Manny Ita –
The 2026 edition of the Actor Awards, formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards, was held on Sunday night, with major victories for the film Sinners and television comedy series The Studio, as Hollywood’s awards season enters its final stretch toward the upcoming Academy Awards scheduled for March 15.
Sinners, which entered the ceremony with five nominations, secured two of the night’s most prestigious honours, including outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role for Michael B. Jordan, who earned recognition for portraying twin characters in the critically acclaimed vampire-period hybrid film directed by Ryan Coogler. The production also claimed the award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture, with supporting actor nominee Delroy Lindo delivering an emotional acceptance speech on behalf of the ensemble.
On the television side, The Studio, produced by Apple TV+, emerged as one of the evening’s dominant winners after leading nominations with five nods. Series creator and star Seth Rogen won outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series before returning to the stage to accept the award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series on behalf of his late co-star Catherine O’Hara, who died in January.
Reflecting on O’Hara’s legacy, Rogen told the audience, “Something I’ve been marveling at over the last few weeks was her ability to be generous and kind and gracious while never ever minimizing her own talents and her own ability to contribute to the work that we were doing.” He added, “She really showed that you can be a genius and be kind and one of those things does not have to come at the expense of the other in any way, shape or form.”
The Studio further strengthened its performance by winning the award for outstanding ensemble in a comedy series, while medical drama The Pitt recorded significant success in drama categories, taking home three awards including outstanding ensemble in a drama series.
Veteran actor Harrison Ford received the ceremony’s lifetime achievement honour in recognition of his decades-long contribution to film and television. The award was presented during the telecast by fellow actor Woody Harrelson, drawing sustained applause from attendees.
The Actor Awards recognise outstanding performances in both film and television across acting and stunt ensemble categories, and are widely viewed as a key indicator of momentum heading into the Oscars. This year’s results further reshaped expectations within the awards race, with several winning productions strengthening their standing ahead of Hollywood’s biggest night.
