Jessica Chastain beat out Olivia Colman, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Hudson and Nicole Kidman to take home the SAG award and said the win made her feel like the "luckiest person ever". Photo / Getty Images
Jessica Chastain beat out Olivia Colman, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Hudson and Nicole Kidman to take home the SAG award and said the win made her feel like the "luckiest person ever". Photo / Getty Images
Jessica Chastain was "completely stunned" to be named Best Actress at the Screen Actors Guild Awards today (Sunday LA time).
The 44-year-old actress was nominated for best actress in a leading role for her work on The Eyes of Tammy Faye. She beat out Olivia Colman, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Hudson and Nicole Kidman to take home the SAG award and said the win made her feel like the "luckiest person ever".
Delivering her acceptance speech on stage at Santa Monica's Barker Hangar, Chastain said: "Whoa. Wow. Okay I'm really surprised. Thank you SAG-AFTRA for this, I'm completely stunned. I'm the luckiest person ever ...
"I wanted to be an actor my whole life, and ever since I was a kid it was the only thing I ever really thought about, and there were years of studying and auditioning and not getting jobs. And I know what that feels like and I know the loneliness of what that feels like.
"And so, for those of you who are struggling and feeling unseen I just want you to keep going because you're one job away, I promise! And the thing that really kept me going was you. It was everyone in this room and it was this community."
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role was awarded to Will Smith for his portrayal of Richard Williams in King Richard. Tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams - the real-life daughters of the subject of the film - were seated next to him when the award was announced.
He said: "That may have been one of the greatest moments of my career just now because my name was called for King Richard sitting next to Venus Williams and her sister."
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role was awarded to Will Smith for his portrayal of Richard Williams in King Richard. Photo / Getty Images
Will hailed Richard a "dreamer like no one you've ever known" before thanking his castmates Aunjanue Ellis, Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton.
CODA took home one of the biggest prizes of the night. The predominantly deaf cast of the Apple TV+ comedy drama - which tells the story of Ruby (Emilia Jones), who serves as an interpreter for her family - made history when they scooped the Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture accolade.
Marlee Matlin, who plays Ruby's mother Jackie, signed a speech on behalf of the cast.
An unseen interpreter said on her behalf "We deaf actors have come a long way. This validates the fact that we deaf actors can work just like anybody else. we look forward to more opportunities for deaf actors, deaf culture."
Earlier in the evening, Troy Kotsur became the first deaf actor to win a solo prize after taking the outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role accolade.
Earlier in the evening, Squid Game also made history as the first Korean TV show and first foreign-language series to bag a SAG, with solo wins for the show's stars Lee Jung-jae and Hoyeuon Jung, as well as the prize for outstanding action performance as a stunt ensemble.
Ariana DeBose won her first SAG Award for her work on West Side Story, while in the TV comedy categories, Jason Sudeikis won for Ted Lasso and Jean Smart was recognised for her work on Hacks. The television movie or limited series prizes went to Michael Keaton for Dopesick and Kate Winslet for Mare of Easttown.
The coveted Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series honour went to Succession, while the comedy equivalent went to Ted Lasso.
