The 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards, held on Sunday, was a night filled with surprises and unexpected twists. The papal thriller “Conclave” took home the top award for best ensemble, while newcomer Timothee Chalamet won best actor for his performance in “A Complete Unknown”. These wins added a few final wrinkles to an already unpredictable awards season.
Directed by Edward Berger, “Conclave” is a Vatican-set drama that follows the fictional election of a new pope. The film’s win was especially poignant as it coincided with the Catholic Church praying for the health of Pope Francis, who was in critical condition due to an asthmatic respiratory crisis. In a touching moment, Isabella Rossellini, who is part of the film’s ensemble, shared the cast’s best wishes for Pope Francis.
Leading up to the SAG Awards, all the buzz was around Sean Baker’s “Anora”, which had been sweeping the awards circuit, winning with the producers, directors, and writers guilds. However, the night’s surprises continued when “Conclave” won with the actors and also took home the top prize at the BAFTAs. This has left everyone wondering what will nab the coveted Best Picture award at the upcoming Academy Awards.
The star of “Conclave”, Ralph Fiennes, took the stage to accept the award and expressed his gratitude, saying, “I’ve not been elected to speak. I’ve been designated to speak on behalf of our conclave, our ensemble.” The film’s win was a testament to the power of great acting and storytelling.
But the biggest surprise of the night came when Timothee Chalamet was announced as the winner for Best Actor. The 29-year-old actor, who looked visibly surprised, beat out heavyweights like Adrien Brody and is now on course to possibly win his first Academy Award. In his acceptance speech, Chalamet spoke with composure and confidence, saying, “The truth is, this was 5 ½ years of my life. I poured everything I had into playing this incomparable artist, Mr. Bob Dylan, a true American hero. It was the honor of a lifetime playing him.” He then added, “The truth is, I’m really in pursuit of greatness. I know people don’t usually talk like that, but I want to be one of the greats.”
The other Oscar favorites, Demi Moore, Zoe Saldana, and Kieran Culkin, all won in their respective categories. The SAG Awards are closely watched as an Oscar preview, and their picks have often aligned with the film academy’s choices. In fact, the last three Best Ensemble winners at the SAG Awards have gone on to win the Best Picture at the Oscars. This makes the upcoming Academy Awards even more exciting and unpredictable.
Moore, who had already won a Golden Globe for her performance in “The Substance”, solidified her chances for an Oscar win. Her campaign has been boosted by her powerful speech about being pigeonholed as a “popcorn actress”. She has been trading awards back and forth with “Anora” breakthrough star Mikey Madison.
In her acceptance speech, Moore said, “What we believe is so much more powerful than what we think. The saying, ‘I’ll believe it when I see it’ – the reality is when I believe it, I will see it.” This is a powerful reminder that our beliefs and thoughts have the power to shape our reality.
The SAG Awards were held amid the aftermath of the devastating wildfires that began in early January. The guild had to cancel its in-person nominations announcement and launch a disaster relief fund for SAG-AFTRA members affected by the fires. Host Kristen Bell introduced attending firefighters as “the most attractive tables” among a sea of stars.
The highlight of the evening was when Jane Fonda, 87, was presented with the guild’s Life Achievement Award. Fonda, a famed activist, used her platform to speak about the current political climate in the United States. She said, “We are in our documentary moment. This is it. And it’s not a rehearsal.” Fonda also spoke about the importance of being “woke” and caring about others, stating, “Woke just means you give a damn about other people.” She urged everyone to come together and resist the challenges that lie ahead.
The SAG Awards also saw some first-time winners, such as
