2023 SAG Awards Recap: What Can We Expect for the Oscars?
With last night’s Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, we are just two weeks out from the 95th Academy Awards on March 12. Though only honoring individual and ensemble performances (in both film and television) they are perhaps the final and one of the biggest indicators of who will take home the awards for Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor and Actress.
Everything Everywhere All At Once, which set the record for the most nominations ever received for a film (five), has now set the record for the most wins by a film—taking four trophies home. In one of the night’s biggest upsets, Jamie Lee Curtis took home the award for Female Actor in a Supporting Role (beating out costar Stephanie Hsu), while Ke Huy Quan continued his winning streak by taking home Male Actor in a Supporting Role. Michelle Yeah won for Female Actor in a Leading Role and let out several quite comical expletives during her speech. She is the first Asian woman to win the award in its 29 year history.
The cast of EEAAO won the night’s top honor for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, where James Hong noted, referring to the past treatment of Asians in Hollywood: “the Asians were not good enough and they are not box office, but look at us now!” It’s another indicator the film looks to win the Oscar for Best Picture, though it’s lost both the Golden Globe and BAFTA. The SAG Awards—voted on by actors themselves as opposed to journalists or critics at awards like the Globes and Critic’s Choice—serve as the clearest sign of who will take home acting gold on Oscar night (Oscar’s acting categories are voted on only by actors, many of whom are SAG members). If Michelle Yeoh takes home the Oscar for Best Actress, you will hear no complaints from this writer; Cate Blanchett is immaculate but already has two Oscars and a slew of nominations, whereas Yeoh is finally being recognized.
Brendan Fraser took the award for Male Actor in a Leading Role for The Whale, continuing to indicate he’ll win Best Actor—though he’s lost both the Golden Globe (there’s drama between them if you’re interested) and the BAFTA. Finally, Top Gun: Maverick won for Stunt Ensemble.
In terms of television, there were less surprises given that we’re mid-television season and the Emmys (TV’s biggest award) are still so far off. Perhaps the biggest surprise came with Sam Elliott’s win for Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series in 1883 over Evan Peters in Dahmer. As someone who hated the latter and didn’t watch anything else nominated, this was an irrelevant category. Jessica Chastain—who won last year for her leading role in the film The Eyes of Tammy Faye—took home another award for playing another Tammy. She won for Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series for playing Tammy Wynette in George & Tammy.
Jennifer Coolidge, Jeremy Allen White and Jean Smart continued to see awards success taking home the trophies for Female Actor in a Drama Series, Male Actor in a Comedy Series and Female Actor in a Comedy Series, respectively. Jason Bateman took home Male Actor in a Drama Series for his final turn in Ozark, a performance that has garnered him much awards season attention though few wins.
Ensemble in a Drama Series was given to the sprawling case of The White Lotus: Sicily (again, no complaints from me; what an outstanding season!), and Abbot Elementary continued to see success, winning for Ensemble in a Comedy Series (one more time … no complaints from me!), while Stranger Things won Stunt Ensemble.
Finally, the ever-charming Sally Field was honored with the Life Achievement Award, presented to her by The Amazing Spider-Man costar Andrew Garfield.
It was another successful year for the SAG, whose yearly honors seem to only grow in relevance. They have managed to escape much of the criticism, boycotting and cringeworthy moments experienced by the other big award shows. If you forgot, last year the Oscars experienced both record-low viewership and the infamous slap, while NBC didn’t even air the Golden Globes due to issues with overwhelming whiteness within the voting body and widespread criticism from juggernaut production companies.
Here’s to stellar performances, Michelle Yeoh and the upcoming Oscars!
I want to know more about your thoughts on Dahmer and the White Lotus.
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