Close was supported at the ceremony by Melissa McCarthy, daughter Annie Starke and more.
Glenn Close continues to make her mark on Hollywood history.
The 79-year-old screen legend was all smiles at her Hand & Footprint Ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in the heart of Hollywood on Friday, surrounded by family, friends and fans. Wearing a brown suit and killer shades, Close joined the elite group of cinema stars whose imprints will be forever preserved at the iconic venue.
During her speech, the Oscar nominee shared memories of working with the late Robin Williams and Mary Beth Hurt, whom she referred to as her "beloved best friend of 52 years." Close worked with both stars in 1982's The World According to Garp, which marked her film debut. She met Hurt in 1974, when she understudied for Hurt in the play Love for Love.
Close reflected on what it means to be an actor, comparing the profession to being an alien.
"We are members of the alien nation, because I think we have more antennae than maybe some other humans," she said of actors. "And there are aliens and civilians, and we definitely speak different languages. I fear a world where the civilians completely disenfranchise us aliens. We aliens thrive and live on creative collaboration. It is our sustenance."
"Then there is what I call creative friction, the act of removing your ego in the fight for the best results," Close continued. "Then there's the world according to Rory, my grandson, which is, 'Uh-oh.' Or 'Oh, wow!' "
Earlier in her speech, Close also reflected on joining other icons who had their own Hand & Footprint Ceremony in front of the historic theater.
“They all had stories of overcoming, of persistence, frequently against the odds who had to balance their public personas against who they really were,” Close said. “People with a dream, of course. But people with a crazy unquenchable belief, the crazy engine of belief, that they had something unique to give to the world, to help us understand what it means to be a human, a human being on this little orb, the earth. To be considered worthy of their company is the honor of my life.”
Close's Hand & Footprint Ceremony is one of the events in this year's TCM Classic Film Festival, celebrating cinema's history in Los Angeles from April 30 to May 3. The actress will present a special screening of her 1988 hit Dangerous Liaisons, for which she received one of her eight Academy Award nominations.
Among those supporting the Wake Up Dead Man star at the ceremony were Melissa McCarthy, Ben Falcone and Williams' daughter Zelda Williams. The event was also a sweet family affair, with Close's daughter Annie Starke giving a speech while holding her son Rory Westaway Albu, who she welcomed in February 2025.
“I love it,” Close tells PEOPLE exclusively of being a grandmother. “Every single minute!”
“It’s also as much of a joy to see my daughter blossoming at this point, as a lovely, funny, wonderful mother. And you can see it in the face of her child,” Close，who spoke to PEOPLE after the handprint ceremony，adds.
“I started with the word icon，and I do think that it’s kind of losing its meaning，但它确实是我手脚现在将要保持的公司一些娱乐业最伟大偶像之一，”Close告诉PEOPLE。
“至今，我仍然记得第一次在大银幕上看到格伦·克劳斯的情景，”TCM Primetime和TCM经典电影节的主持人本·曼基维茨在一份声明中说。“四十多年过去了，格伦·克劳斯依然吸引着观众——从她早期的角色到《危险关系》等标志性表演——我们很自豪能在今年的节日上表彰她持久的遗产。”
Among Close's upcoming screen projects are The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (in theaters Nov. 20) and British TV drama Up to No Good. Her 2025 Hulu legal drama All's Fair has been renewed for a second season.