SANTA MONICA, CA – Marking the first major, televised award show event of the year, the 28th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards saw some of Hollywood’s biggest and brightest gather to celebrate the acclaimed television and film performances of 2021.
Broadcasting live from The Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, the 2022 SAG Awards went on sans an official host but went off without a hitch as the show’s stacked line-up of presenters including Tyler Perry, Selena Gomez, Martin Short, Lin Manuel Miranda, Kerry Washington, Salma Hayek, Reese Witherspoon, and more got the job done.
Kicking off the night with a historic moment, Troy Kotsur became the first deaf actor to win an individual SAG Award. Kotsur nabbed the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in the Apple TV+ film “Coda.”
Ariana Debose celebrated her first SAG nomination and win as she took home the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of ‘Anita’ in the 2021 film “Westside Story.”
“It’s taken a long time for me to feel comfortable calling myself an actor. My roots come from the dance world and the Broadway stage,” DuBose said during her acceptance speech. “The ‘Anita’ that we see on the screen, took every bit of me, but she took ten years to make and I’m extremely proud of her and of our film. And I really do believe that when you recognize one of us you recognize all of us in a way.”
“Squid Game,” the hit Netflix series that took the world by storm when it premiered in September 2021, also made history as the first Korean TV show and first foreign-language series to be nominated for a SAG Award.
The show received four nominations and picked up three wins including Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series. Lee Jung-Jae won the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series, while Jung Ho-Yeun took home the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series.
“Ted Lasso” also celebrated a win as the show picked up the award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Comedy Series. For his work on the successful Apple TV+ show, Jason Sudeikis won the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series.
Dame Helen Mirren, who has received numerous accolades including an Oscar, a Tony Award, and four Primetime Emmy Awards throughout her decades-long career, was also honored with the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award.
Jessica Chastain nabbed the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Tammy Faye in the film “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”
For his role as Richard Williams in the film “King Richard,” Will Smith won the SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role.
“That may have been one of the greatest moments of my career right now, being called for ‘King Richard’ sitting next to Venus Williams,” Smith said as he accepted his award. “Richard Williams is a dreamer like no one you’ve ever known. He has a power of belief that borders on insanity – and sometimes tops over the border, which is absolutely necessary to turn something impossible possible.”
“CODA” also capped off a history night as it became the first film featuring a predominantly deaf cast to win the SAG Awards’ top prize for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.
