“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” was the big film winner at the SAG Awards Sunday with trophies for best ensemble cast, best actress for Frances McDormand for portraying a grieving mother and best supporting actor for Sam Rockwell.
Gary Oldman, meanwhile, won the best actor in a film award for his performance as Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour.” “I am so deeply honored and proud to win this magnificent award,” a clearly moved Oldman said.
Oldman said back stage that he was savoring the recognition, adding, “My feeling is enjoy the moment. It will be someone else standing up here next year.”
Oldman won the trophy over Timothee Chalamet for “Call Me by Your Name,” James Franco for “The Disaster Artist,” Daniel Kaluuya for “Get Out,” and Denzel Washington for “Roman Israel Esq.” Franco, who was recently accused by five women of sexually exploitative behavior, attended the ceremonies.
“Three Billboads” won the ensemble cast trophy over “The Big Sick,” “Get Out,” “Lady Bird,” and “Mudbound.” About 130,000 dues-current members of SAG-AFTRA were eligible to vote.
The winner of the SAG ensemble trophy has matched the Oscar best picture winner 11 times in 22 years. “Hidden Figures” won the SAG Award last year while “Moonlight” took the Oscar for best picture. “Spotlight” and “Birdman” won the SAG cast award and the Oscar for best picture in the previous two years.
Related
SAG Awards: Actors Fall Hard for 'Three Billboards' but the Oscar Race Is Far From Over
SAG Awards TV Winners: 'Big Little Lies,' 'Veep' Propel HBO Over Netflix, Hulu
“Three Billboards” dominated two weeks ago at the Golden Globes with trophies for best drama, McDormand, Rockwell and best screenplay for Martin McDonough. “The Shape of Water,” which won the Darryl F. Zanuck Award from the Producers Guild of America on Saturday, came in to the SAG Awards with nominations for Sally Hawkins and Richard Jenkins but was shut out.
On the TV side,”This Is Us,” “Big Little Lies,” and “Veep” emerged victorious with two wins each. NBC’s “This Is Us” won best drama series, with Sterling K. Brown winning best drama series actor.
Claire Foy won the trophy for drama series actress for “The Crown.” It marks the second consecutive SAG trophy for Foy, who portrays the young Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix series.
Nicole Kidman and Alexander Skarsgard won the miniseries acting trophies for HBO’s “Big Little Lies,” where they portrayed a couple in an abusive marriage. It was the first SAG Award for both actors. Kidman has been nominated 10 times.
Kidman, who is 50, noted in her acceptance that she’s pleased that careers can go beyond 40 years old: “Because 20 years ago, we were pretty washed up by this stage in our lives. So, that’s not the case now. We’ve proven — and these actresses and so many more are proving — that we are potent and powerful and viable.”
She said backstage, “The thing I like to tell actors is that you are just one role away from this.”
William H. Macy repeated as winner for best actor in a comedy series for his work in the Showtime series “Shameless,” now in its eighth season.
Allison Janney won the SAG supporting actress trophy for her role as a monster mother in “I, Tonya,” and Rockwell won the supporting actor award for portraying a racist deputy in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”
“If you’re a struggling actor out there, hang in there,” Rockwell said in his acceptance speech.
“Veep” was the top early winner at the SAG Awards, with the cast taking the best comedy series trophy and Julia Louis-Dreyfus repeating as best actress in the category. “Orange Is the New Black” had won the series trophy for the past three years.
It was the third SAG win for Louis-Dreyfus, who won the award in 2014 and 2017, while Uzo Aduba won the trophy in 2015 and 2016 for “Orange Is the New Black.” Louis-Dreyfus, who is being treated for breast cancer, was not present to accept the award, but tweeted her thanks.
The awards ceremony, telecast from the Shrine Auditorium on TBS and TNT, included multiple references to gender quality and the #MeToo movement, with Kristen Bell serving as the first-ever host and the awards presenters all being female.
“We are living in a watershed moment,” Bell said. “As we march forward with active momentum and open ears, let’s make sure we are leading the charge with empathy and diligence, because fear and anger never win the race.”
Presenters Marisa Tomei and Rosanna Arquette called out some of the women who have spoken up about sexual harassment with Arquette saying, “We all owe you a debt of gratitude.”
In her speech, SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris said, “Truth is power and women are stepping into our power. We are making a difference. Change is coming and we are the agents of that change.”
Rita Moreno presented the SAG Life Achievement Award to Morgan Freeman, who had presented her with the same award in 2014. “This is beyond honor; this is a place in history” he said.t
Moreno, 86, told Variety on the red carpet the #MeToo movement is here to stay: “This is not a gimmick; it’s not going away.”
