly regarding opportunities for women.

She said the working environment when she began her career was overwhelmingly dominated by men. Women were rarely seen behind the camera, on production crews or in directing positions.

According to Burstyn, women on film sets were often assumed to be actresses because there were so few women working in other roles.

She credited decades of social change and the efforts of women’s rights advocates with helping transform the industry. Although she acknowledged that complete equality has not yet been achieved, she believes the entertainment world has moved considerably closer to gender parity.

The Golden Lion therefore arrives at an important moment in Burstyn’s life. It celebrates not only a collection of celebrated performances but also an extraordinary career that has continued across generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences.

As she stood before the Venice audience, visibly moved by the recognition, Burstyn’s response reflected the significance of the occasion. After decades of performances, awards and unforgettable roles, the Golden Lion offered a moment to look back at a life devoted to acting while also looking ahead to the stories she still hopes to tell.

For Venice, honoring Burstyn also represented recognition of one of the defining American performers of her generation. For Burstyn herself, the emotional ceremony became a celebration of work, experience and the lessons accumulated across a remarkable lifetime in cinema and television.

Courtesy: variety