The Screen Actors Guild awards are already proving to be a palate cleanser this morning after yesterday’s Golden Globe nominations and it’s entirely due to a plethora of choices that make sense. Plus, I think we are all in agreement that for the past five years the SAG awards have been better than most.
The OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN MOTION PICTURE category shines with Da 5 Bloods, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Minari, One Night in Miami, and The Trial of Chicago 7.
What is always so frustrating about award shows, and we will say this until there is a legitimate fix is the fact that some voters just are not qualified to judge every genre and performance properly. That is the tea. It’s partly why the SAG Awards feel like such a palate cleanser because actors know the experience better than some of the people sitting on pulpits waiting to point fingers to their next favorite white thing. There are better stories told through inclusivity not for the sake of political correctness, but because it’s the human thing to do to tell human stories.
The SAG awards often also give the genres that do not typically have a place in the academy the chance to shine. We are still happily reeling from Emily Blunt’s win for A Quiet Place and are utterly baffled that the seemingly bigger award shows don’t acknowledge horror. (Which fun fact, I rarely even watch horror films because I’m a chicken, but that is why I should not be the judge of it but rather somebody who does understand.)
The late and incomparable Chadwick Boseman is nominated for both OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR (Da 5 Bloods) AND OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom). Along with ensemble categories, making his nominations four in total! Boseman’s tragic death has hit the hardest last year and the incredible actor’s final few performances were just as exquisite as anything else he’s done. And that’s the thing, some actors continue to outdo themselves, which Boseman is a shining example of–any role he’s been in, we have been able to look at him as that character. When we looked at Stormin’ Norman, we did not see King T’Challa and when we looked at Levee, we did not see Stormin’ Norman. Boseman embodied each role beautifully and is deserving of every single recognition for his inimitable skills.
Again no award show is perfect, but Da 5 Bloods missing from the Golden Globes nominees made zero sense so we are glad to see it rectified here.
When it comes to the SAG awards, one of our favorite things is the ensemble cast awards. And all of our favorites are on it in both comedy and drama categories. We have got some feelings–especially in the TV realm.
BRIDGERTON IS HERE TO STAY. The series has one of the most exhilarating ensemble casts we’ve seen since Stranger Things full of performers who play off one another so beautifully, no two scenes are the same. This is also a cast full of actors who understand their established book characters down to the bones and are bringing them to life with passion, warmth, and a myriad of layers along with surprises. And the ensemble cast isn’t the only up for up for an award missing from these photos because he deserves to be in the spotlight right now is our very own Regé-Jean Page as Simon Basset–the Duke of Hastings.
Regé-Jean Page’s role as Simon Basset has been exemplary. He has taken a nuanced and layered character and given him a plethora of depth and charm. (Even if he weren’t so unfairly easy on the eyes, we are pretty sure we would still swoon because of the performances.) Page is a star and to see him get this recognition along with the cast’s ensemble is the very proof that romance is the genre we have all been needing.
It’s not just about escapism, it’s not just about a happy ending, more than that, it’s about the pay off–Bridgerton gave its characters the pay off their arcs deserved. Simon and Daphne went through a whirlwind trying to work through their issues and they came out on top after choosing to love. These are stories told by women for women, but they are also stories that deserve to be seen and acknowledged because they break stigmas and create a better world. And we will always appreciate the SAG awards for giving performances the nominations that are deserved.
Genres matter–romance, science fiction, horror, and every other genre that is not given the chance should be going forward. We are tired of villain origin stories–give us stories that feature complex characters navigating through life and conquering their demons because that is the very joy that we all need.
Ted Lasso, Schitt’s Creek, and Dead to Me were all fantastic this year, too and each nomination is rightfully deserved. The only thing that is really missing is FX’s What We Do in the Shadows.
Minari is still extremely high on our list, and we’ll get to it, but since we’ve heard nothing but praises from people we trust, and considering it’s an A24 production–we know it’s bound to be good, and thus deserving of these awards.
What are some highlights from the SAG Awards that you’re thriving from? What are some snubs you’re still upset about? Let us know in the comments below!