The 29th Screen Actors Guild Awards was held on Sunday night, exclusively from Netflix's YouTube channel. Audiences described the show as unfiltered and more relaxed than previous shows.
The show opened with a skit featuring the stars of Hulu’s dark comedy series Only Murders in the Building starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez.
Jessica Chastain won the first award of the night: Female Actor in a Television Movie or TV Limited Series for her role in George & Tammy. Jessica stumbled her way up the stairs to the podium in awe. She was visually and vocally shaken thanking the Screen Actors Awards Guild before thanking her fellow nominees: Emily Blunt, Amanda Seyfried, Julia Garner, and Niecy Nash-Betts calling them “amazing.” She then continued, thanking her producers and screenwriters at Showtime.
Chastain also thanked her co-star Michael Shannon, who she “believes is one of our greatest working actors and it was a dream collaboration since day one and…wouldn’t have gotten through it without his support.” She wrapped her speech by telling everyone at home not to give up on their passions and that she hopes to meet them on stage one day.
The second award - Male Actor in a Television Movie or TV Limited Series - was presented by the deadpan duo Jenna Ortega and Audrey Plaza. The Nominees were Steve Carrell in The Patient, Taron Egerton in Black Bird, Sam Elliot in 1883, Paul Walter Hauser in Black Bird, and Evan Peters in Dahmer-Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. The award went to Sam Elliot. Elliot joked about not being prepared to read his speech and he was hoping that someone would, saying that he already wasted half of his 45 seconds preparing to retrieve his speech. He then thanked all his fans and actors, saying that he was honored and grateful to be in their company. He continued, “after the work I’ve seen of my fellow nominees, I shouldn’t be standing there. I’m going to treasure my award because it came from all of you.”
Elliot then thanked all his co-stars and his team saying he found the way thanks to them. He ended his speech by thanking his wife for being with him through thick and thin and helping to raise their beautiful daughter.
The third award of the night - Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series - was presented by Amy Poehler and Adam Scott. The Nominees were Christina Applegate’s Dead to Me, Rachel Brosnahan's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Quinta Brunson's Abbott Elementary, Jenna Ortega's Wednesday, and Jean Smart’s Hacks. The award went to Jean Smart who was absent from the ceremony.
Her friend Chris McDonald accepted the award on her behalf. McDonald read a message that Smart left: “I am so sorry I couldn’t be with you tonight; I would like to acknowledge my brilliant Hacks cast. First, I would like to acknowledge my fellow nominees ‘cause all of you rock and your work was brilliant.” The message continued with her thanking her cast and crew as well as the studios and producers who’ve helped and inspired her. Then she thanked all the guest stars
from the previous seasons, saying that they had helped make the show richer, funnier, and more real. Her message ended with her thanking her boys Connor and Forrest, exclaiming that they were everything to her and she couldn’t be prouder.
Ashley Park and Haley Lu Richardson presented the fourth award: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series. The Nominees were Anthony Carrigan in Barry, Steve Martin in Only Murders in the Building, Martin Short in Only Murders in the Building, and Jeremy Allen White in The Bear. The award went to Jeremy Allen White.
White was in shock when he took the stage, thanking the awards show, cast, crew, and audience. He ended his speech by thanking everyone for making him feel more connected, understood, and a lot more understanding.
Eugene Levy presented the award for Ensemble in a Comedy Series. The Nominees were Abbot Elementary, Barry, The Bear, Hacks, and Only Murders in the Building. The award went to Abbot Elementary.
Emily Blunt and Jason Bateman presented the award for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role. The Nominees were Angela Bassett in Black Panther Wakanda Forever, Hong Chau in The Whale, Kerry Condon in The Banshees of Inisherin, Jamie Lee Curtis in Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Stephanie Hsu in Everything Everywhere All at Once. The award went to Jamie Lee Curtis.
Curtis began her speech by saying that she was wearing her father's wedding ring and that she and her sister were born from love. She continued by saying that she loved actors, she loved acting, and she loves the job she gets to do; she loves the crew, and she loves being a part of a cast. She ended her speech by saying God bless everyone.
