‘Sinners’ takes top prize at the Actor Awards, setting up an Oscar showdown

 

After a near awards-season sweep by “One Battle After Another,” “Sinners” won best ensemble at the Screen Actors Guild’s 32nd Actor Awards on Sunday, shaking up the Oscar race and setting up a potential nail-biter finale in two weeks at the Academy Awards.

The guild’s awards, formerly known as the SAG Awards, are one of the most closely watched Oscar precursors. Actors make up the largest slice of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and their choices at the Actor Awards often align.

The victory for Ryan Coogler’s blues-soaked vampire saga showed that it has a strong chance to win at the Oscars, too, despite an almost unblemished run of awards for Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another.” It’s won at the Golden Globes, the Producers Guild Awards, the BAFTAs, and the Directors Guild Awards.

But the win Sunday, in a Netflix-streamed ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, flipped that awards-season script. Writer-director Ryan Coogler, whose “Black Panther” triumphed at the guild’s awards in 2019, became the first filmmaker to steer two ensembles to the guild’s top prize.

“From the bottom of our hearts, to the bottom of your hearts, thank you so much for everything,” said Delroy Lindo, who spoke on behalf of the film’s cast.

Moments earlier, Michael B. Jordan also won best male actor, upsetting the category favorite, Timothée Chalamet, and handing the 39-year-old Jordan the most significant prize of his acclaimed career. Even Jordan looked shocked as the audience rose to its feet and Viola Davis, the award’s presenter, celebrated.

“I wasn’t expecting this at all,” said Jordan, who reflected on starting out as an actor before he paused to appreciate the moment. “Yeah, man, this is pretty cool.”

As expected, Jessie Buckley won best female actor for her performance in “Hamnet.” But the other actor races have been harder to call. On Sunday, Sean Penn (who didn’t attend) won best supporting male actor for “One Battle After Another,” and Amy Madigan won best supporting female actor for “Weapons.”

The 75-year-old Madigan, who had never before been nominated by the guild, was visibly surprised. Partway through her winding and charming acceptance speech, she looked down at the statuette.

“It’s like when you were little, and you had the Barbie, and then you got Ken and whipped down his drawers and went, ‘Hey, that’s nothing,’” joked Madigan before apologizing for getting distracted.

A posthumous prize for Catherine O’Hara

Catherine O’Hara posthumously won best female actor in a comedy series for her performance as a movie executive in the showbiz satire “The Studio.” O’Hara died at the age of 71 on Jan. 30 from a blood clot in the lungs. At the Shine Auditorium in Los Angeles, the crowd stood in a standing ovation for O’Hara after she was announced as the winner.

Seth Rogen, co-creator of “The Studio,” accepted the award on her behalf. He recalled a passionate collaborator who would, the night before a scene, invariably send a polite email with suggested rewrites. Rogen said O’Hara “showed that you could be a genius and you could be kind.”

“If you have people in your lives who don’t know her work,” Rogen said, “show them O’Hara dancing to Harry Belafonte in ‘Beetlejuice,’ show them O’Hara hurting her knee in ‘Best in Show’ and doing that amazing thing where she hobbles around, and tell the people as they are laughing that that’s Catherine O’Hara and we were lucky that we got to live in a world where she so generously shared her talents with us.”

A ceremony that skirted politics

The ceremony, presented by the actors guild SAG-AFTRA, was hosted by returning emcee Kristen Bell, who kicked off the show on a light, song-and-dance note despite the war in Iran and entertainment industry upheaval. Sean Astin, SAG-AFTRA president, offered a “prayer for peace” in his remarks.

The Actor Awards were the biggest Hollywood bash since Paramount reached an agreement to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery for $111 billion. The merger, which awaits regulatory approval, sent shock waves through Hollywood. Netflix chief executive Ted Sarandos, whose company lost out to Paramount's competing bid, walked the red carpet in jeans.

The win for “Sinners” ensures that Warner Bros. will head into the Academy Awards with the two clear best picture favorites in it and “One Battle After Another” — an awards-season coup for a studio set to be sold.

Before the ceremony began, the award for best stunt ensemble went to a Paramount release: “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.” Among the TV awards, “The Studio” won for comedy series and “The Pitt” won for drama series. Individual winners included Keri Russell (“The Diplomat”), Rogen (“The Studio”), Michelle Williams (“Dying for Sex”), Owen Cooper (“Adolescence”) and Noah Wyle (“The Pitt”).

A Harrison Ford tribute

Harrison Ford was honored with the SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award, a prize presented with warm sarcasm by Woody Harrelson. The 83-year-old actor said he was humbled.

“I’m in a room with actors, many of whom are here because they’ve been nominated to receive a prize for their amazing work, while I’m here to receive a prize for being alive,” said Ford, who called it “the half point” of his career.

Ford teared up for much of his speech, reflecting on a career that he noted was “not an overnight success.” He called the award “very encouraging.”

“I’m indeed a lucky guy,” said Ford. “Lucky to have found my people. Lucky to have work that challenges me. Lucky to still be doing it.”

