So the SAG Awards were handed out Sunday Feb 27. That means a lot of pat on the backs and a lot of kissing up to your fellow actors.
Will Smith won for King Richard.
Jessica Chastain won for The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Ariana DeBose won Best Supporting for West Side Story
Which really should be called “Another West Side Story” or “West Side Story Again”
Troy Kotsur (mostly deaf) won Best Supporting for CODA
Smug Jason Sudeikis won for Ted Lasso
Jean Smart won for Hacks
Michael Keaton won for Best Actor in a Limited Series “Dopesick” (which nobody saw)
Kate Winslet won for Best Actress in a Limited Series “Mare of Easttown” (which everybody saw)
Succession won for Best Dramatic Ensemble
Lee Jung-jae won Best Actor for Squid Games
Jung Ho-yeon won Best Actress for Squid Games
CODA won for Best Cast in a Motion Picture (first time a mostly deaf cast won this award)
Squid Game won for Best Ensemble in a Drama Series
beating out Loki, Mare of Easttown and Falcon and Winter Soldier. So that is pretty impressive. I don’t know if everyone is tired of Marvel or if Squid Game was really that appreciated.
Let me tell you what I’m happy about. I am happy CODA came up big, and I am very happy Squid Games won big.
These guys were underdogs and outsiders, and I’m glad SAG members took the time to recognize them and the great work they achieved last year.
Squid Games overcame a lot just to get on Netflix. No major network or theater would have ever backed a project like that. A Korean series where people get killed by playing kid games? Are you insane? There’s not even a single American in it!!
Netflix can afford to take those chances though and I am so glad they did and I’m even happier the show was embraced as it was by the industry and American audiences.
CODA, Children of Deaf Adults, was also welcomed with open arms when it could have easily been shunned and overlooked. With a predominantly deaf cast, SAG members gave them their due praise and gave the film a few well deserved awards for such a brave and quality project.
Of course SAG members rewarded their favorite colleagues as well. Will Smith, Michael Keaton, Kate Winslet all bringing home big awards for their fine work.
So all in all, I am very proud of this group. They gave awards to the outsiders, the foreigners, the handicapped and their tried and true favorites.
This awards show has done the industry and the world, proud by recognizing those who should have been recognized, and not by those who campaigned the hardest with the most ads and billboards on Sunset Boulevard.
Now let’s see what mess The Oscars have in store for us.