Orlando Bloom presented the award for Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role. The Nominees were Paul Dano's The Fablemens, Brendan Gleeson's The Banshees of Inisherin, Barry Keogan's The Banshees of Inisherin, Ke Huy Quan's Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Eddie Redmayne's The Good Nurse. The award went to Ke Huy Quan.
Quan was emotional during his speech saying that someone recently told him if he were to win tonight. He would become the very first Asian American to win in this category. When he heard he won, he said that moment wasn’t just significant for him, but it was significant for change. He thanked everyone in the room and those who helped to change. He ended his speech by thanking those at home and demanding to never stop fighting for change.
Andrew Garfield presented the seventy-four-year-old actress Sally Field with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Field was helped onto the stage by Austin Butler.
Field started her speech by saying that in 1964 she was seventeen and fresh out of high school. She didn’t have an agent and was working under what was called the Taft Hartley Law, and a few months later she was called to be the star of a television series. She described that being onstage made her feel like the real her. When she was off stage, she was shy and didn’t know what to do. She ended her speech by saying thank you, and that she applauded everyone.
Ariana Debose and Diego Luna presented the award for Best Female Actor in a Drama Series. The nominees were Jennifer Coolidge in White Lotus, Elizabeth Debicki in The Crown, Julia Garner in Ozarz, Laura Linney in Ozark, and Zendaya in Euphoria. The award went to Coolidge.
Coolidge began her speech by saying that she was overwhelmed. She wanted everyone to know how grateful she was. She added that the best gift you could give someone is to change their perspective for the better. She ended her speech by thanking her wonderful date, Tim Bagley.
Antonia Gentry and Caleb Mclaughlin presented the award for Best Female Actor in a Drama Series. The nominees were Johnathan Banks’s Better Call Saul, Jason Bateman's Ozark, Jeff Bridges's The Old Man, Bob Odenkirk's Better Call Saul, and Adam Scott's Severance. The award went to Bateman.
Bateman thanked everyone who voted for him and sent a final thanks to everyone who watched the show, his wife Amanda, and his two daughters at home, Maple and Francesa. They made him feel like he was a good husband and father even though he was gone for almost half a year every year. He ended his speech by thanking the cast, crew, and everyone who was involved.
Jenny Slate and James Marsden presented the award for Ensemble of a Drama Series. The nominees were Better Call Saul, The Crown, Ozark, Severance, and The White Lotus. The award went to The White Lotus.
Jeff Bridges presented the award for Female Actor in a Leading Role. The nominees were Cate Blanchett's Tar, Viola Davis's The Woman King, Ana De Armas's Blonde, Michelle Yeoh's Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Danielle Deadwyler's Till. The Award went to Yeoh.
Yeoh was crying when she approached the podium. Her eyes were moving around the room as if she was looking for someone. She started her speech with the following: “If I speak, I think my heart will explode.” She thanked the SAG awards for getting her through the ups and downs and not letting her give up. She ended her speech by thanking Sally Reid for the inspiration she provided for her and her mother.
Jessica Chastain presented the award for Male Actor in a Leading Role. The nominees were Austin Butler in Elvis, Colin Farrell in The Banshees of Inisherin, Brendan Fraser in The Whale, Bill Nighy in Living, and Adam Sandler in Hustle. The award went to Brendan Fraser.
Fraser was emotional but joked that he was smiling and breathing and all that was half the job. He will treasure this, but never more than the SAG card in his wallet that he got in 1991; that was where he found himself belonging. Fraser added if you keep believing and put one foot in front of the other you will find your way to success. He ended his speech by thanking his children, Griffin, Hoilden, and Leland, and their “supermom”, Afton, and his awesome agent Joanne Colonna.
Mark Walburg presented the award for Cast in a Motion Picture. The nominees were Babylon, The Banshees of Inisherin, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Fabelmans, and Woman Talking. The Award went to the cast of Everything Everywhere All at Once.
The ninety-four-year-old actor James Hong expressed his gratitude saying that none of this was possible when he was young. The industry was full of stereotypes mocking and mimicking us, Asian Americans; producers back then didn’t think they were good enough. He finished by saying that he hoped he will come back when he is a hundred years old.
Many on social media prized the show for its lack of commercials and a definitive host. Saying it gave us a true insight into the celebrity lifestyle, and they hope that the following years will fall into the same category.
