ACTORS usually say the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is the most special acting award (the Oscars is the most important) they will receive in their lifetime because it is handed to them by their peers—their fellow actors and members of the SAG-AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists).
Today (Sunday night in the US), the 24th SAG Awards will honor the best performances in film and television. And for the first time since 1995, the awards show will have a host: Kristen Bell.
“I am honored to be part of the SAG Awards, and am a little nervous about being its first-ever host. I’m so glad that I’ll be in the company of my fellow actors, many of whom I’ve worked with before, so I know they’ll be warm and supportive. It’s going to be an amazing night,” the “Bad Moms” actress told Deadline.
As to why it finally decided to get a host, SAG Awards executive producer Kathy Connell explained: “This has been a year in which assumptions have been challenged, stereotypes have been shattered, and precedents have been broken. We decided to capture the cultural mood by casting aside one of our own traditions, and we’re thrilled to have such a talented performer like Bell help us do so.”
Expect the SAG Awards to be about women.
“This is a bit of a blank slate because no one has ever done it before, so we’re gonna have some fun, but there’s a lot of ladies involved,” Bell told “Entertainment Tonight.” “(We’re) really celebrating and honoring every one of the actors, but we’re letting the women take center stage and attempt to balance the conversation a little bit. This might be ladies’ night.”
The Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards and the NCAAP Image Awards have all put a spotlight on women after a slew of men, which started with media mogul Harvey Weinstein, were ostracized in Hollywood for sexual misconduct against women—and in rare occasions—other men. The incidents put a spotlight on the #MeToo movement and prompted some Hollywood women to create the Time’s Up movement against sexual harassment.
Bell did say she has a secret weapon in her hosting gig—and it is a man: husband and comedian Dax Shepard.
“Living with a writer is so great because you can just ask them, ‘Is this funny?’ He’s a little bit of my secret weapon...” said Bell.
Morgan Freeman is receiving the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award. He will be the 54th recipient of this award.
“Some actors spend their entire careers waiting for the perfect role. Morgan showed us that true perfection is what a performer brings to the part,” SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris told Deadline. “He is innovative, fearless and completely unbound by expectations. As a chauffeur, convicted murderer, boxing gym attendant, pimp or president, Morgan fully realized every character, baring their souls and showcasing their humanity. It has been a privilege to see his genius at work.”
According to Deadline, the 80-year-old thespian started acting at age 12 and has appeared in over 100 films. Freeman won a SAG Award for best supporting actor in 2005 for the film “Million Dollar Baby.”
Here are the nominees for this year’s SAG Awards.
Movies
u25cf Actor
Timothee Chalamet, “Call Me By Your Name”
James Franco, “The Disaster Artist”
Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out”
Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”
Denzel Washington, “Roman J. Israel, ESQ.”
u25cf Actress
Judi Dench, “Victoria & Abdul”
Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water”
Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Margot Robbie, “I, Tonya”
Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird”
u25cf Supporting actor
Steve Carell, “Battle of the Sexes”
Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Woody Harrelson, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water”
Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
u25cf Supporting actress
Mary J. Blige, “Mudbound”
Hong Chau, “Downsizing”
Holly Hunter, “The Big Sick”
Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”
Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
u25cf Cast
“The Big Sick”
″Get Out”
″Lady Bird”
″Mudbound”
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Television
u25cf Actor in a TV movie or miniseries
Benedict Cumberbatch, “Sherlock: The Lying Detective”
Jeff Daniels, “Godless”
Robert De Niro, “Wizard of Lies”
Geoffrey Rush, “Genius”
Alexander Skarsgard, “Big Little Lies”
u25cf Actress in a TV movie or miniseries
Laura Dern, “Big Little Lies”
Nicole Kidman, “Big Little Lies“
Jessica Lange, “Feud: Bette And Joan”
Susan Sarandon, “Feud: Bette And Joan”
Reese Witherspoon, “Big Little Lies”
u25cf Actor in a drama series
Jason Bateman, “Ozark”
Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us”
Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones”
David Harbour, “Stranger Things”
Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”
u25cf Actress in a drama series
Millie Bobby Brown, “Stranger Things”
Claire Foy, “The Crown”
Laura Linney, “Ozark”
Elisabeth Moss, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Robin Wright, “House of Cards”
u25cf Actor in a comedy series
Anthony Anderson, “black-ish”
Aziz Ansari, “Master of None”
Larry David, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”
Sean Hayes, “Will & Grace”
William H. Macy, “Shameless”
Marc Maron, “Glow”
u25cf Actress in a comedy series
Uzo Aduba, “Orange is the New Black”
Alison Brie, “Glow”
Jane Fonda, “Grace and Frankie”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”
Lily Tomlin, “Grace and Frankie”
u25cf Ensemble in a drama series
“The Crown”
″Game of Thrones”
″The Handmaid’s Tale”
″Stranger Things”
“This is Us”
u25cf Ensemble in a comedy series
“black-ish”
″Curb Your Enthusiasm”
″Glow”
″Orange is the New Black”
“Veep”