Star Wars' actor Ewan McGregor received much love and adulation as he was feted with the President's Award for lifetime achievement at the 57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The Scottish actor, director and producer accepted the honour in an overflowing ceremony in the festival’s Grand Hall in the Czech spa town.
He was joined by his daughter Clara McGregor, his mother, and partner Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
The audience repeatedly clapped and cheered as they were treated to a reel of the actor's career highlights, with scenes from films of the Star Wars universe, 'I Love You Phillip Morris' and 'Trainspotting'.
"This is like a dream to see that," McGregor told the audience. "It was my dream as a little boy to become an actor. And that's the thing of dreams, seeing that reel."
McGregor then joked that he was going to do a bit in Czech onstage but decided against it after the reaction to his practicing Czech, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
"Somebody called for an ambulance because they thought I was having a medical emergency," he quipped. Instead, he decided to keep things short and simple, saying: "Thank you so much for being here tonight. And it means just the world to me. I believe so much in what we do as actors. I'm so fortunate to do what I love and love what I do."
McGregor, winner of a Golden Globe, an Emmy, two European Film Awards and numerous other awards, introduced his new film 'You Sing Loud, I Sing Louder', in which he appears alongside his daughter Clara. He described acting with his daughter as a highlight of what he has done.
For 'Star Wars' fans, McGregor is better known as the younger version of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. The actor first essayed the role in 'Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace (1999)' and most recently in the Disney+ series 'Obi Wan Kenobi'.
'You Sing Loud, I Sing Louder' premiered at South by Southwest. It is a road trip drama, inspired by the father-daughter duo’s real-life stories. Clara also co-wrote the script. McGregor is currently filming the miniseries 'A Gentleman in Moscow', which he is also producing.
