Al Pacino has been named the recipient of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) Life Achievement Award, the highest honor presented by the organization. The 86-year-old actor, known for his roles in "Dog Day Afternoon," "Scent of a Woman," and the "Godfather" trilogy, will become the 62nd honoree to receive the accolade.

Pacino expressed gratitude for the recognition, reflecting on his career and the relationships formed through his work. “I wondered and wandered most of my life but have always felt at home with a script and my fellow actors. It’s the work and the actors along the way that have been among the greatest joys of my life,” he said in a statement. The award will be presented on February 28 at the 33rd annual Actor Awards ceremony held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, with the event to be streamed live on Netflix.

In addition to honoring his artistic achievements, the guild highlighted Pacino’s humanitarian efforts, including his involvement in disaster relief, combating hunger and poverty, and supporting local theater organizations such as the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles.

A native of New York City, Pacino began his career primarily on stage before gaining widespread recognition when director Francis Ford Coppola cast him as Michael Corleone in the 1972 film "The Godfather." Despite studio opposition favoring a more established star, Pacino’s performance earned him an Academy Award nomination and solidified his reputation as a leading actor. He went on to receive consecutive Oscar nominations for "Serpico," "The Godfather Part II," and "Dog Day Afternoon," winning his first Oscar for Best Actor in 1993 for "Scent of a Woman." That same year, he earned a supporting actor nomination for "Glengarry Glen Ross." Overall, Pacino has been nominated for nine Academy Awards, most recently for his role in 2020’s "The Irishman."

Throughout his career, Pacino has also won two SAG-AFTRA competitive Actor Awards, two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globes, and the Cecil B. DeMille Award, the Golden Globes’ lifetime achievement honor.

SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin praised Pacino’s enduring impact on the craft of acting, saying, “When you watch him perform, you are witnessing a student and a master. Al Pacino is an artist of extraordinary courage, intensity and heart whose work has always set an exceptional standard of skill and talent. All of that and he’s just plain fun to watch.”

The SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award was established in 1962 and has previously honored notable performers including Barbara Stanwyck, James Stewart, Pearl Bailey, Frank Sinatra, James Cagney, Katharine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, Paul Newman, James Earl Jones, Jane Fonda, and Harrison Ford.