Dimitrios Kambouris, Kevin Mazur, Christopher Polk, Stefanie Keenan, John Sciulli, Emma McIntyre, Matt Winkelmeyer, Frazer Harrison
The 23rd annual Screen Actors’ Guild Awards, held at the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center on Sunday, honoured outstanding performances from 2016 in film and television.
From the moment the ceremony began, the stars wasted no time diving right into politics. Hollywood’s most popular actors didn’t hold back: faces like Emma Stone, Kerry Washington, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Ashton Kutcher and Simon Helberg expressed their opposition to US president Donald Trump and his newly imposed immigration ban.
Helberg and his wife Jocelyn Towne carried a sign ‘Refugees welcome’ and had ‘Let them in’ emblazoned across the chest respectively, Veep’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus called the Muslim ban ‘un-American’, Moonlight’s Mahershala Ali spoke out against the persecution of minorities, and Orange is the New Black’s Taylor Schilling called attention to the importance of diversity. But the most rousing speech came from Stranger Things’ David Harbour.
‘I would just like to say, in light of all that’s going on in the world today, it’s difficult to celebrate the already celebrated Stranger Things, but this award from you who take your craft seriously and earnestly believe, like me, that great acting can change the world is a call to arms from our fellow craftsmen and women to go deeper. And through our art to battle against fear, self-centredness and exclusivity of our predominately narcissistic culture and through our craft to cultivate a more empathetic and understanding society by revealing intimate truths that serve as a forceful reminder to folks that when they feel broken and afraid and tired, they are not alone. We are united in that we are all human beings and we are all together on this horrible, painful, joyous, exciting and mysterious ride that is being alive.
‘Now, as we act in the continuing narrative of Stranger Things, we 1983 Midwesterners will repel bullies. We will shelter freaks and outcasts, those who have no home. We will get past the lies. We will hunt monsters and when we are at a loss amidst the hypocrisy and the casual violence of certain individuals and institutions, we will, as per Chief Jim Hopper, punch some people in the face when they seek to destroy the weak and the disenfranchised and the marginalized. And we will do it all with soul, with heart, and with joy. We thank you for this responsibility. Thank you.’
Denzel Washington, who had hitherto been nominated the most times but failed to win, broke the drought by scoring a SAG award for his performance in Fences.
Netflix’s most expensive drama, The Crown, was rewarded with two wins, for lead actress Claire Foy, and supporting actor John Lithgow, whose incredible portrayal of Winston Churchill was recognized by the Guild, though it was the network’s Stranger Things that scooped the prize for best drama series. Matt Smith, who co-starred with Foy, joined her on the red carpet.
Foy wore a brooding, floral Valentino gown, while Emma Stone stunned in Alexander McQueen. We also spotted Viola Davis in Vivienne Westwood, Natalie Portman in Christian Dior, Meryl Streep in Valentino, Naomie Harris in Lanvin, Thandie Newton in Schiaparelli, Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton, Danielle Brooks in Christian Siriano, Michelle Dockery in Elie Saab, Kate Hudson in Christian Dior, Salma Hayek and Nicole Kidman both in Gucci, and Emily Blunt in Roberto Cavalli.
Lily Tomlin was awarded the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award.
The full list of winners is detailed below.—Nathalia Archila
From Taraji P. Henson to Nicole Kidman: best dressed at the SAG Awards
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Captain Fantastic
Fences
Hidden Figures (winner)
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
Denzel Washington, Fences (winner)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Amy Adams, Arrival
Emily Blunt, The Girl on the Train
Natalie Portman, Jackie
Emma Stone, La La Land (winner)
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
The Crown
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
Stranger Things (winner)
Westworld
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things
Claire Foy, The Crown (winner)
Thandie Newton, Westworld
Winona Ryder, Stranger Things
Robin Wright, House of Cards
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
John Lithgow, The Crown (winner)
Rami Malek, Mr Robot
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series
Riz Ahmed, The Night of
Sterling K. Brown, The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Bryan Cranston, All the Way (winner)
John Turturro, The Night of
Courtney B. Vance, The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series
Bryce Dallas Howard, Black Mirror
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Audra McDonald, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill
Sarah Paulson, The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story (winner)
Kerry Washington, Confirmation
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight (winner)
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Hugh Grant, Florence Foster Jenkins
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Dev Patel, Lion
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Viola Davis, Fences (winner)
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory
Blackish
Modern Family
Orange Is the New Black (winner)
Veep
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson, Blackish
Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
William H. Macy, Shameless (winner)
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black
Jane Fonda, Grace and Frankie
Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (winner)
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble
Captain America: Civil War
Doctor Strange
Hacksaw Ridge (winner)
Jason Bourne
Nocturnal Animals
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble
Game of Thrones (winner)
Daredevil
Luke Cage
The Walking Dead
Westworld