SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher is mourning the loss of her father, Morty.
“The Nanny” star was unable to attend the New York Women In Film & Television’s 44th annual Muse Awards — where she was honored on Tuesday — because her father died last week.
The luncheon’s emcee, Nancy Giles, informed the crowd of her father’s passing, and played a video of highlights from Drescher’s career before SAG-AFTRA’s executive vice president, Linda Powell, accepted the award on the star’s behalf.
“It was so moving to see that video open with Fran’s dad… I feel like maybe he’s here with us and celebrating her here with us,” she said.
Drescher sent Powell remarks to read to the crowd at Cipriani 42nd Street, which included an homage to her dad at the top of her speech.
“My beloved father passed away on March 20th, although he was 94 and a half — and went gently in his sleep — it still feels untenable how permanent the loss of this great man is,” Powell read.
The “Nanny” star also wrote: “His values were always in the right place. He honored and respected everyone equally. He understood the import of things. His life is love. His life is family and simple pleasures and we should live in gratitude.”
Her remarks also said, “I am his daughter and I am so happy he got to see me not only achieve success as an actor, but even more importantly as a labor leader because doing volunteer work on behalf of the greater good was the ethics by which he raised me.”
Drescher also sent another message via her Los Angeles neighbor Sandra Lee, who introduced an in memoriam segment at the event, and read: “I am in awe of the power of women, our strength, compassion and empathy, I have learned through experience, that we’re not only babymakers, we are essential contributors to the emotional balance of life on earth!”
NYWIFT’s CEO Cynthia Lopez thanked Drescher and the other honorees including Raney Aronson-Rath, Alex Borstein, Tantoo Cardinal, Latasha Gillespie, Kyra Sedgwick, Millicent Simmonds and Michele Stephenson for “accepting the invitation to be celebrated.”
