The Oppenheimer film on Saturday won the most coveted prize at the SAG Awards, awarded by the Hollywood actors’ union, an award generally considered a good indicator for the prestigious Oscars. This year, the Screen Actors Guild Awards were broadcast on Netflix for the first time, giving this Hollywood ceremony, traditionally seen as a launching pad for the Oscars, greater exposure, with the platform’s 260 million subscribers in streaming. Members of the SAG-AFTRA union came in large numbers to this 30th edition, the first since the actors won their case in December against the studios after several months of strike. Big favorite, Oppenheimer by Christopher Nolan, who has already won major awards at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, DGA Awards and the British Bafta, was awarded the most prestigious prize of the SAG: the “best ensemble of actors”. In recent years, Parasite (2020), CODA (2022) and Everything Everywhere All At Once (2023) had enhanced a victory in this category with an Oscar for best film.
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Oppenheimer, the epic drama about the father of the atomic bomb, also won best actor on Saturday for Cillian Murphy, who plays the titular scientist, and best supporting actor for Robert Downey Jr, who plays his bitter rival. “Thank you for inviting me to play an authentic role in the making of this frighteningly important film,” said actor Kenneth Branagh, on behalf of Oppenheimer’s casting. The actor also reminded the audience that the crew had left the premiere of the film in London in mid-July as a sign of solidarity with the movement which was preparing to go on strike. “We left the red carpet and we didn’t see the movie that night. We have joyfully taken the path of solidarity with you,” he said. Hollywood actors ended the movement after 118 days of strike and the ratification in December of an agreement with the studios, providing for a significant increase in salaries and establishing safeguards against the use of artificial intelligence. “You survived the longest strike in the history of our union with courage and conviction,” said President Fran Drescher. Many of the actors who vote for the SAG Awards are part of the largest bloc of voters for the Oscars, scheduled for March 10. In the race for the most coveted prize, Oppenheimer swept away competition from Barbie, Killers of the Flower Moon, American Fiction and The Color Purple.
In the best actress category, actress Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) won, beating her main rival Emma Stone (Poor Creatures). For her part, Da’Vine Joy Randolph was crowned best supporting actress for Winter Break, after being awarded the same prize at the British Baftas. Singer and actress Barbra Streisand, 81, was honored for her lifetime achievement. On the television series side, The Bear won the award for best cast for a comedy series and Succession won for best cast for a drama series. Pedro Pascal was crowned best actor in a television drama series for The Last of Us. Elizabeth Debicki was crowned best actress for her incarnation of Princess Diana in The Crown. A powerful union, SAG-AFTRA represents some 120,000 members, including many Hollywood stars.
