AARP The Magazine announced on Wednesday that Lily Tomlin will receive this year’s Movies for Grownups Career Achievement Award. Tomlin will be honored at the 20th anniversary special of the annual Movies for Grownups Awards, which will broadcast on March 18 at 9 p.m. ET by Great Performances on PBS.
“I am honored to receive this award from AARP. There are so few grownups in the world. I am happy to be one. I feel I am not only a grownup, but I am mature for my age and that’s the truthhhhh!” the “Grace and Frankie” star said in a written statement.
AARP’s Movies for Grownups program has advocated for the 50-plus audience for two decades, supporting movies for grownups and by grownups while encouraging the film and TV industry to produce content that will resonate with older viewers.
Previous Career Achievement Award honorees include George Clooney, Morgan Freeman, Shirley MacLaine, Robert De Niro and Helen Mirren.
In addition to her current “Grace and Frankie” role, Tomlin’s list of credits reaches across television (“The West Wing,” “Web Therapy”), stage (“Appearing Nitely,” “The Search”) and film (“Nashville,” “9 to 5”). The actor is a recipient of eight Emmys, two Tonys, a Grammy and more. She is also known for her support for philanthropic organizations, including those focused on animal welfare, civil rights, AIDS-related organizations, health care and supporting the LGBTQ community.
“We are thrilled to honor Lily Tomlin, a trailblazer whose six-decade career as an actress, comedian, writer and advocate continues to break through boundaries today,” AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins said in a statement. “She’s an icon across mediums – as fresh, innovative, and influential today as when she revolutionized TV on ‘Laugh-In’ in the ‘60s. In her current role on ‘Grace and Frankie,’ in which she portrays issues of aging with respect, originality and hilarity, she continues to dismantle outdated stereotypes, demonstrating why she remains at the leading edge of pop culture.”