VIDEO: Meryl Streep Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom

The recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom were honored today during a ceremony at the White House. Among the honorees was Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep. Stephen Sondheim was scheduled to receive the award as well, but the President noted that the Tony Award-winning composer couldn't be present and will instead be included in next year's class of honorees.

"Once a year we set aside this event to celebrate people who have made America stronger, and wiser, and more humane, and more beautiful," President Obama said during the ceremony. "We thank all of them for the gifts they have given to us: The incredible performances, the incredible innovation, the incredible ideas, the incredible expressions of the human spirit."

While bestowing the award on Streep, the Commander-in-Chief confessed a crush on the actress, admiring her ability to practice empathy both on and off the screen through her charitable works. "Her husband knows I love her. Michelle knows I love her. There's nothing either of them can do about it," quipped Obama.

Streep is one of the most widely known and acclaimed actors in history. She has captured movie-goers imaginations with her unparalleled ability to portray a wide range of roles and attract an audience that has only grown over time, portraying characters who embody the full range of the human experience. She holds the record for most Academy Award nominations of any actor in history.

Stephen Sondheim is one of the country's most influential theater composers and lyricists. His work has helped define American theater with shows such as Company, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, and Into the Woods. Mr. Sondheim has won eight Grammy Awards, eight Tony Awards, an Academy Award, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

See the full list of recipients here.

Source: Yahoo