The Gotham Film & Media Institute announced today that Academy Award, Tony Award, and Emmy Award winner Ellen Burstyn will receive the Performer Tribute at the 36th Annual Gotham Film Awards, taking place on Monday, November 30th, 2026, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. The tribute will celebrate Burstyn’s extraordinary body of work across film, television, and theater, as well as her longstanding leadership in the New York arts community. Maggie Gyllenhaal, who recently wrote and directed the short film “Flesh Impact” starring Burstyn, will present the honor.
“For nearly seven decades, Ellen Burstyn has brought fearless honesty and extraordinary emotional depth to every stage and screen she has graced,” said Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute. “From ‘The Last Picture Show’ and ‘The Exorcist’ to ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’, ‘Resurrection’, and ‘Requiem for a Dream,’ her performances have helped define American cinema. Her remarkable achievements in film, television, and theater are matched by her dedication to nurturing fellow artists. We are honored to celebrate her enduring influence and a body of work that continues to inspire generations of audiences and filmmakers.”
One of the few performers to achieve acting’s prestigious Triple Crown, Burstyn won both the Academy Award for “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” and the Tony Award for Same Time, Next Year in 1975. Her portrayal of Alice Hyatt, a widowed mother determined to build a new life, remains one of cinema’s most indelible portraits of resilience and independence. On Broadway, her performance in Same Time, Next Year demonstrated the wit, emotional depth, and commanding presence that have distinguished her work across mediums.
Burstyn has earned six Academy Award nominations throughout her career, including for her performances in “The Last Picture Show,” “The Exorcist,” “Resurrection,” and “Requiem for a Dream.” Across these roles, she has brought extraordinary complexity and humanity to women navigating grief, faith, longing, and survival. Her acclaimed television work earned her two Emmy Awards for “Law & Order: SVU” and “Political Animals”. Her extensive screen credits also include “Interstellar,” “Pieces of a Woman,” “The First Lady,” and “Law & Order: Organized Crime.” She recently starred alongside Dakota Johnson in Gyllenhaal’s “Flesh Impact,” portraying an imagined Marilyn Monroe at age one hundred. The film premiered at this year’s Venice International Film Festival.
Beyond her performances, Burstyn has made lasting contributions to the artistic community as a longtime leader of the Actors Studio. A member of the Theater Hall of Fame, bestselling memoirist, and author of Poetry Says It Better, she has devoted her life to both acting and supporting fellow artists. Most recently, she received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice International Film Festival, recognizing the breadth and enduring impact of her career.
The Gotham has deepened its support of short-form filmmaking in recent years, recognizing the format as an essential part of today’s film and media landscape. Through initiatives including the Focus Features Short Film Showcase, the Gotham Week Shorts to Features section, and the Genesis House x Gotham Shorts Fellowship, The Gotham celebrates outstanding short films while creating opportunities for filmmakers at every stage of their creative careers.
It was previously announced that “Elsinore” will receive the Gotham Legacy Tribute, “Michael” will receive the Gotham Musical Tribute, “La Bola Negra” will receive the Gotham Vanguard Tribute, Danny Boyle will receive the Gotham Director Tribute for “Ink,” and LAIKA will receive the Gotham Anniversary Tribute at the 36th Annual Gotham Film Awards Ceremony.
Winners of the 36th Annual Gotham Film Awards will be honored at the awards ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, November 30th, 2026. Nominees will be announced on October 27th, 2026.
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