Have no fear, award show season is here! Knowing that many of you were too busy watching the Eagles vs. Vikings game on Sunday, Jan. 21 and missed the 24th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, I decided to summarize the night’s highlights. For those of you who don’t know, or need clarifications about what the SAG Awards actually are, it’s an annual award ceremony that solely acknowledges casts and actors of major TV shows and movies. There are no awards for screenwriting, directing, costuming, etc. These awards are geared solely to recognize the talents of actors and actresses, and winners are usually a good foreshadowing tool to see what will happen during this year’s Oscar and Grammy Awards.
Let’s start with the obvious: the 2018 SAG Awards actually had a host. In the past, the SAG Awards began with stories from different actors regarding what it’s like to be an actor. This year, however, the award show decided to shake things up and hire a host — or should I say hostess. Although the show still opened featuring different actors, it featured only female actors and concluded with Kristen Bell who announced that she would be the evening’s host. Bell wasn’t the only female in the spotlight, as each award was presented by females throughout the evening. Following in the steps of the most recent award show, the Golden Globes, where all attendees wore black to support the #metoo movement, the SAG Awards proved that this season of award shows will have a common bond, a common motif if you will, and that motif will be women’s rights.
The first award of the night was handed to William Macy of “Shameless,” for best male actor in a TV comedy. During Macy’s acceptance speech, he said, “it’s our job under those imaginary circumstances to find the truth. And, I think it’s a glorious way to make a living, especially in this day and age when so many people either can’t recognize the truth or don’t think it’s important.”
An actor to be on the lookout for during this award show season is definitely Allison Janney. Not only has she won Best Supporting Actress from the Critics’ Choice Awards and the Golden Globes for her role in “I, Tonya,” but now she can add a SAG Award for Best Supporting Actress to her belt — Oscars, here she comes.
TV movie, “Big Little Lies” swept the category by receiving SAG awards for Alexander Skarsgård, Best Male Actor, and Nicole Kidman, Best Female Actor. Upon accepting her award, Kidman thanked Susan Sarandon, Jessica Lange, Meryl Streep, Judy Davis and many more for inspiring her and helping her learn what it takes to be an actress, and for the “trail-blazing” performances they have given throughout the years. “How wonderful today that our careers can go beyond 40 years old. Twenty years ago we were pretty washed up by this stage in our lives,” said Kidman. “These actresses, and so many more, are proving that we are potent and powerful and viable. I just beg that the industry stays behind us because our stories are finally being told, it’s only the beginning, and I am so proud to be a part of a community that is instigating this change.”
One of the bigger questions of the night was, who would be walking home as the Best Actor in a Drama Series. Sterling K. Brown from “This is Us” took home the award for Best Male Actor. However, unshockingly, the battle for Best Female Actor was a bit more intense. Two of the competing actresses were Elisabeth Moss, from “The Handmaid’s Tale” and Claire Foy, from “The Crown.” It was almost like a battle of Hulu vs. Netflix, and in this case, Netflix won. Foy walked away with the Best Actress in a Drama Series award, but that’s not to say the tables won’t turn during the Emmy’s.
As the night had about 15 minutes left, the suspense heightened as the most important awards of the evening began to be announced. “This is Us,” took the award for Best Cast in a Drama. Gary Oldman, for “Darkest Hour,” won Best Actor in a Motion Picture and Frances McDormand won Best Female Actor in a Motion Picture for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Continuing the glory for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” was the overall award for Best Cast in a Motion Picture.
Leave a Reply