Tom Hanks and Sting, together with Lily Tomlin, singer Al Green and ballerina Patricia McBride are the five Kennedy Center honorees this year, distinguished for their lasting contributions to American culture.
Hailed as "America's favorite son," Hanks was lauded for his performances in "Philadelphia," ''A League of Their Own," ''Forrest Gump," ''Apollo 13," and "Saving Private Ryan."
Filmmaker George Stevens Jr., who created the Kennedy Center Honors, even called him "one of the great actors of his generation or any generation."
The ever-humble Hanks even joked before the show that there must have been a mistake in naming him as a Kennedy Center honoree.
Meanwhile, Sting started making a name for himself in the music scene with his band The Police in 1978. They popularized the songs "Roxanne" and "Every Breath You Take." Sting took off on a solor career after. He has been a performer for four decades and has since then won 16 Grammy Awards.
"In an age of musical homogenization, no one has ever sounded or sang like my friend," said singer Bruce Springsteen during Sting's tribute.
Sting was touched by the distinction. "You know, for an Englishman to receive this reward, it's not unique, but it's rare, and I take that pretty seriously," he said.
President Barack Obama even saluted the honorees last Sunday at the White House before the show started.
Other honoree Tomlin, moved to New York City and became a waitress before she started her career in comedy and acting. She debuted on TV with "The Garry Moore Show" in 1966 then later joined the cast of "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In."
Al Green was recognized for his hit songs "Let's Stay Together, ''Take Me to the River" and "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)." Whoopi Goldberg even praised him for being able to "caress a lyric like no one else."
McBride, on the other hand, made a name for herself in dance. She joined the New York City Ballet at 16 and became their youngest principal dancer at 18. For 28 years, she traveled all over the world as a ballerina. Though she gave her farewell performance in 1989, she did not leave the ballerina's life. She and her husband fellow-dancer Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux run the Charlotte Ballet in North Carolina and hopes to pass on their legacies to youngsters.