Actress Ellen Burstyn, 93, became emotional as she accepted the Venice Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement on Monday night. The veteran performer, already a recipient of an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and two Primetime Emmy Awards, added the prestigious Italian honor to her extensive accolades.
Burstyn, known for her role as Chris MacNeil in the 1973 horror classic "The Exorcist," expressed her overwhelming feelings upon receiving a prolonged standing ovation. "You're making me cry! You're overwhelming me, you know. I don't know how to recover from that generous greeting," she told the audience. "You can't imagine how meaningful this is to me. It's one thing to win an Oscar, a Tony or an Emmy — all of which I've won... But this … it's a lot."
Reflecting on her nine decades, Burstyn shared how the award prompted her to consider not just her accomplishments but also her learned lessons. She recounted an anecdote from the 1974 filming of "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," directed by Martin Scorsese. During a night driving scene, with the director and cinematographer on the car's hood obscuring her view, Burstyn navigated by following the white line in the middle of the road. "I noticed, this is a two-way road. There's a white line in the middle of the road, and I can see that. So all I have to do is look up to the left, and follow the white line. And that's how I managed to not kill Martin Scorsese," she said.
Drawing a parallel between this personal experience and the current state of affairs in the United States, Burstyn stated, "I wanted to close out saying how deeply appreciative I am of this Golden Lion and I hope — no, pray — that my own country will find its own white line."
Burstyn's career, which includes an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Scorsese's "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," continues to be active. She is also set to star as a 100-year-old Marilyn Monroe alongside Dakota Johnson in Maggie Gyllenhaal's short film "Flesh Impact," which is scheduled to premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September.
Her other notable film credits include "Requiem For A Dream" (2000), "Interstellar" (2014), and "Pieces Of A Woman" (2020). The original "The Exorcist," directed by William Friedkin, told the story of Burstyn's character seeking help to exorcise her daughter from a demonic possession, based on William Peter Blatty's novel.