The Oscars race has been blown wide open by this unexpected win

Ryan Coogler’s vampire horror Sinners has beaten heavy-hitter One Battle After Another in the biggest category at the Actor Awards on Monday, winning most outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture, which suggests the Academy Award race is still wide open.

“There’s supposed to be a teleprompter somewhere, but I don’t see it, so I’m just going to speak,” Sinners star and veteran actor Delroy Lindo said as he accepted the coveted prize on behalf of the film’s cast.

“This project is anointed, and from that standpoint, we’re all anointed to be part of this incredible journey created by the genius Ryan Coogler … Every single day we brought our hearts, our souls, our spirits to this endeavour. To be recognised by you all – thank you does not come anywhere near close enough to encompass the gratitude we feel.”

In another unexpected turn of events, Michael B. Jordan took home the prize for best leading actor, a category many initially believed would go to Marty Supreme’s Timothée Chalamet given his previous success this awards season. Jordan clinched the victory with his riveting performance as twins Smoke and Stack in Sinners. Once again, it now appears to be anyone’s game come the Academy Awards on March 16 (AEDT).

“I don’t even know where to begin. I wasn’t expecting this at all,” a visibly shocked Jordan said on stage.

“I just want to quickly say that I’m so honoured and privileged to be nominated with people and actors and humans that I love, and I love their work and what they contribute to our craft. This ride has been unbelievable … When I got my [SAG] card, I was an entry-level member and those guys on stage in nice suits, that’s what I always wanted to be. That kid from north New Jersey is standing here now.”

Meanwhile, it wasn’t Australia’s night at the Actor Awards, with Rose Byrne, Jacob Elordi and Sarah Snook all being pipped in their respective categories.

Byrne, who was in the running for best leading actress for her searing role in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, lost out to Jessie Buckley in Hamnet. Elsewhere, Elordi, who stunned with his performance as Frankenstein’s monster, lost to Sean Penn (One Battle After Another) in the best supporting actor category, and Snook, who was nominated for All Her Fault, was edged out by Michelle Williams (Dying For Sex) for best actress in a limited series.

In a particularly emotional moment, Catherine O’Hara won best actress in a comedy series for her role in The Studio just over a month after her death. An emotional Seth Rogen accepted the trophy on her behalf.

“I was asked to assume the very sad honour of accepting this award on O’Hara’s behalf,” Rogen, who worked with O’Hara on The Studio, said. “I know she would have been honoured to receive this … She was such a big fan of all of you. I have been reflecting on the time I was fortunate to work with her. Something I’ve been marvelling at was her ability to be generous and kind and gracious while never minimising her own talents.

“She knew she could destroy and she wanted to destroy every day on set,” Rogen continued. “Every evening before shooting-day on the show [The Studio], she’d email me and Evan [Goldberg and] said, ‘hello, I hope you’ll consider the following’, and then send a completely re-written scene. One hundred per cent of the time it made her character better and the scene better and the entire show better as a whole. She showed you can be a genius and be kind … We’re so lucky to live in a world where she so generously shared her talents with us.”

Another veteran actress, Amy Madigan, picked up one of the first major film awards of the night, beating the likes of Wunmi Mosaku and Ariana Grande in the best supporting actress category for her terrifying performance as Gladys in Zach Cregger’s horror Weapons. It was her first nomination and win at the Actor Awards.

“I’ve been doing this a long-ass time and I’ve never been nominated by the SAG committee,” Madigan said while accepting her award.

“People keep asking me what is it about this night – it’s because actors love other actors. They just love being with them. We want to work with them, look up at them and be like, ‘man you guys are so good’ … Gladys surprised me. She’s getting a lot of love back, I didn’t know ya’ll wanted to hang out with her. I want to give a shout-out to the ensemble … All of the little kids who ran around with us, the stunt people. I did terrorise them, but I let them rip me apart, so it’s OK.”

She then went on a brief interlude about Barbie and Ken, and how she’d always wonder why Ken “had nothing” after whipping his pants down. It made no sense and that’s what we love about Amy Madigan.

Altogether, there were few surprises in the television categories, with both The Pitt and The Studio dominating in their respective areas, as they did at all previous major award shows that honour content on the small screen. Noah Wyle won the prize for best actor in a drama series for medical drama The Pitt, choosing the moment to honour the actors’ union and his SAG-AFTRA card, which he has held close for 36 years. The Pitt also took home the prize for best ensemble cast in a drama series.

“I’ve never been more proud of a group of people in my life,” Wyle said of his cast on The Pitt. “This is the hardest working group of people … It’s been challenging and difficult and rewarding in ways I can’t possibly fathom. I wouldn’t change one thing … We’re so grateful. To the fellow nominees, the work is so exceptional that this is really humbling and very exciting.”

Rogen took to the stage several times, including for best ensemble cast in a comedy series for The Studio, a knee-slapping satirical take on the current Hollywood studio system, and for best actor in a comedy series. That wraps the comedy show’s winning sweep throughout the 2026 awards season.

