At 93, Ellen Burstyn is still doing something even she never expected: making movies at a high level. The Oscar-winning actress arrived at the 83rd Venice Film Festival with two new projects and another major milestone waiting for her—the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.
According to People, the moment offered a striking reminder of just how unusual her career has become. Decades after establishing herself as one of Hollywood’s most respected performers, Burstyn is not simply looking back on past accomplishments. She is still acting, still taking leading roles and still earning recognition for a body of work that continues to grow.
Ellen Burstyn Receives Lifetime Achievement Honor While Still Acting at 93
Maggie Gyllenhaal presented Burstyn with the Golden Lion before a screening of Flesh Impact, which Gyllenhaal directed and Burstyn stars in. She also leads Place to Be alongside Taika Waititi, reuniting with Pieces of a Woman filmmaker Kornél Mundruczó. In the film, Burstyn plays Brooke Graham, a widow whose quiet life takes an unexpected turn after a carrier pigeon refuses to leave her home.
Burstyn admitted to People that she never imagined herself still making movies at 93. She remembered feeling surprised when she continued landing leading roles in her 40s, let alone decades later. Yet working in her 90s now feels natural because acting has remained such a constant part of her life. The actress recognizes how rare her situation is, but she also continues approaching the work as something she has simply always done.
A Legendary Career That Has Never Really Slowed Down
Before Venice honored her career, Burstyn had already earned an Oscar, a Tony, two Emmys, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA, making her a Triple Crown of Acting winner. Still, she has often emphasized the work over the awards, encouraging younger actors to pursue the kind of creative path they would choose even without the paycheck.
That philosophy helps explain why Ellen Burstyn remains so active at an age when many performers have long since retired. The Golden Lion may celebrate everything she has already accomplished, but her presence at Venice also proves that her career belongs to the present, not only the past. There is something especially fitting about receiving a lifetime achievement award while still adding new performances to that lifetime. At 93, Burstyn is not merely being honored for what she once did—she is still doing it.