SAG Awards 2024: Oppenheimer dominates forward of Oscars

Oppenheimer continued its dominance of awards season because it scored a number of main prizes on the Display screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards on Saturday.

Christopher Nolan’s movie received finest movie forged, whereas Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr received particular person appearing prizes.

Accepting the highest prize on behalf of the forged, Sir Kenneth Branagh mentioned they have been all “grateful, humbled and proud”.

The night was peppered with remarks in regards to the actors’ strike, which introduced Hollywood to a standstill final yr.

Paying tribute to the US actors’ union, Sir Kenneth mentioned: “Thanks for preventing for us, thanks for each Sag-Aftra member whose help and whose sacrifice permits us to be standing right here higher than we have been earlier than.”

“We went from the crimson carpet, we did not see the movie that night time, we fortunately went within the path of solidarity together with your good selves, so this can be a full circle second for us,” he informed the viewers of actors.

“We’re grateful and humbled and proud not simply to be in Mr Nolan’s masterpiece, however proud to be in your organization.”

The movie, about theoretical physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, described as the daddy of the atomic bomb, is nearly sure to win finest image on the Oscars subsequent month following its success at SAG and different precursor ceremonies.

The prize for finest movie forged is seen as the highest honour on the SAG Awards within the absence of a finest image class. Winners on the annual ceremony, held in Los Angeles, are voted for by different actors.

Irish actor Cillian Murphy mentioned his win was “extraordinarily, extraordinarily particular to me, as a result of it comes from you guys”.

He recalled: “Twenty-eight years in the past once I was making an attempt to turn into an actor, I used to be a failed musician, and I felt extraordinarily like an intruder, however looking on all of you guys right here at the moment, I do know I am a part of one thing actually fantastic, so thanks a lot.”

Greatest actor had been seen a two-horse race forward of the Oscars on 10 March, however Murphy’s win offers him important momentum over his nearest rival, Paul Giamatti of The Holdovers.

Elsewhere, Killers of the Flower Moon star Lily Gladstone was named finest main actress – giving her personal Oscars marketing campaign a big enhance.

“This has been a tough yr for all of us, these of us on this room, these not on this room, I am so proud that we’ve gotten right here in solidarity with all of our different unions,” she mentioned in her acceptance speech.

“It is actually a present that we get to do that for a residing. That is the win, attending to be right here, attending to be on set, getting to inform tales. We deliver empathy right into a world that so wants it.”

She added: “It is really easy to distance ourselves, to shut off, cease feeling, and [actors] all bravely hold feeling, it brings folks out of the shadows, it brings visibility.”

Gladstone’s win leaves the Oscars class for finest actress too near name, following Poor Issues star Emma Stone’s victory eventually week’s Baftas.

The Holdovers star Da’Vine Pleasure Randolph was named finest supporting actress, a prize she has received constantly all through awards season and she or he is nearly sure to take on the Oscars.

“I get up on daily basis overwhelmed with gratitude to be a working actor,” she mentioned. “In what different career are folks capable of reside so many lives and contact so many hearts of these they’ve by no means gotten to fulfill?”

She added: “For each actor on the market nonetheless ready within the wings for his or her probability, let me inform you your life can change in a day, it’s not a query of if, however when – hold going.”

Oppenheimer’s Robert Downey Jr, who has equally been dominating his class, was named finest supporting actor.

He described the award as “extremely significant”, and acknowledged his Oscar front-runner standing by asking: “Why me, why now, why do issues appear to be going my manner?”

Winners within the tv classes included Ali Wong and Steven Yeun for Netflix’s street rage sequence Beef, and Pedro Pascal for post-apocalyptic drama The Final of Us.

Ayo Edebiri and Jeremy Allen White have been additionally recognised for kitchen comedy The Bear, whereas Elizabeth Debicki received finest drama actress for taking part in Princess Diana in The Crown.

The Bear was named finest ensemble comedy forged, whereas Succession received finest ensemble drama forged for its critically-acclaimed fourth and closing season.

“Not solely did all of us get to work on the most effective tv reveals, perhaps ever, however we made buddies for all times,” mentioned actor Alan Ruck as he accepted the prize on behalf of the forged.

Tributes have been paid to Matthew Perry, Harry Belafonte, Sir Michael Gambon, Tina Turner, Angus Cloud, Glenda Jackson, Alan Arkin, Julian Sands, Lance Reddick, Lee Solar-kyun, Tom Wilkinson, Andre Braugher and Chita Rivera within the present’s In Memoriam phase.

Streep initially appeared to by accident stroll straight into the microphone stand – earlier than explaining to the viewers she didn’t have her glasses along with her, or the envelope containing the winner.

The 2 actresses who performed her on-screen assistants within the 2006 movie then appeared with the envelope and glasses, earlier than the trio delivered a joyous sketch that includes a number of of the film’s most well-known strains.

Presenting one other class, Melissa McCarthy requested Billie Eilish to signal her brow as she informed the singer what an enormous fan she was, and the casts of Fashionable Household and Breaking Dangerous reunited to current the awards for finest comedy and drama ensemble forged respectively.

The SAG Awards have been streamed world wide on Netflix for the primary time, one thing host Idris Elba known as he opened the ceremony.

“Personally, I can not wait to get house, and have Netflix suggest this present to me,” the Wire star joked.

He additionally acknowledged what a “tough time” it had been for actors throughout the latest strike, including: “I need to take a second to honour and respect all of you, each right here and watching at house, who stood up in solidarity and help.”

Elba mentioned the ceremony being streamed as a substitute of broadcast on a TV community meant actors might swear of their acceptance speeches – however he urged them to not go “full Succession degree”.

“This is a great rule of thumb, do not say something you would not say in entrance of Oprah,” he mentioned, to an viewers which included Oprah Winfrey herself.

The Morning Present star Jennifer Aniston and Maestro’s Bradley Cooper offered this yr’s lifetime achievement prize to veteran singer and actress Barbra Streisand.

“All of us on this room and much past have been impressed by Barbra’s magic,” Aniston mentioned. “Barbra didn’t simply pave the best way for us ladies, she bulldozed it.”

Accepting her award, Streisand joked it was “such an exquisite award to get, as a result of you understand upfront you are going to get it”.

Recalling her childhood, she mentioned: “I did not like actuality, I needed to be in films. Though I knew I did not appear like the opposite ladies on display screen. My mom mentioned ‘you’d higher be taught to kind’. However I did not pay attention. And one way or the other, a way, all of it got here true.”

“It is a privilege to be a part of this career. For a few hours, folks can sit within the theatre and escape their very own troubles – what an concept.”

She paid tribute to her fellow actors and administrators, concluding: “I’ve liked inhabiting that magical world of the films with you.”