“Hello, wow, this is a great award show,” Rogen said while accepting his award for best actor in a comedy show. “They got food and drink and shit. It’s not 100 million degrees in here. You’re able to pay your employees enough to keep the show from being cancelled – take notes WGA. It’s a true honour to be here … I thought about whether my ego would be strong enough to withstand losing to Ike [Barinholtz, his co-star on The Studio]. I’m glad I don’t need to find out. I would have been meaner to you at work.”

Owen Cooper also completed his insanely strong awards run, picking up the trophy for best actor in a limited series, though he was not in attendance to accept the prize. His performance as a teenager accused of murder in Adolescence was magnificent, so it’s little wonder he was recognised across every major award show that celebrates television.

The Actor Awards was rebranded from the SAG Awards to make it clear what it actually celebrates – the stars of film and television. It has the largest voting body in the awards circuit, with around 160,000 members across SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Radio and Television Artists) voting for each other. It usually offers solid clues around who could come out successful at the Oscars in a few weeks’ time, especially in the performance categories.

The ceremony, which took place in Los Angeles and was broadcast live on Netflix, was led by Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars, Nobody Wants This), who hosted the previous two Actor Awards. Her opening number was a crowd-pleaser, riffing on stage names through an old Hollywood musical number. This was in line with what she promised early on in her monologue: levity amid trying times.

Harrison Ford was awarded a lifetime achievement award about halfway through the broadcast, honouring his nearly 60 years on-screen, during which time he has played iconic roles like Han Solo and Indiana Jones.

“I’m in a room of actors, many of whom are here because they’ve been nominated for their amazing work, while I’m here to receive a prize for being alive. That feels a little weird to get a lifetime achievement award at the half point of my career,” Ford joked.

“I was not an overnight success. I struggled for about 15 years going from acting to carpentry and back to acting until I finally got a part in a wildly successful film. None of this happened on my own,” he continued.

“While we’re all at different stages of our lives and careers in this room, we all share something fundamental – we share the privilege of working in the world of ideas, of empathy, of imagination. Sometimes we make entertainment. Sometimes we make art. Sometimes we’re lucky and we make both at the same time. If we’re really fortunate, we also get to make a living doing it.

“Keep the door open for the next lost boy who is looking for a place to belong. I am indeed a lucky guy, lucky to have found my people, lucky to have work that challenges me, lucky to still be doing it.”

Ahead of the ceremony, Paul Thomas Anderson’s political comedy-thriller One Battle After Another was the title to beat, having scored a record-breaking seven nominations. It ultimately only won one trophy. Meanwhile, Ryan Coogler’s gothic vampire horror Sinners was not far behind, having received five nods. It won in two categories.

Here is a full list of winners and nominees at the 2026 Actor Awards:

Film Nominations

Outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
WINNER: Sinners

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role
WINNER: Jessie Buckley, Hamnet
Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue
Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another
Emma Stone, Bugonia

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role
Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon
WINNER: Michael B. Jordan, Sinners
Jesse Plemons, Bugonia

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role
Odessa A’zion, Marty Supreme
Ariana Grande, Wicked: For Good
WINNER: Amy Madigan, Weapons
Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners
Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role
Miles Caton, Sinners
Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein
Paul Mescal, Hamnet
WINNER: Sean Penn, One Battle After Another

Stunt ensemble in a motion picture
F1
Frankenstein
WINNER: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
One Battle After Another
Sinners

Series Nominations

Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series
The Diplomat
Landman
WINNER: The Pitt
Severance
The White Lotus

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series
Britt Lower, Severance
Parker Posey, The White Lotus
WINNER: Keri Russell, The Diplomat
Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
Aimee Lou Wood, The White Lotus

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a drama series
Sterling K. Brown, Paradise
Billy Crudup, The Morning Show
Walton Goggins, The White Lotus
Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
WINNER: Noah Wyle, The Pitt

Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
Hacks
Only Murders in the Building
WINNER: The Studio

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series
Kathryn Hahn, The Studio
WINNER: Catherine O’Hara, The Studio
Jenna Ortega, Wednesday
Jean Smart, Hacks
Kristen Wiig, Palm Royale

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series
Ike Barinholtz, The Studio
Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This
Ted Danson, A Man on the Inside
WINNER: Seth Rogen, The Studio
Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or limited series
Claire Danes, The Beast in Me
Erin Doherty, Adolescence
Sarah Snook, All Her Fault
Christine Tremarco, Adolescence
WINNER: Michelle Williams, Dying for Sex

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a television movie or limited series
Jason Bateman, Black Rabbit
WINNER: Owen Cooper, Adolescence
Stephen Graham, Adolescence
Charlie Hunnam, Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me

Outstanding performance by a stunt ensemble in a television series
Andor
Landman
WINNER: The Last of Us
Squid Game
Stranger Things

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