SAG-AFTRA honored the best of film and television Sunday at the 32nd annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. The ceremony, which aired live on Netflix and was hosted by Kristen Bell, saw “Sinners” dominate the film categories, while “The Studio” was well recognized for a comedy series.
“Sinners” took home the night’s top honor for best ensemble in a motion picture, while star Michael B. Jordan took home best lead actor.
The Apple TV series “The Studio” earned three awards, including best ensemble in a comedy series. Catherine O’Hara’s historic posthumous win was met with a standing ovation.
Actor Harrison Ford, known for his star roles in the “Indiana Jones” and “Star Wars” franchises, won the Life Achievement Award and was honored for his career and what he called “his calling in life.”
“I’m in a room of 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 said in his emotional acceptance speech.
The 83-year-old joked about the timing of the honor. “It feels a little weird to be getting a lifetime achievement award at the half point of my career. It’s a little early, isn’t it? I’m still a working actor.”
Ford recounted 15 years of his early career where he bounced between various acting jobs and carpentry work trying to make ends meet. “I was not an overnight success,” he shared.
He recognized he could not have gotten to where he is now in his career without some help, and thanked several who impacted him, including George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.
What is a Life Achievement Award?
The award is nominated and voted on by members of the SAG-AFTRA National Honors and Tributes Committee and is given for “outstanding achievement in fostering the best ideals of the acting profession,” according to SAG-AFTRA. The winners of the award are well established in their careers, have had a contribution in improving the image of the acting profession, and are or have been involved in humanitarian and public service.
Jane Fonda took home the award in 2024, Barbra Streisand in 2023 and Sally Field in 2022.
Catherine O’Hara’s historic win
O’Hara became the first woman in the 32-year history of the Actor Awards to win an individual prize posthumously. O’Hara, who died Jan. 30 at age 71 due to a pulmonary embolism, won for her supporting role in “The Studio.”
Co-star Seth Rogen, who also won best actor in a comedy series, accepted the award on her behalf.
“I’ve just been marveling over the last few weeks (at) her ability to be generous and kind and gracious, while never, ever minimizing her own talents and her own ability to contribute to the work that we were doing,” Rogen said. “She knew she could destroy, and she wanted to destroy every day on set.”
The “In Memoriam” segment paid tribute to several actors who died during the year, including O’Hara, Eric Dane and Rob Reiner.
James Van Der Beek, Robert Redford, Val Kilmer, Michelle Trachtenberg, Diane Keaton, Richard Chamberlain, Robert Duvall, Diane Ladd, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Michael Madsen and George Wendt, among others, were included in the segment.
Sarah Paulson led the tribute, sharing, “Actors make up a family of souls bonded by a challenging pursuit, by valuing our creative spirit and often brought close by our mutual support and affection,” she said. “This year, we have lost some true giants — our teachers, our co-workers, our inspirations and our friends. All of us have been lifted by them.”
She added, “We are happier, wiser, made just a bit more expansive by their shared spirit and we must remember how lucky we are to have been changed by them.”
Is Catherine O’Hara the first person to win an award posthumously?
While O’Hara is the first woman to win an individual SAG award posthumously, she joins a small group of performers recognized after their deaths, according to Page Six.
According to Guinness World Records, Sidney Howard was the first posthumous Oscar winner, earning a screenplay award in 1939 for “Gone with the Wind.” In the acting category, Peter Finch was the first to win a posthumous Oscar for 1976’s “Network,” followed by Heath Ledger in 2009 for “The Dark Knight.”