It's 'Oppenheimer' night at SAG Awards; 'Bear', 'Succession' win too

The 30th edition of the annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards celebrated some of the standout performances of the year in Hollywood on Saturday.

Oppenheimer, starring Cillian Murphy in the titular role, dominated the awards ceremony as it won the honours for best cast, as well as statues for Cillian Murphy’s lead performance and Robert Downey Jr’s supporting work, reports Variety.

The drama about J. Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the atomic bomb was an unexpected box-office hit last summer, and is considered a top contender for next month’s Academy Awards.

As per Variety, the cast of Succession was named best ensemble in a drama series for successfully pulling off their final season of familial power-grabbing and back-stabbing, while The Bear, which gives an insight into the restaurant life, earned a best comedy series ensemble prize.

During the ceremony, many of the winners spoke frankly about the struggles and sacrifices that characterise a life in the arts.

The Crown star Elizabeth Debicki won the leading actress in a drama series for her portrayal of Princess Diana, while Pedro Pascal was a surprise winner for his performance as the survivor of a zombie apocalypse in The Last of Us.

Succession stars Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook had been heavily favoured to win, and even Pascal seemed stunned by his victory. “I’m a little drunk,” he said. “I thought I could get drunk."

Debicki also admitted that she did not expect to hear her name being called and hadn’t prepared a speech. Other winners felt preordained. Jeremy Allen White, who plays the brilliant and troubled chef at the centre of The Bear, was named best actor in a comedy series for the second consecutive year. Ayo Edebiri won best leading actress in a comedy for her role as a sous-chef with larger culinary aspirations.

In other highlights, Oscar and Grammy-winning actress-singer Barbra Streisand was feted with the Lifetime Achievement Award. “This is such a wonderful award to get because you know in advance you’re going to get it. You don’t have to sit there in a squirm… And if you don’t have to put on such a happy face, ‘I’m so happy to lose!’ Anyway, you all know what I mean”, the legend joked, reports Variety.

Streisand also said she was proud to be a SAG-AFTRA member for over 60 years, “I can’t believe it. I remember dreaming of being an actress as a teenager, sitting in my bed in Brooklyn with a pint of coffee ice cream and a movie magazine."

As per Variety, she dedicated her lifetime achievement speech to the actors among her in the auditorium. “And most of all, I want to thank you for giving me so much joy, just watching all of you on the screen," she said while clapping out to the crowd.

Actress Anne Hathaway stood in awe as Streisand recalled watching “the most beautiful actor” and her “first crush” Marlon Brando in the 1954 Guys and Dolls. “He was so real, so believable,” she said. “And I wanted to be the one he fell in love with, not Jean Simmons."

Friends star Jennifer Aniston, who is Streisand’s longtime friend, presented Streisand with her award in front of the star-studded room. “Barbra, that’s all you have to say and you know," Jennifer said. “That face, that voice, that talent. It is a once-in-a-lifetime talent and how lucky that it is in our lifetime."

Aniston pointed out that perhaps this whole night was written in fate, as the Shrine was the home of Streisand’s first major concert in 1963, “on this very stage right here”.

The big winners

Outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture: Oppenheimer

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role: Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role: Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role: Robert Downey Jr for Oppenheimer

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role: Da’Vine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers

Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series: Succession

Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series: The Bear

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a drama series: Pedro Pascal for The Last of Us

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series: Elizabeth Debicki for The Crown

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series: Ayo Edebiri for The Bear

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series: Jeremy Allen White for The Bear