The 32nd Actor Awards, formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, delivered a series of upsets and emotional moments on March 1, 2026, shaking up the Oscar race and reigniting Hollywood’s awards season drama. Held at the Shine Auditorium in Los Angeles and streamed globally on Netflix, the star-studded evening saw unexpected wins, heartfelt tributes, and a business bombshell that left the industry buzzing.
Perhaps the most headline-grabbing moment came when "Sinners," Ryan Coogler’s blues-soaked vampire saga, captured the best motion picture ensemble award. According to The Associated Press, this win marked a major twist in a season previously dominated by Paul Thomas Anderson’s "One Battle After Another," which had swept the Golden Globes, Producers Guild Awards, BAFTAs, and Directors Guild Awards. The Actor Awards are closely watched as a bellwether for the Oscars, with actors comprising the largest voting bloc in the Academy. With "Sinners" now in the lead, the race for Best Picture at the Academy Awards on March 15 is suddenly wide open.
Coogler’s win was historic: he became the first filmmaker to guide two different ensembles to the guild’s top prize, having previously triumphed in 2019 with "Black Panther." Delroy Lindo, speaking for the cast, expressed gratitude with a heartfelt, "From the bottom of our hearts, to the bottom of your hearts, thank you so much for everything." The room buzzed with energy as Samuel L. Jackson announced the ensemble win, upending pundits’ predictions and sending shockwaves through Oscar forecasting circles.
Michael B. Jordan’s victory for best male actor in "Sinners" added fuel to the fire. He upset category favorite Timothée Chalamet, whose performance in "Marty Supreme" had been widely tipped to win. As reported by The Los Angeles Times, Jordan, visibly stunned, reflected on his journey: "I wasn’t expecting this at all. Yeah, man, this is pretty cool." The win marks a career high for the 39-year-old actor, whose dual role as twin brothers Smoke and Stack was widely praised as his best work yet.
On the women’s side, Jessie Buckley continued her awards sweep by taking home best female actor for her searing performance in "Hamnet." Buckley’s portrayal of a grieving mother has been described as raw and transformative, with The Los Angeles Times noting she has been a frontrunner since the film’s debut at the Telluride Film Festival. Buckley’s win keeps her firmly in the running for the Oscar, with many critics predicting she’ll take home the gold.
But it was the supporting categories that truly underscored the unpredictable nature of this year’s awards season. Amy Madigan, at 75, won Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for her chilling turn as Aunt Gladys in the horror hit "Weapons." According to Gold Derby, Madigan’s win was a significant upset in a fractured race that has seen different winners at every major ceremony—Teyana Taylor at the Golden Globes, Wunmi Mosaku at the BAFTAs, and Madigan herself at Critics’ Choice and now the Actor Awards. Her performance, involving heavy prosthetics and a transformation into a parasitic witch, has left audiences and critics alike in awe. "I’ve been doing this a long ass time," Madigan quipped in her acceptance speech, drawing laughter and applause.
Madigan’s victory is all the more remarkable given her near-retirement from acting before director Zach Cregger cast her in "Weapons." The film, which grossed over $268 million worldwide against a $38 million budget, became one of 2025’s biggest surprise hits. If Madigan wins the Oscar on March 15, it will mark a 40-year gap since her first nomination for "Twice in a Lifetime"—the longest ever for an actress. As she told The Hollywood Reporter, "I understand that I’m not the leading lady—I’m a character actor, and I like doing things with my body. Maybe that was confusing to people, or what they were looking for was not me." Now, her late-career renaissance has made her a sentimental and serious contender for Oscar gold.
Sean Penn, meanwhile, continued his own streak by winning best supporting male actor for "One Battle After Another," following a BAFTA victory just a week prior. Penn, who did not attend the ceremony, bested a field that included Miles Caton, Benicio Del Toro, Jacob Elordi, and Paul Mescal. As Entertainment Weekly pointed out, Penn’s win positions him for a possible third Academy Award, extending a decade-long run of Oscar-related accolades. His performance as Col. Steven J. Lockjaw, described as menacing and career-defining, has won over both critics and peers.
The evening was not without poignant moments. Catherine O’Hara was posthumously honored with best female actor in a comedy series for her role in "The Studio." O’Hara, who passed away on January 30, 2026, at age 71 from a blood clot in the lungs, was celebrated with a standing ovation. Seth Rogen, co-creator of "The Studio," accepted the award on her behalf, recalling, "She showed that you could be a genius and you could be kind." Rogen encouraged viewers to revisit O’Hara’s iconic comedic moments, reminding everyone, "We were lucky that we got to live in a world where she so generously shared her talents with us."
Among other TV winners, "The Studio" claimed best comedy series, while "The Pitt" took home best drama series. Individual acting honors went to Keri Russell for "The Diplomat," Rogen for "The Studio," Michelle Williams for "Dying for Sex," Owen Cooper for "Adolescence," and Noah Wyle for "The Pitt." The best stunt ensemble award went to Paramount’s "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning."
The ceremony itself, hosted with wit and warmth by Kristen Bell, managed to stay light despite the backdrop of global unrest, including the ongoing war in Iran and the entertainment industry’s own upheavals. SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin offered "a prayer for peace," setting a reflective tone amid the festivities.
As if the awards drama weren’t enough, the business side of Hollywood was rocked by the news that Paramount had reached an agreement to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery for $111 billion. The deal, pending regulatory approval, sent shockwaves through the industry, with Netflix’s Ted Sarandos—whose company lost out in the bidding—making a low-key red carpet appearance in jeans. The merger means Warner Bros. heads into the Academy Awards with both "Sinners" and "One Battle After Another" as top Best Picture contenders, an unprecedented coup for a studio on the verge of changing hands.
The night concluded with a moving tribute to Harrison Ford, who received the SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award. Presented by Woody Harrelson in typically wry fashion, the 83-year-old Ford reflected, "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." Ford, tearing up, described the honor as "very encouraging" and mused, "I’m indeed a lucky guy. Lucky to have found my people. Lucky to have work that challenges me. Lucky to still be doing it."
With Oscar ballots now out and the Academy Awards just weeks away, the Actor Awards have injected new suspense into a season that once seemed all but decided. Hollywood, it seems, still knows how to keep everyone guessing—and feeling.