SAG Awards 2026: The Final Pre-Oscar Showdown

With the Academy Awards just two weeks away, all eyes are on the 32nd Actor Awards, formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards, taking place on Sunday. This event is considered a crucial precursor to the Oscars, as the actors themselves – the largest voting bloc within the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences – cast their ballots. The ceremony, presented by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), will be streamed live on Netflix starting at 8 p.m. EST, with Kristen Bell hosting.

‘One Battle After Another’ Leads the Pack

Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” is the clear frontrunner, having already secured wins at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs, as well as Saturday’s Producers Guild Awards. The film boasts a record seven nominations and is widely expected to take home the coveted Best Ensemble award. Other nominees for Best Ensemble include “Sinners,” “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme,” and “Frankenstein.”

Could ‘Sinners’ Spoil the Party?

While “One Battle After Another” is heavily favoured, a win for Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” could inject some much-needed unpredictability into the Oscars race. The individual acting categories are proving to be particularly competitive.

Tight Races in Individual Categories

Timothée Chalamet, last year’s winner for “A Complete Unknown,” was considered the favourite for his performance in “Marty Supreme.” However, Robert Aramayo’s surprise win at the BAFTAs demonstrates the difficulty in predicting this category. The nominees include Michael B. Jordan (“Sinners”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“One Battle After Another”), Ethan Hawke (“Blue Moon”), and Jesse Plemons (“Bugonia”). A win for Chalamet would mark a historic back-to-back victory.

Jessie Buckley is currently the frontrunner for Best Female Actor, competing against Chase Infiniti (“One Battle After Another”), Rose Byrne (“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”), Kate Hudson (“Song Sung Blue”), and Emma Stone (“Bugonia”).

Supporting Categories: Wide Open

The supporting acting awards are proving to be the most difficult to forecast. The nominees for Best Supporting Female Actor are Teyana Taylor (“One Battle After Another”), Wunmi Mosaku (“Sinners”), Ariana Grande (“Wicked: For Good”), Amy Madigan (“Weapons”), and Odessa A’zion (“Marty Supreme”). For Best Supporting Male Actor, the nominees are Sean Penn (“One Battle After Another”), Benicio Del Toro (“One Battle After Another”), Miles Caton (“Sinners”), Jacob Elordi (“Frankenstein”), and Paul Mescal (“Hamnet”).

Lifetime Achievement Award

Harrison Ford will be honoured with the SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award, presented by Woody Harrelson. This recognition celebrates Ford’s remarkable career and lasting impact on the film industry. You can learn more about the SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award here.

Stay tuned for updates from the SAG Awards 2026 as Hollywood celebrates its finest performances!