Nov. 13 (UPI) -- The Irishman and Goodfellas icon Robert De Niro has been chosen to receive the 2019 Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award this winter.
"Robert De Niro is an actor of extraordinary depth and ability. The characters he creates captivate our imaginations. From the smoldering inferno of young Vito Corleone to the raging bull Jake LaMotta and everybody's grandpa Ben Whittaker, he continues to touch our hearts and open our minds to new and exciting worlds of understanding and emotion," Gabrielle Carteris, president of SAG-AFTRA, said in a statement on Tuesday. "It is my great privilege to announce that SAG-AFTRA's highest honor will be presented to one of the most singular talents of our generation, Robert De Niro."
De Niro, 76, is a two-time Oscar winner whose credits include Joker, Meet the Parents, Awakenings, The Untouchables, Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, Raging Bull and The Godfather Part II.
"I have been a member of this union for over 50 years. It's an honor to receive this award from SAG-AFTRA," De Niro said.
The SAG Awards ceremony -- honoring excellence in film and television -- is scheduled to be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Jan. 19.
The Irishman is now in theaters. It is set to debut on Netflix on Nov. 27.