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Lights, camera, action! Get ready for a rebrand in the world of Hollywood accolades, because the Screen Actors Guild Awards are officially stepping into a new spotlight. From this point forward, you can call them the “Actor Awards.”
Yes, you heard that right! The familiar phrase “And the Actor goes to…” that has echoed through countless ceremonies is now the very name of the event itself. This move, announced Friday, aims to streamline the show’s title and make it more universally recognizable, especially as its global audience on Netflix continues to expand.
“Now that our global audience is really growing, people don’t always understand what the union name is,” explained awards committee chair JoBeth Williams. “But ‘the Actor Awards’ they recognize and they know they’re going to see their favorite actors when they tune in.”
For those who like their titles precise (and a little wordy), the full moniker will be “the Actor Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA.”
This rebranding comes as the ceremony, a long-standing precursor to the Oscars, enjoys a surge in viewership since its move to Netflix in 2024. Last year, the show garnered an impressive 4.3 million views on the platform, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. This success highlights Netflix’s belief in the show’s potential for growth.
“We’re on 190-plus countries now on Netflix,” noted Jon Brockett, longtime showrunner and executive producer. “So the simplification of the name, from a global perspective, should bring about even greater awareness to understand who we are and what we’re all about.”
And what they’re all about, in essence, is actors. Like the Golden Globes, the Actor Awards celebrate lead and supporting performances in both film and television.
However, instead of “best picture” or “best series,” they honor acting ensembles – a unique nod to the collaborative spirit of the craft. Notably, the ceremony has maintained a reputation for integrity, avoiding the scandals that have plagued some other awards shows.
The path to an Actor Award begins with nominations chosen by two committees, one for film and one for television, each comprised of 2,500 randomly selected SAG-AFTRA members. The ultimate winners are then decided by the massive voting body of over 130,000 active SAG-AFTRA members.
“We are all doing what these folks up there on the screen do, so we have a strong sense of what it takes to do that and what it takes to make it really special,” Williams said, emphasizing the voters’ discerning eye. “The eyes of the voters are very tuned in to what actors do.”
Mark your calendars! Nominations for the inaugural Actor Awards will be announced on January 7, with the ceremony set to stream live on Netflix on March 1. Get ready to celebrate the best in acting, now under a name that truly reflects its star power!