The 31st Screen Actors Guild, or SAG, Awards streamed Feb. 20 on Netflix, with host Kristen Bell kicking off the ceremony with a musical performance based on “Frozen”’s 2013 song “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”
Bell gave a heartfelt nod to all the people in the room with dreams of becoming an actor, montages of early acting projects of now-famous actors, including Elle Fanning, Jodie Foster and Harrison Ford, whose youthful photos graced the screen as Bell sang.
Mikey Madison, Bowen Yang, Jessica Williams and Foster were this year’s actors in the SAG’s traditional “I Am an Actor” segment, where all of them shared funny stories. Williams’ segment, in particular, got a big laugh, with her yelling at Ford to turn away from the camera as he nibbled on his food behind her.
Kieran Culkin won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for “A Real Pain,” delivering an unprepared, yet humorous, acceptance speech. He poked fun at Adrien Brody’s long speeches and the weight of the solid-bronze award before thanking fellow co-star Jesse Eisenberg and Eisenberg’s sister, Hallie.
The award’s weight seemed to be a running gag throughout the show, with many winners commenting on how heavy it was during their speeches.
Demi Moore was one of them, having won Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Elisabeth Sparkle in “The Substance.” She gave a moving speech recounting when she received her SAG membership as a teen in 1978. She thanked her fellow actors and shared advice for new ones, emphasizing the importance of human connection.
Zoe Saldaña won Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for “Emilia Pérez.” In her speech, she spoke about how proud she was to be a part of a union such as SAG and stressed the need to tell beautiful and thought-provoking stories for artistic freedom. Notably, she did not mention director Jacques Audiard and co-stars Karla Sofía Gascón and Selena Gomez, potentially due to the controversy plaguing the film and its actors.
“Shōgun” won a total of four awards, with Hiroyuki Sanada winning Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Yoshii Toranaga and Anna Sawai winning Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for her role as Mariko Toda. Sawai was the sole newcomer nominated in the category this year and tearfully articulated her thanks.
Timothée Chalamet won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for “A Complete Unknown,” becoming the youngest recipient ever for the award and giving an incredible acceptance speech that caused a major buzz across the internet.
“I know we’re in a subjective business, but the truth is, I’m really in pursuit of greatness,” Chalamet said. “I know people don’t usually talk like that, but I want to be one of the greats. I’m inspired by the greats. I’m inspired by the greats here tonight.”
He listed stars such as Daniel Day-Lewis, Marlon Brando and Viola Davis along with sports superstars Michael Jordan and Michael Phelps as some of his biggest inspirations, expressing his desire to join them in their place in history. He also conveyed his gratitude to everyone involved in the film and for the opportunity to portray folk rock artist Bob Dylan.
Though some found Chalamet’s speech to be cocky or arrogant, the majority of netizens appeared to support him, including those on TikTok and X.
Jane Fonda received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award and gave a heartfelt and energetic speech, speaking on the importance of empathy when it comes to acting and what it means to her. She directly advocated for unions, highlighting their significance in empowering and protecting workers and dismissed criticisms of being “woke.” She urged her fellow actors to take collective action against current societal challenges, concluding her speech by pushing for a shared sense of solidarity and bravery.
Among all these touching speeches, there were occasional humorous moments sprinkled in throughout the show. Bell was on a reunion run, doing several bits with old co-stars. Bell and Leighton Meester were reunited for a “Gossip Girl”-inspired skit, which entertained both the crowd and internet users.
“Kristen bell and leighton meester doing a gossip girl bit in 2025 this is what dreams are made of,” posted one X user, which garnered 1.8 million views and 54,000 likes.
Bell also did a short bit with her “The Good Place” co-stars Ted Danson and William Jackson Harper, where they comedically argued over who was Bell’s favorite co-star. It ended with Danson and Harper almost making out as the “Challengers” background music played in the background, causing cheers from the audience.
Bell’s hosting and the wonderful speeches from the actors and actresses made for an enjoyable and all-around successful awards ceremony.
