Veteran actor Tom Hanks choked up as he accepted the Cecille B DeMille award at the Golden Globes 2020 and dismissed his tears as being part of a cold. "I swear to God, I'm not nearly this emotional at home," said the versatile actor in his acceptance speech.
Hanks, who was bestowed with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's top award, addressed the audience, most of whom he said he would "pay to see them get their cars washed".
Chosen by the HFPA board members, the Cecil B deMille award is given annually to a talented individual who has made a lasting impact in the world of entertainment.
The 63-year-old actor reflected on his lengthy career and thanked his co-stars over the years, from whom he "stole" something or other.
"You're a dope if you don't steal from everybody you've ever worked with. And I have stolen from the likes of the people that only need one name, like Meryl, like Denzel, like Antonio, like Meg, like Julia, like Sally Field ? even though that's two names, it's still one.
"But I have also been made better by watching the examples of some of the greatest actors that have ever walked the stage," he said.
Hanks added, showing up on time is "one of the greatest and most liberating acts you can give yourself in a movie."
The actor, an eight-time Golden Globe winner and 15-time nominee, also paid tributes to the directors and screenwriters he has worked with.
"It's those moments as an actor where everybody I've ever worked with has helped me get to that place ? sometimes it's three o'clock in the morning and sometimes it's 11 at night ? but you just have to somehow put it all together, have faith in what the process is, and go there," he said.
Hanks underscored the power of having a "head full of ideas".
"That was the greatest lesson a young actor could possibly ever have first of all, the head full of ideas. Bring anything, try anything, they might not use it. If it stinks, they won't use it.
"Knowing the text, and it's not just your lines, it's the whole thing. It's the red dot. It's the theme of the movie. You've got to know it.
You might not be right in the opinion you bring to it, but you've got to come at it with some direction," he said.
The actor closed his speech with a filmmaking analogy which resulted in a standing ovation from the audience.
"There is a saying in motion pictures, back when it was shot on film, that you could not move on to the next scene until the gate was good. ... Thank you, HFPA. Thank you all here.
"Thank you for all your inspiration and all of your work and all the struggle that you guys go through in order to hit the marks and tell the truth. I have checked the gate. The gate is good. Thank you," Hanks said.
Hanks is both a critically-acclaimed actor and beloved star who has iconic films such as "Big", "Forrest Gump", "Saving Private Ryan", "Cast Away", among others to his credit.
His upcoming projects include WWII drama "Greyhound", which he also wrote, the post-apocalyptic "BIOS" and pre-Civil War drama
"News of the World".
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