De Niro named Screen Actors Guild life achievement honoree

Robert De Niro attends the world premiere of "The Irishman" at Alice Tully Hall during the opening night of the 57th New York Film Festival on Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

LOS ANGELES -- Robert De Niro will receive the Screen Actors Guild's life achievement award.

The guild announced that De Niro will be the 56th recipient of its highest honour at its SAG Awards on Jan. 19, 2020.

SAG cited De Niro's extraordinary accomplishments in film and television, including two Academy Awards, a Presidential Medal of Freedom and numerous other honours. It also noted his co-founding and championing of New York City's Tribeca Film Festival.

De Niro's latest film is "The Irishman," which is playing in theatres in limited release before arriving on Netflix at the end of the month.

The actor says in a statement that he's honoured to receive the award from a union that he's been a part of for more than 50 years.