Welcome to Deadline’s live blog of the 29th annual SAG Awards. Join me as I offer color commentary, instant analysis, and hopefully some dishy insight to Sunday’s awards.
Traditionally, the SAG Awards have been an often uncanny bellwether into the way the winds are blowing at the Oscars, at least in terms of acting winners. They have a more spotty record when it comes to TV, often behind the Emmys for a couple of beats, but not always. SAG is definitely capable of surprises, so it would be a nice twist in the season if they offer any tonight.
Last year’s movie winners were copied verbatim at the Oscars which went 4-for-4 with SAG in the acting categories, and helped launch CODA to a Best Picture Oscar when it won the sometimes (but clearly not always) predictive equivalent of SAG’s Outstanding Cast award. The same boost in the Cast category, and the infectious acceptance of the South Korean actors onstage, I believe really helped cement the eventual and historic win for Parasite two years earlier.
The SAG Awards are coming later in the awards-season game this year, just two weeks before Oscar Sunday and only four days before final voting begins for the 95th annual Academy Awards. The SAG results could have a major impact, but this year’s ceremony, for the first in decades, does not have a TV deal or television presence since being dropped by TNT/TBS, their longtime broadcast partners. The ceremony is being carried on Netflix’s YouTube channel in advance of the streamer taking over the broadcast rights beginning next year. What effect that might have is probably negligible since there will be plenty of headlines coming out of tonight’s show and eventual victors, and lots of Oscar voter eyes will be seeing them. Pundits almost universally are predicting the big Cast prize will go to Everything Everywhere All at Once, and it does appear it is that A24 sleeper hit’s one to lose, but it could also pick up trophies individually in the acting races. Keep your eyes on the blog as we find out if that film cements its status as Oscar front runner, or gets tripped up.
On the TV side, buzzy titles like Abbott Elementary and The White Lotus – Sicily are favorites, but there are plenty of scenarios at play here as well. Join me for all the fun.