The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG) took place on Saturday, February 24, 2024, at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles. The awards, which are voted by the members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), honored the best performances in film and television of the year 2023. The ceremony, which was streamed live on Netflix, featured many memorable moments, from heartfelt speeches and glamorous outfits to advocacy for diversity and inclusion. Here are some of the highlights of the night:

Oppenheimer Dominates the Film Categories in SAG Awards 2024

The historical drama Oppenheimer, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Cillian Murphy as the physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, was the big winner of the night, taking home four awards out of five nominations. Murphy won the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, beating out heavyweights like Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington, Will Smith, and Benedict Cumberbatch. In his speech, Murphy thanked Nolan for his vision and trust, and dedicated the award to his fellow actors. “This is extremely meaningful, because this comes from you guys,” he said.

Robert Downey Jr., who played Oppenheimer’s adversary Lewis Strauss, won the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role, continuing his winning streak from the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs. Downey Jr. delivered a witty and humorous speech, in which he joked that he would never grow tired of his own voice, and praised his wife Susan Downey for being “a sane and rational individual who is happily married to an actor”. He also gave a shoutout to his son Exton Elias, saying “this one’s for you”.

Oppenheimer also won the awards for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture and Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture, cementing its position as the frontrunner for the upcoming Oscars.

Succession Breaks the Succession of Succession in SAG Awards 2024

The HBO drama Succession, which chronicles the power struggles and scandals of a media mogul family, broke the winning streak of its own network’s rival show Succession, which had swept the previous awards shows. Succession won the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, beating out Succession, The Crown, The Morning Show, and The Last of Us. The cast, which included Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Alan Ruck, and more, accepted the award with excitement and gratitude, and praised the show’s creator Jesse Armstrong for his brilliant writing.

Succession also won the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series, for J. Smith-Cameron, who played Gerri Kellman, the loyal and savvy general counsel of the Roy family’s company. Smith-Cameron thanked her castmates, especially Cox, who played her boss Logan Roy, and Culkin, who played her unlikely love interest Roman Roy. She also thanked her husband, playwright Kenneth Lonergan, and her daughter, actress Nellie Lonergan, for their support.

A Devil Wears Prada Reunion at SAG Awards 2024

One of the most delightful moments of the night was the reunion of the cast of the 2006 comedy-drama The Devil Wears Prada, which featured Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt. The trio, who played the formidable fashion editor Miranda Priestly and her two assistants Andy Sachs and Emily Charlton, respectively, presented the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series.

Streep, who was also nominated for her role in Don’t Look Up, pretended to stumble on stage and claimed that she forgot her glasses and the envelope. Hathaway and Blunt came to her rescue, bringing the items and teasing her about her resemblance to Miranda. Hathaway even repeated the iconic line from the film, “No, no, that wasn’t a question.”

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA REUNION IN 2024 I'M SCREAMING!!!!! #SAGAwards pic.twitter.com/dojnv7xMzk

— Rina (@bbblanchett) February 25, 2024

The award went to Ayo Edebiri, who played the lead role of Tina in the FX comedy series The Bear. Edebiri thanked her co-star and creator Donald Glover, and said that she was moved and motivated by the work of the other actors in the room.

Breaking Bad Cast Refuses to Follow the Script

Another reunion that brought joy and laughter to the audience was the one of the cast of the acclaimed crime drama Breaking Bad, which ended in 2013 after five seasons. The cast, which included Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Bob Odenkirk, RJ Mitte, Jonathan Banks, Dean Norris, and Betsy Brandt, presented the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

However, they refused to follow the cheesy script that asked them to spell out the word “ensemble” with each letter representing a quality. Odenkirk led the rebellion, saying “No, no f—ing way I’m doing this cheesy thing where you say each letter of the word, I’m not doing it.” The rest of the cast agreed, and Banks added, “They can’t fire us, so f— ’em.” Cranston, who played the chemistry teacher turned drug lord Walter White, concluded the bit by saying, “Well, that’s the true ensemble spirit right there.”

NEW 🫶 Breaking Bad cast reunion presenting SAG drama award pic.twitter.com/GIjdqZ2GyW

— Saul Goodman ⚖ (@itsSaulGoodman) February 25, 2024

The award was given to the cast of Succession, who thanked the Breaking Bad cast for their introduction and their inspiration.

Other Notable Winners and Moments of SAG Awards 2024

Some of the other notable winners and moments of SAG Awards 2024 night were:

• Ali Wong, who won the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie, for her role as Sandra in the Netflix comedy Beef. Wong thanked Netflix for supporting her since her first stand-up special Baby Cobra, and joked that she was going to use the award as a weapon to protect herself from her husband’s ex-girlfriends.
• Pedro Pascal, who won the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series, for his role as Joel in the HBO adaptation of the video game The Last of Us. Pascal, who beat out three actors from Succession, expressed his surprise and gratitude, and said that he was “a little drunk” and “thought he could get drunk”.
• Barbra Streisand, who received a standing ovation when she presented the Life Achievement Award to Robert De Niro, her co-star in Meet the Fockers and Little Fockers. Streisand praised De Niro for his versatility, integrity, and activism, and said that he was “a national treasure”.
• De Niro, who accepted the award with humility and grace, and urged his fellow actors to use their voice and influence to speak out against the “dire” situation of the country and the world. He also thanked his family, friends, colleagues, and fans, for their love and support.
• Idris Elba, who hosted the show and pointed out that since the ceremony was streamed, swearing was allowed, but suggested, “Don’t say anything you wouldn’t say in front of Oprah.” He also addressed the SAG-AFTRA strike that happened last year, and honored and appreciated the actors who stood up for the union in solidarity and support.
• The cast of Modern Family, who reunited on the red carpet and on stage, as they were nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for the final season of the ABC sitcom. The award went to the cast of Ted Lasso, who thanked their creator and star Jason Sudeikis, and dedicated the award to the late comedian Norm Macdonald, who inspired the character of Ted Lasso.

The SAG Awards 2024 was a night of celebration, recognition, and entertainment, as the actors honored their peers and their craft. The awards also set the stage for the upcoming Oscars, which will be held on March 10, 2024.