The 25th annual SAG awards was a successful night for all

On the night of Jan. 27, all of Hollywood’s hidden gems in the film and television industries were uncovered and recognized at the 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards.  The event honored the best in movies and prime time television, and the awards were selected by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.  The Screen Actors Guild, founded in 1933, seeks to protect actors and attain better working conditions for those in the film industry.  Since its founding in the early twentieth century, the labor union has progressed to a high level and, starting from 1995, has been awarding its best members with special honors that demonstrate their achievements in pop culture.

         Actress and comedian Megan Mullally hosted this year’s show, making it her first time being a hostess at the show after winning four SAG awards in the past.  During her opening monologue, she hilariously demonstrated the harsh reality of sexism and racism in the film industry.  Her speech was lighthearted and funny, and got many laughs from the audience.

“Roles for women continued to break new ground,” said Mullally.  “Glenn Close played a wife, so that’s new.  I was like, ‘What?! This is groundbreaking!”’

At the same time, she successfully addressed the recurring problems in Hollywood to the audience.  In her opening monologue, she praised the industry’s growing acceptance for diversity, mentioning the first all-Asian cast in Crazy Rich Asians.

         Recipients of SAG awards mostly corresponded with recipients of awards in other shows this year.  Blockbuster movie Black Panther won the SAG for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, making it the first superhero movie to win a top SAG award.  Star Chadwick Boseman accepted the award with a dumbfounded expression, bringing laughter in the audience.  In addition, Rami Malek of Bohemian Rhapsody and Emily Blunt of A Quiet Place won the awards for Outstanding Actor and Actress in a Motion Picture, respectively.  As for television, the hit show This is Us took the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.  The show is on their third season and has become extremely popular throughout the country for its realistic portrayal of middle-class families’ struggles, covering a variety of aspects overlooked by society, including the life of single mothers and a closer look at unique familial relationships.  In addition, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel won an award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.  The star of the show Rachel Brosnahan also won the SAG for Outstanding Performance by an Actress.

         “I was so happy that the show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel won.  It is an amazing show that deserves all of the success that it achieved,” said sophomore Remi Haas.

         Finally, the awards show not only celebrated the special achievements made by more than 166 films and 185 actors, but also commemorated 83 year-old actor Alan Alda by awarding him the SAG Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award.  Alda, six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe winner, starred in the hit show M.A.S.H. in his younger days and continued to star in many hit films after.  The actor, who has been living with Parkinson’s disease, made a moving acceptance speech, during which he talked about how lucky he was to have been given the opportunity to be an actor.  Towards the end of his speech, he made sure to deliver a grand message to today’s generation of actors to help bring the world together through their professions.

         “It may never have been more urgent than to see the world through another person’s eyes than when a culture is divided so sharply.  Actors can help, at least a little bit, just by doing what we do,” said Alda.  “And the nice part is it’s fun to do it.”

         This year’s SAG Awards show was an exciting and inspiring event for both viewers and those in the film industry alike.  It demonstrated the inspirational growth of the film industry and set the stage for what is to come during the 91stt Academy Awards, one of the biggest events of all awards seasons.