The Borneo Post (Sabah)

Hollywood hits red carpet for SAG Awards

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LOS ANGELES: Stars descended on the red carpet Sunday for the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Reese Witherspoo­n, Susan Sarandon, Morgan Freeman, Margot Robbie, Sterling K. Brown, and Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown were among the glamorous arrivals at the Shrine Exposition Center in downtown Los Angeles, hosted by actress Kristen Bell.

The awards are a bellwether for the Oscars in March, and are being closely watched this year as they come with Hollywood engulfed in the worst sexual misconduct scandal in its history.

Allegation­s from harassment to rape have sparked the downfall of numerous powerful industry players, starting with movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and including actors Kevin Spacey, Jeffrey Tambor and Louis C.K. as well as filmmaker Brett Ratner.

All statuettes presented by actresses

In the aftermath of Saturday’s second “Women’s March” which brought together hundreds of thousands of people in the United States -- between 300,000 and 600,000 in Los Angeles alone -- all SAG statuettes were being presented by actresses, including Halle Berry, Dakota Fanning, Lupita Nyong’o and Emma Stone.

The actors guild has been keen to back the Time’s Up movement created by 300 influentia­l women in Hollywood to fund the defence of victims of sexual abuse, as well as the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct.

Unlike at the Golden Globes, where all actresses dressed in black, sequins, sparkles, feathers and an air of Tinseltown glam were back on the SAG red carpet.

“We are living in a watershed moment and we march forward with active momentum and open ears, let’s make sure we are leading the charge with empathy and diligence, because fear and anger never win the race,” said Bell as she opened the show.

William H. Macy picked up the first award of the night - best actor in a comedy series -- while Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who is battling cancer and couldn’t attend, won the female equivalent.

“I think it’s a glorious way to make a living, especially in this day and age, when so many people can’t recognise the truth or don’t think it’s important,” said Macy.

HBO’s Veep, starring LouisDreyf­us as hapless former president Selina Meyer, won best ensemble in a comedy series.

Four Billboards took four nods in three categories -- best ensemble cast, best lead actress (Frances McDormand), and best supporting actor (Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell).

Joining that movie in the running for best cast -- the SAG’s top award -- are romantic comedy The Big Sick, racial satire Get Out, offbeat dramedy

Lady Bird and civil rights drama Mudbound. On the TV side, three series were tied at the top with four nomination­s each: HBO drama Big Little Lies and -- including the stunt team nomination­s - Netflix sci-fi thriller Stranger Things and wrestling comedy Glow.

Influentia­l

SAG nomination­s are the second major announceme­nt in Tinseltown’s glittering awards season, which climaxes with the Academy Awards in March.

Guillermo del Toro’s acclaimed 1960s-set fantasy romance The

Shape of Water led the Golden Globe nomination­s with seven but picked up just two SAG nods.

Three Billboards, starring McDormand as a mother seeking to avenge the rape and murder of her daughter, picked up six Globes nods and has been seen as a top Oscars contender since taking the influentia­l audience award at the Toronto Internatio­nal Film Festival in September.

While far less flashy than the Globes, the SAG awards are seen as more of an indicator of Oscars glory.

Members represent about 1,200 of the roughly 6,000 voters for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

We are living in a watershed moment and we march forward with active momentum and open ears, let’s make sure we are leading the charge with empathy and diligence, because fear and anger never win the race. Kristen Bell, actress and host of the show

 ??  ?? (Top, left to right) Host Kristen Bell (left) and actor Sterling K. Brown pose in the press room during the 24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on Jan 21 in Los Angeles, California. • Margot Robbie; Udo Aduba; (2nd row, left...
(Top, left to right) Host Kristen Bell (left) and actor Sterling K. Brown pose in the press room during the 24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on Jan 21 in Los Angeles, California. • Margot Robbie; Udo Aduba; (2nd row, left...

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