SAG Awards return after historic strike

LOS ANGELES — “Oppenheimer” stood out both literally and figuratively in the 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards ballroom, snaring the night’s top award as well as trophies awarded to Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr.

Ahead of this year’s Academy Awards, Christopher Nolan’s summer blockbuster is looking increasingly like the hot favourite. Saturday’s awards were overshadowed only by reflections on the longest SAG-AFTRA strike in history last year and then reaching a settlement that expired in November.

SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland gave the room a pep talk of sorts before Saturday’s show began; A montage of actors speaking from pickets throughout the summer also caused the room to erupt with cheers of support.

“I think we’ve made some really significant progress in paying the actors fairly for their work on the broadcast,” Crabtree-Ireland said of the show’s streaming debut on Netflix. “We are one of the only programs that truly gives a union message and talks about how workers can support each other. That’s why I’m proud that Netflix hosts us on its platform.”

However, this conversation was not part of Netflix’s live broadcast.

Many participants indeed had a general sense of solidarity and gratitude towards their union, but some had less optimistic perspectives.

“I see a lot of people who are very grateful to be able to go back to work. But I also see the industry shrinking a little bit and jobs disappearing,” said filmmaker and actor Mark Duplass before the show. “It’s not an easy time. I won’t sugarcoat this.

But most of the evening was characterized by kindness and friendship. The ballroom seemed to come alive when the host signed Melissa McCarthy’s face for Billie Eilish (at the comedian’s request) and then presented her award to “The Bear” star Ayo Edebiri.

The inside of any Hollywood awards ceremony is a strange, starry place. Actors often sit at tables with producers, directors and co-stars from the nominated film or series.

Outside of set times throughout the show, people are encouraged to remain seated as the room goes wild as celebrities rush to find their friends or fellow stars they claim to be fans of, trying to join the conversation before the three-minute timer is up. closes. (Netflix’s broadcast had no commercial breaks, but made time for impromptu chatter.)

Earlier in the night, Anne Hathaway and Emma Stone made their way towards each other, and they were soon joined by Carey Mulligan, who ran to the empty seat between the pair and embraced Stone. (Hathaway — along with Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt — reunited for an early reminiscence of the show and onstage for the highly anticipated reunion of “The Devil Wears Prada” castmates.)

At a nearby table, director Alexander Payne poured a glass of champagne for “The Holdovers” star Dominic Sessa, who turned 21 in October, while “American Fiction” actor Jon Ortiz was temporarily excluded from the show after taking two drinks to his table. .

“Loss!” Brendan Fraser shouted across a sea of ​​people as he tried to attract the attention of a waiter before handing him the money he took out of his pocket. “This is for you.”

While most of the major award categories heading into the Oscars seem almost certain, a few are still up in the air, one of them being best actress.

Although Stone received many awards this season, Lily Gladstone received the actress award and the best film performance award for her performance in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

As Gladstone quickly returned to his table after his emotional speech, his co-stars, who wiped away his tears, embraced him. Shortly after, “The Crown” star Elizabeth Debicki, who won an award earlier in the night, rushed over to Gladstone to take a photo.