"So grateful that you haven’t gotten sick of my face": Meryl Streep looks back on her last time at Cannes during honorary Palme d’Or acceptance speech

Actress Meryl Streep received an honorary Palme d’Or during the opening ceremony of the 77th Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. Thanking the organizers, the Devil Wears Prada star reflected on her career and the last time she attended the film festival. She told the audience,

"To you all I owe so much. I’m so grateful you haven’t gotten sick of my face, you haven’t gotten off the train."

The actress began her career in theater, and her first on-screen appearance was in the 1977 film Julia. Since then, she has worked in movies like Kramer vs. Kramer, The Iron Lady, Mamma Mia!, and Julie & Julia. Her acting has earned her three Academy Awards, eight Golden Globe Awards, and two SAG Awards.

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Meryl Streep was greeted with the first standing ovation of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival

The Cannes Film Festival kicked off on Tuesday, honoring Meryl Streep with her Palmer. French actress Juliette Binoche of The English Patient fame presented the 74-year-old actress with the award. Before Streep could accept the award, she was greeted with a two-minute standing ovation, the first for the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

Per videos shared by Deadline on the official X account, an emotional Meryl Streep initially pretended to walk off the stage. Listing her various roles throughout her career, Binoche called her an "international treasure," stating that she never saw beyond the character Streep was portraying on screen.

"Where does it come from? Were you born like this? I don’t know, but there’s a believer in you; a believer that allows me to believe," Binoche said.

A montage of the actress's illustrious career was played, which she described as "looking out the window of a bullet train." The last time Meryl Streep attended Cannes was 35 years ago, in 1980, after being awarded the best actress prize for A Cry in the Dark. Back then, the actress was a mother of three and was about to turn 40. Talking about the time, she said,

"I thought my career was over and that was not an unrealistic expectation for actresses at that time. And the only reason that I’m here tonight and that it continued is because of the very gifted artists with whom I’ve worked, including madame la president (Greta Gerwig).”

Meryl Streep (R) receives the Honorary Palme D’Or Award from Juliette Binoche (L) on stage during the opening ceremony at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival (Image via Getty)

She thanked her agent, CAA’s Kevin Huvane, who Streep revealed has worked with her for over 33 years, and her hair and makeup stylist, J. Roy Helland, who has styled almost all the characters she "played in the last half century."

Earlier this month, organizers for Cannes announced that Streep would receive the award. At the time, the Mamma Mia! actress released a statement expressing her honor at receiving the award.

"To stand in the shadow of those who have previously been honored is humbling and thrilling in equal part. I so look forward to coming to France to thank everyone in person this May!," she said.

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Meryl Streep is among the 19 recipients of the Palme d’Or, the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival (introduced in 1955). This includes Jane Fonda, Clint Eastwood, Tom Cruise, Jodie Foster, and Harrison Ford.

This year, two Palmes will be presented: one to Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli (the first non-individual Palme) and one to George Lucas of Star Wars fame.