The 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards, held on Sunday, was a night of unexpected twists and turns. The papal thriller “Conclave” took home the top honor of best ensemble, while Timothee Chalamet won best actor for his incredible performance in the film. These wins added a final layer of excitement to what has been an unpredictable awards season.
As the Catholic Church was praying for the health of Pope Francis, who was in critical condition due to an asthmatic respiratory crisis, “Conclave” triumphed with its fictional portrayal of a papal election. The film’s director, Edward Berger, and the entire cast dedicated their win to Pope Francis, with actress Isabella Rossellini sending him their best wishes.
The stage was set for “Anora” to sweep the SAG Awards, having already won with the producers, directors, and writers guilds. However, “Conclave” emerged as the surprise winner with the actors and also took home the BAFTA award. This leaves the race for best picture at the upcoming Academy Awards wide open, with no clear favorite in sight.
Ralph Fiennes, who stars in “Conclave,” took the stage in disbelief, stating that he had not been elected to speak but was designated to do so on behalf of the ensemble cast. This was not the only surprise of the evening, as Timothee Chalamet’s win for best actor upset Adrien Brody and put him in the running for his first Academy Award.
Chalamet’s reaction to his win was evident on his face as he made his way to the stage. However, once he began speaking, the 29-year-old exuded confidence and composure. He dedicated his win to the 5 ½ years he spent pouring his heart and soul into portraying the incomparable artist, Bob Dylan, in “A Complete Unknown.” Chalamet also expressed his desire to become one of the greats in the industry.
The other Oscar favorites, including Demi Moore, Zoe Saldana, and Kieran Culkin, all emerged victorious at the SAG Awards. These awards are closely watched as a preview for the Academy Awards, and while their picks may not always align exactly, they often come close. In the past three years, all of the best ensemble winners at the SAG Awards have also gone on to win best picture at the Oscars. Similarly, all but one of the SAG acting winners have also taken home the Oscar trophy.
Moore’s win for her performance in “The Substance” solidified her chances for an Oscar, following her Golden Globe win. Her campaign was boosted by her powerful speech about being pigeonholed as a “popcorn actress.” She has been trading awards with Mikey Madison, who made a breakthrough in “Anora.”
In light of the devastating wildfires that have been raging since early January, the SAG Awards had to cancel their in-person nominations announcement and instead launched a disaster relief fund for SAG-AFTRA members affected by the fires. The host of the evening, Kristen Bell, introduced attending firefighters as the “most attractive tables” among the sea of stars.
The recipient of the Life Achievement Award, Jane Fonda, 87, provided the most politically charged moment of the evening. Fonda, who is known for her activism, spoke indirectly about the current administration in the United States, stating that we are in a “documentary moment” and that “woke” simply means caring about others. She also urged for unity and resistance against the challenges that lie ahead.
Despite initially advocating for the cancellation of award shows due to the wildfires, Jean Smart won the award for best female actor in a comedy series for her role in “Hacks.” Smart was unable to attend the ceremony, but she participated in a pre-taped introduction as her character, Deborah Vance.
Another winner who was not in attendance was Martin Short, who upset Jeremy Allen White to win best male actor in a comedy series for “Only Murders in the Building.” The Hulu series also took home the award for best comedy ensemble, much to the surprise of the cast members Selena Gomez, who joked that their co-stars Martin and Steve Martin were not present because “they don’t really care.”
Colin Farrell won his first SAG award for his performance in “The Penguin” and also became the first winner to be introduced by Jamie Lee Curtis as “the man who gave me COVID at