Welcome to the start of a brand new month and a fresh new red carpet full of standout, iconic looks to obsess over. Tonight, the 2026 Actor Awards (formerly known as the SAG Awards) will take place at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles. Returning to the stage for the third time is none other than the Nobody Wants This star, Kristen Bell, as our dutiful host for the night.

She joins a series of high-profile actors who are expected to make an appearance at the event, such as nominees Timothée Chalamet, Emma Stone, Teyana Taylor, Jenna Ortega, Michael B. Jordan, Selena Gomez, and more. This year's theme is "Reimagining Hollywood Glamour From the ‘20s and ‘30s"—and you should expect the fashion scene to involve plenty of noteworthy moments and extravagant silhouettes. Think feathers, scandalous, barely-there naked looks, and lots and lots of sparkles.

You might want to start placing your bets on who will be best dressed now. Personally, I'm willing to put money on style legends like Jenna Ortega, Emma Stone, and Teyana Taylor, but that's something you'll just have to wait and see for yourself (along with which celebs will be taking home actual trophies).

Ahead, see the top celebrity red carpet looks from the 2026 Actor Awards, and we recommend you continue to watch this space for updates as more stars arrive throughout the night.

01of 60

Chase Infiniti in custom Louis Vuitton and De Beers jewelry

Getty Images

02of 60

Yerin Ha in Balenciaga

Getty Images

03of 60

Teyana Taylor

Getty Images

04of 60

Kristen Bell

Getty Images

05of 60

Gwyneth Paltrow

Getty Images

06of 60

Natasha Rothwell

Getty Images

07of 60

Sheryl Lee Ralph

Getty Images

08of 60

Wunmi Mosaku in custom Louis Vuitton

Getty Images

09of 60

Viola Davis

Getty Images

10of 60

Jeremy Allen White

Getty Images

11of 60

Dove Cameron

Getty Images

12of 60

Sarah Paulson

Getty Images

13of 60

Jayme Lawson

Getty Images

14of 60

Leslie Bibb

Getty Images

15of 60

Damson Idris

Getty Images

16of 60

Aimee Lou Wood

Getty Images

17of 60

Sarah Pidgeon in Balenciaga and Rahaminov Diamonds

Getty Images

18of 60

Demi Moore

Getty Images

19of 60

William Stanford Davis

Getty Images

20of 60

Jenna Ortega

Getty Images

21of 60

Connor Storrie

Getty Images

22of 60

Timothée Chalamet

Getty Images

23of 60

Parker Posey

Getty Images

24of 60

Jackie Tohn

Getty Images

25of 60

Emma Stone

Getty Images

26of 60

Kathryn Hahn

Getty Images

27of 60

Jessie Buckley

Getty Images

28of 60

Paul Mescal

Getty Images

29of 60

Irina Shayk

Getty Images

30of 60

Odessa A'zion in Giorgio Armani

Getty Images

31of 60

Hannah Einbinder

Getty Images

32of 60

Abby Elliott

Getty Images

33of 60

Patrick Schwarzenegger

Getty Images

34of 60

Michelle Randolph

Getty Images

35of 60

Tyler, The Creator

Getty Images

36of 60

Rose Byrne

Getty Images

37of 60

Sarah Catherine Hook

Getty Images

38of 60

Sofia Carson

Getty Images

39of 60

Megan Stalter

Getty Images

40of 60

Kate Hudson

Getty Images

41of 60

Lisa Ann Walter

Getty Images

42of 60

Mia Goth

Getty Images

43of 60

Liza Colón-Zayas

Getty Images

44of 60

Kristen Wiig

Getty Images

45of 60

Paul Mescal

Getty Images

46of 60

Calista Flockhart

Getty Images

47of 60

Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen

Getty Images

48of 60

Chris Perfetti

Getty Images

49of 60

Paige DeSorbo in Marmar Halim

Getty Images

50of 60

Chase Sui Wonders in Miss Sohee

Getty Images

51of 60

Claire Danes

Getty Images

52of 60

Fran Drescher

Getty Images

53of 60

Adam Scott

Getty Images

54of 60

Quinta Brunson

Getty Images

55of 60

Michelle Monaghan in Prada

Getty Images

56of 60

Nia Ivy

Getty Images

57of 60

Haley Kalil

Getty Images

58of 60

Zanna Roberts Rassi

Getty Images

59of 60

Tiffany Baira

Getty

Follow us to see more of our stories on Google.

Follow Us OnGoogle

60of 60

Carter Kench

Getty Images

Harrison Ford was in tears during his super emotional Lifetime Achievement Award speech. This was so good

"Sometimes we make entertainment. Sometimes we make art. Sometimes, if we're lucky, we make 'em both at the same time. And if we're really fortunate, we also get to make a… pic.twitter.com/A0Boh4hyTQ

— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) March 2, 2026

The In Memoriam at the 2026 #ActorsAwards pic.twitter.com/YO8bPfPIVH

— clubheartbreak (@clubheartbreak) March 2, 2026

Teyana Taylor’s daughter helps fix her dress at the Actor Awards pic.twitter.com/16fnndYHKb

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) March 1, 2026

Michael J. Fox made a surprise appearance at the 2026 Actor Awards. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/KlYSkLCPtI

— New York Post (@nypost) March 2, 2026