At the 2023 SAG awards, we got to witness quite a few emotional moments, one that stood out was Andrew Garfield presenting the Life Achievement Award to Sally Field.
The Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award is presented by the Screen Actors Guild’s National Honors and Tributes Committee for “outstanding achievement in fostering the finest ideals of the acting profession.”
Sally Field has had an incredible career in Hollywood, starting out when she was only 17. She starred in “The Flying Nun”, “Smokey and the Bandit”, “Steel Magnolias, “Mrs. Doubtfire”. She won two Oscars from her performances in 1979’s “Norma Rae and 1984’s “Places in the Heart”. In the early 2000s, she starred in “ER” and “Brothers & Sisters” for which she won an Emmy.
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Garfield and Field previously worked together on “The Amazing Spider-Man” films as Peter Parker and Aunt May which made this moment incredibly special. Before the ceremony Field mentioned how much it meant to her to be receiving this award in a red carpet interview with The Hollywood Reporter and how particularly meaningful it was to her to have Andrew present it. “He’s my boy, I love him to pieces” she said.
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Garfield started by calling her a “Titan of acting” he then went on to tell Sally that she’s “a north star – for all of us.”
He continued gushing over his co star and mentor by saying “You inspire us to believe that a huge creative life of richness, depth, humor, joy, pathos, mystery is possible, and you also show us how to do it somehow miraculously with humility. You never drink the Kool Aid of your own brilliance.”
Garfield commended her for playing complex female characters early in her career during a time when female leads were scarce and the industry was much different. He went on to say “She’s a pioneer in our industry. … She’s a climate activist. She’s a gangster and she’s won a lot of shit.” After a beautiful, heartfelt speech the two embraced onstage in a sweet and tearful moment.
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When asked what it meant to present the award to his co-star, Garfield said, “It was honestly, an honor. A true, true honor. Because these moments are very rare, and to be asked by someone that I admire and hold in the highest regard, as a north star of what we do, and as a human being.” Said Garfield “I meant it all.”
Field received a huge standing Ovation as she made her way to the stage. She started her speech by talking about her first acting job, and then she went on to say acting “was the one place I could be freely me.”
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Sally said, “When I was off stage, I felt shy and careful and hidden. But on stage, I never knew what I would say or do. I would surprise myself. I wasn’t looking for the applause or attention, even though that’s nice…sometimes. It’s never been about a need to hide myself behind the characters. Acting has always been about finding those precious moments when I find myself dangerously alive. The task has always been getting to that.” She went on to say.
Field summed up her career in one short quip saying “I’ve been Mrs. Doubtfire’s employer, Forrest Gump’s mother, Lincoln’s wife, and Spider-Man’s aunt.”
“When I look around this room tonight, I know my fight as hard as it was, was lightweight,” Sally said to her peers in the audience. “I thank you and I applaud you. I know it has not been easy. But easy is overrated. There is not a day that I don’t feel quietly thrilled to call myself an actor. Thank you for this great honor from you.”She said as she accepted the award.
Watch the full speech and acceptance speech here.
In the words of Andrew Garfield, “She is and always will be the epitome of acting greatness.”
Fangirl and Writer with a huge passion for entertainment.
