31st Screen Actors Guild Awards winners: Shogun continues dominance, Conclave triumphs

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The papal thriller Conclave won best ensemble at the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday (Feb 23), a surprise twist that added one final wrinkle in an unusually unpredictable awards season.

In winning the guild’s top award, Edward Berger’s Vatican-set drama triumphed just as the Catholic Church was praying for the health of Pope Francis, who remained in critical condition Sunday after an asthmatic respiratory crisis. Conclave dramatises the fictional election of a new pope.

Timothee Chalamet won best male actor, upsetting Adrien Brody and putting the 29-year-old on course to possibly win his first Academy Award.

Chalamet looked visibly surprised when his name was announced at the ceremony Sunday night. But once he reached the stage, he spoke with composure and confidence.

“The truth is, this was five-and-a-half years of my life," said Chalamet of A Complete Unknown. “I poured everything I had into playing this incomparable artiste, Mr Bob Dylan, a true American hero. It was the honour of a lifetime playing him.”

He then added: “The truth is I’m really in pursuit of greatness. I know people don’t usually talk like that, but I want to be one of the greats.”

Demi Moore seemingly solidified her Oscar chances by following up her Golden Globe win for her performance in The Substance. Moore, whose campaign was boosted by her speech about being pigeonholed a “popcorn actress”, has traded awards with Anora breakthrough Mikey Madison.

“What we believe is so much more powerful than what we think,” said Moore. “The saying ‘I’ll believe it when I see it’. The reality is when I believe it, I will see it.”

After romps at the Emmys and Golden Globes, Shogun kept up its dominance. The FX series won best drama series ensemble, along with acting awards for Hiroyuki Sanada, Anna Sawai and for best stunt ensemble.

Netflix’s Emilia Perez, which has seen its awards hopes largely dashed by controversy over old tweets by lead actor Karla Sophia Gascon, took home the award for best female supporting actor, for the Oscar favourite Zoe Saldana.

Jane Fonda, 87, given the guild’s Life Achievement Award, provided the evening with its most passionately political moment. Fonda, a famed activist, spoke indirectly about President Donald Trump’s administration.

“We are in our documentary moment,” said Fonda. “This is it. And it’s not a rehearsal.”

Fonda added that “woke just means you give a damn about other people.”

“A whole lot of people are going to be hurt by what’s happening, by what’s coming our way,” said Fonda. “We are going to need a big tent to resist what’s coming at us.”

For the second time, the awards were streamed live by Netflix. This time around, the streamer inserted ads sporadically, like a traditional broadcast. Last year, downtimes were occupied by backstage interviews. Audio issues occasionally marred the broadcast Sunday, including brief interruptions of Fonda's speech.