Meryl Streep kisses Robert De Niro after he delivers moving speech in praise of the actress

Meryl Streep let her fondness be known for Robert De Niro.

On Tuesday night in New York City, the 74-year-old actor took the stage at the National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala to deliver a sweet speech about Streep, who was being given the award for Best Actress.

"Meryl is the most generous and giving actor," said De Niro, who starred in the 1984 film Falling in Love with the 68-year-old actress. "She not only inhabits her own character, she helps bring out the character of everyone else on the screen."

De Niro went on to commend Streep for her work off camera. "Meryl, thank you for speaking out on matters of conscience that affect us all," he praised. "Thank you for being an actress who plays the most interesting characters with full commitment and without judgement."

See photos of the intimate moment:

Concluding his speech, the Godfather star gushed, "Meryl doesn't seem to have any imperfections. And I say that with the most love for you, Meryl. I love you so much."

Streep showed her appreciation for De Niro's kind words by giving him a hearty hug and greeting him with a big kiss on the lips.

In addition to loving on De Niro, Streep also spoke with ET's Lauren Zima about what it was like watching Oprah Winfrey's empowering speech at Sunday's Golden Globe Awards.

"It made me remember what a real leader sounds like," she expressed. "What passion and conviction and principal attached to a speech and rhetoric, how it can pull us all together and really burn a hole in history. It just takes a few people, and courage begets courage, and that's what we need."

As far as Winfrey running for president and her Post co-star, Tom Hanks, becoming vice president, Streep has "a few thoughts" on the matter.

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