SAG Awards: 'Hidden Figures,' Denzel Washington, Emma Stone Lead the Way

By Dave McNary, Variety

Fox’s historical drama Hidden Figures won top SAG Award for top ensemble cast on Sunday in an awards show that also saw Fences, Moonlight and La La Land receive recogntion.

Denzel Washington won the Best Actor Award for Fences and castmate Viola Davis took the supporting award. Emma Stone took the Best Actress Award for her role as a struggling actress in La La Land and Mahershala Ali took the supporting actor trophy for Moonlight.

“This film is about unity; this is what happens when we put our differences aside,” said Taraji P. Henson — who plays mathematician Katherine Johnson — in accepting for Hidden Figures.

Hidden Figures won over Manchester by the Sea, Captain Fantastic, Fences, Hidden Figures and Moonlight. Awards season frontrunner La La Land was shut out of the category.

The winner of the SAG ensemble trophy has matched the Oscar best picture winner 11 times in 21 years. Spotlight and Birdman have won the SAG cast award and the Oscar for Best Picture in the past two years, while American Hustle won the SAG cast award in 2014 was shut out at the Oscars.

The awards were announced Sunday at the Shrine Auditorium at the 23rd annual SAG awards.

Stone topped Amy Adams for Arrival, Emily Blunt for The Girl on the Train, Natalie Portman for Jackie and Meryl Streep for Florence Foster Jenkins. Davis won the award over Naomie Harris for Midnight, Nicole Kidman for Lion, Octavia Spencer for Hidden Figures and Michelle Williams for Manchester by the Sea.

Ali topped Jeff Bridges for Hell or High Water, Hugh Grant for Florence Foster Jenkins, Lucas Hedges for Manchester by the Sea, and Dev Patel for Lion.

Hacksaw Ridge won the award for best stunt ensemble.

Netflix’s freshman series Stranger Things won the drama series trophy, repeating Saturday’s triumph at the Producers Guild of America.

John Lithgow and Claire Foy won the drama series actor awards for Netflix’s The Crown for their portrayals of Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth. Lithgow credited Meryl Streep for her Jan. 8 Golden Globes speech blistering President Donald Trump. “My exact thoughts,” he added.

Orange Is the New Black won the comedy ensemble trophy for the third straight year. The series topped The Big Bang Theory, Black-ish, Veep and Modern Family, which won for four years before Orange Is the New Black started its streak.

The evening was punctuated with an array of verbal attacks on President Donald Trump’s ban on refugees and citizens from seven predominately Muslim countries from entering the United States. “What unites us is stronger that what divides us,” said Orange Is the New Black actress Taylor Schilling in her acceptance.

“This immigrant ban is a blemish and it is un-American,” said Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who won the actress trophy for comedy series for Veep for the second time.

Loius-Dreyfus defeated Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda for Netflix’s Grace and Frankie, Ellie Kemper for The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Uzo Aduba for Orange Is the New Black, who won the last two trophies. Louis-Dreyfus won in 2014.

William H. Macy won the actor in a comedy series for Shameless and offered thanks to Trump for making his portrayal of lead character Frank Gallagher “seem normal.”

Sarah Paulson won the best actress for TV movie or limited series for The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. In her acceptance, she asked that people donate to the American Civil Liberties Union, calling it a “vital” organization.

Bryan Cranston took the best actor award in the TV movie or limited series category for his portrayal of Lyndon Baines Johnson in All the Way. In his acceptance, he said that he’s often asked what advice Johnson would provide Trump and said he’d be supportive, then add something that he often said, “Just don’t piss in the soup that all of us gotta eat.”

Lily Tomlin received the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda, and cited Ruth Gordon’s acceptance speech for winning an Oscar at age 72 with “I can’t tell you how encouraging a thing like this is.”

She offered advice such as “Don’t leave the house when you’re drunk” and “Beware of any enterprsue that requires new clothing.”

“I feel I am just getting started. What sign should I make for the next march?” she said.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: Hidden Figures

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture: Emma Stone, La La Land

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture: Denzel Washington, Fences

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: Viola Davis, Fences

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble: Hacksaw Ridge

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series: Stranger Things

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series: Claire Foy, The Crown

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series: John Lithgow, The Crown

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series: Orange Is the New Black

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series: William H. Macy, Shameless

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series: Bryan Cranston, All the Way

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in Television Movie or Miniseries: Sarah Paulson, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble: Game of Thrones

Life Achievement Award: Lily Tomlin