Al Pacino dubbed 'a force of nature' as he is named for a lifetime honour

Al Pacino says he has “always felt at home with a script and my fellow actors,” as he is named the next recipient of the SAG-AFTRA life achievement award.

“It’s the work and the actors along the way that have been among the greatest joys of my life,” the 86-year-old said. “It’s an honour to be recognised by Sag-Aftra in celebrating the journey.”

The union chose him after more than six decades in the business. He has won an Oscar, two Emmys, four Golden Globes and a Bafta, and is famed for The Godfather films, Dog Day Afternoon, Scent of a Woman, Scarface, and Heat. 

More recently, he starred with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in The Irishman. The guild also cited his charity work for causes such as disaster relief, hunger and poverty, and his support for local theatre companies.

SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin also paid tribute. “When you watch him perform, you are witnessing a student and a master,” he said. “All of that and he’s just plain fun to watch.”

The life achievement award is the union’s highest honor. Recipients are nominated and voted on by a SAG-AFTRA committee. Past winners include Katharine Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, Audrey Hepburn, James Earl Jones, Jane Fonda and Harrison Ford.

Pacino will receive it at the 33rd Actor Awards, which were formerly the Screen Actors Guild Awards. The ceremony is at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and will stream live on Netflix on February 28 at 8 p.m. ET.