The 31st SAG Awards get underway with a win for Kieran Culkin
The 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards kicked off Sunday night with host Kristen Bell paying tribute to Los Angeles firefighters and another supporting actor win for "A Real Pain" co-star Kieran Culkin.
Bell introduced the ceremony, streaming live on Netflix from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, as an ode to both the aspirational spirit of actors who come to Los Angeles to make it, and to the city, itself.
The SAG Awards unfolded against the backdrop of the devastating wildfires that began in early January. Those fires forced the guild to cancel its in-person nominations announcement and launched a disaster relief fund for SAG-AFTRA members affected.
Before singing "Do You Want to Be an Actor?" to tune of "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" from "Frozen," Bell introduced attending firefighters as "the most attractive tables" among a sea of stars.
"First it was COVID then it was the strikes then it was the devastating wildfires," actor Courtney B. Vance, president of the SAG-AFTRA charitable foundation told attendees ahead of the show. "Thousands have lost their homes including our own members and their families."
The night's first televised award went to Culkin, who has won just about every award in the category. Gripping the SAG trophy, he could quickly tell the difference.
"It is funny that the heaviest of all awards is given by actors," said Culkin, who characteristically riffed his way through a rambling acceptance speech before swearing sincerity: "Believe it or not, this actually means a lot to me."
The SAG Awards should offer the final clue in an unusually unpredictable Oscar race. The other major awards — including the BAFTAs, the Producers Guild Awards, the Directors Guild Awards and the Golden Globes — have all had their say. But actors make up the largest piece of the film academy pie, so their picks often correspond strongly with Academy Award winners.
After wins from the PGA and the DGA — and last night, the Independent Spirit Awards — Sean Baker's "Anora" is seen as the favorite to win best picture in a week's time at the Oscars. But Edward Berger's "Conclave" won last weekend at the BAFTAs, the latest wrench in an award season full of them. That's included the unlikely rise and precipitous fall of another top contender, "Emilia Pérez."
The awards are being streamed lived by Netflix, which distributed "Emilia Pérez," for the second time.
"Wicked" comes in the leading film nominee, with five nods, while "Shōgun" heads the TV categories. It took early awards for Hiroyuki Sanada, Anna Sawai and for best stunt ensemble. The corresponding award for film went to the stunt performer ode "The Fall Guy."
The best actor and best actress categories should be nail biters. While Brody ("The Brutalist") has won a string of awards, Chalamet ("A Complete Unknown") and Ralph Fiennes ("Conclave") could easily pull off the upset. Best actress could go to either Moore ("The Substance") or Madison ("Anora").
In addition to the competitive categories, Jane Fonda will be given the SAG Life Achievement Award.
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