Awards Season, we barely knew ya! The end of our favorite time of year is quickly approaching, with the annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG Awards) officially heralding the countdown to Hollywood’s greatest night (a.k.a The Oscars). And, if Sunday night’s show was an indicator, the Oscars are set to be nail-biting. The only awards show that focuses solely on actors on both the big and silver screen, this year’s SAG Awards had something for everyone; full of surprising, heartwarming, and long-awaited wins. From Jane Fonda receiving a well-deserved Life Achievement Award to the cast of Only Murders In The Building shocking everyone — including themselves — by taking home a statue, to Timothée Chalamet making SAG Awards history, the night was one for the books. Below, some of the best wins of the night.
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Anna Sawai caps off a tremendous awards season with another win for Shōgun.
It’s Anna Sawai’s world and we’re just living in it! The Shōgun star took home the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series at the 31st annual SAG Awards. Sawai is far from a newcomer to the awards stage, though. The win caps off an incredible awards season for Sawai, who made history at the 2024 Emmy Awards as the first actress of Asian descent to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
Sawai also took home a Golden Globe for her role as Lady Mariko in the historical fiction drama series. In an emotional acceptance speech, Sawai thanked the Shōgun cast, reminiscing on the end of a season and celebrating their work together. The series swept the TV drama categories, with Hiroyuki Sanada winning Male Actor in a Drama Series and the cast taking home the award for Best Ensemble in a Drama Series. The latter win is historic; the show is the first non-English language series to take home an award in this category.
The iconic Jane Fonda receives the Life Achievement Award.
Jane Fonda received a Life Achievement Award at the 31st SAG Awards, and proved why — 65 years into her career — she has always been and will always be iconic. The actor and longtime activist took to the stage to accept the statue, telling the audience: “This means the world to me … and your enthusiasm makes it seem less like a twilight of my life and more like a ‘go girl, kick ass!’ Which is good because I’m not done.”
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In true Fonda fashion, the actor used the moment to ask the audience to use their privilege to help others. Speaking about the current administration, Fonda encouraged those watching to keep fighting, stating: “This is big-time serious, folks...so let’s be brave. We must not isolate, we must stay in community, we must help the vulnerable, [and] we must find ways to project an inspiring vision of the future.”
Zoe Saldaña cements her status as an Oscars frontrunner despite controversy surrounding Emilia Pérez.
Zoe Saldaña is continuing her winning streak. On Sunday night, Saldaña picked up the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role at the SAG Awards for her turn as lawyer Rita Mora Castro in Emilia Pérez. Saldaña’s win isn’t *that* much of a surprise, given that the actress has swept this year’s awards season, including at the Golden Globes, and has cemented her status as the frontrunner for her category for next Sunday’s Oscars.
Accepting the statue, Saldaña thanked her family for their support, helping to educate her early in her career on the value of being a part of a union like SAG-AFTRA. She also thanked the union, saying: “I am proud to be a part of a union that allows me to be who I am. I’ve never been questioned where I come from or judged for how I speak or what my pronouns are. Everyone has the right to be who they are. Emilia Pérez is about truth and love and us actors really have to tell stories that are thought-provoking and beautiful and live within the spectrum of artistic freedom.”
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On stage, Saldaña didn’t directly address the larger controversy surrounding the movie. In January, journalist Sarah Hagi uncovered racist tweets from Saldaña’s co-star Karla Sofia Gascón. In a February interview with Variety, Saldaña responded to Gascón’s comments, telling the outlet: “I’m sad. Time and time again, that’s the word because that is the sentiment that has been living in my chest since everything happened. I’m also disappointed. I can’t speak for other people’s actions. All I can attest to is my experience, and never in a million years did I ever believe that we would be here.”
Gascón, who opted to skip Sunday’s SAG Awards, has since issued several statements regarding her comments, claiming her words were “twisted.” Gascón has yet to release a formal apology. In addition to Gascón’s social media activity, the film (which was written and directed by French director Jacques Audiard) itself has faced criticism for its representation of the transgender community as well as its depiction of Mexican culture.
Only Murders In The Building wins — and no one is more surprised than the cast.
We love a surprise win, the moment an awards show underdog has its 15-minute moment in the spotlight (or, in the case of the SAG Awards) 45 seconds. The latest unforeseen win in showbiz came from Only Murders In The Building, with the Season 4 cast taking home the Actor for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.
If you’re pleasantly surprised by this win, you’re definitely not alone, with stars Selena Gomez and Michael Cyril Creighton looking visibly shocked as they made their way to the stage, with Gomex saying: “Wait, we never win. This is so weird.” To be fair, OMITB is competing in a stacked category, going up against awards show darlings Abbott Elementary and The Bear (the latter of which typically — and somewhat bafflingly — continuously sweeps awards shows), but we’re thrilled to see Gomez and Co. finally receive their flowers.
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Lil Timmy Tim makes history and declares his goal for GOAT status.
Timothée Chalamet took home the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for his turn as Bob Dylan in James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown. Accepting the award, Chalamet — who is the youngest person to win in this category at age 29 — thanked his mom before laying bare exactly what the win and role mean to him. He said that while the “classiest thing” to do would be to downplay his effort, “the truth is this was five-and-a-half years of my life; I poured everything I had into playing this incomparable artist Bob Dylan…and it was the honor of a lifetime playing him.”
Chalamet also made it clear this is only the beginning. “The truth is, I’m really in pursuit of greatness,” Chalamet says. “I’m inspired by the greats. I’m inspired by the greats here tonight. I’m as inspired by Daniel Day Lewis, Marlon Brando, and Viola Davis as I am by Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, and I want to be up there. So I’m deeply grateful. This doesn’t signify that, but it’s a little more fuel, it’s a little more ammo to keep going.” We’re rooting for you, Timmy Tim!
Demi Moore inspires everyone with her acceptance speech (again).
Demi Moore’s Oscar is all but locked. The actor took home the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role at the 31st annual SAG Awards — and proved that we can expect an A+ speech from Moore on Hollywood’s biggest night next Sunday.
Speaking to her fellow actors in the room, the The Substance actor thanked them for being her “greatest teachers” over the course of her 40-year career. “I am so grateful that I have continued over these so many years to be able to try and sometimes succeed and sometimes fail and to be able to keep going.” Given Moore’s extensive career and the long history of her work being overlooked, the actor’s words hit us right in the feels.
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