Matt Dillon's early co-stars taught him everything he knows

Remember when Matt Dillon was just a little guy? Me neither, but that is not stopping IFP from presenting the New Yorker with its version of the ever-present Mid-Lifetime Achievement Award at November's Gotham Awards.

Or, as IFP's resident mainstreamer executive director Michelle Byrd told Variety through a beautifully hormonal veil of tears:

"We've all watched Matt grow up on camera, but I don't know how many of us have really stopped and taken a long look at the tremendously accomplished body of work that he continues to build."

In reality, Dillon has been doing pretty respectable work for about 20-something years now, and buzz is whirring about his performance in the upcoming Factotum. And while the guy's transition from Hinton to Haggis was not without a few gruesome turns (forgive him if he interrupts his acceptance speech coughing up bile left over from Herbie: Fully Loaded), you would be kind of foolish to overlook some of his memorable work for everyone from Gus Van Sant (Best line: "Nothing's more life-affirming than getting the shit kicked out of you.") to the Farrelly brothers ("I work with retards.")

So whatever. Congrats, Matt. Watch out for Byrd though—I have a feeling that is a 1980 issue of Tiger Beat in her hand, not an event program.