Parasite officially affected Hollywood’s award season this year. Bong Joon Ho’s Korean class satire became the preeminent foreign-language film to claim prime recognition from the Screen Actors Guild on Sunday, placing itself up as a genuine best picture contender to the front-runner 1917 at next month’s Academy Awards. Although the award function was hostless, Joey King and Logan Browning are co-representatives of the ceremony, taking place on Sunday at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Bombshell, and The Irishman ruled film nomination with four individually. All these three movies competed for the best award, best ensemble, along with Parasite and Jojo Rabbit. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is the most recognized television show, chosen for four Screen Actor Guild Awards, including one for the most desirable ensemble in a comedy series. The Rachel Brosnahan-starrer is succeeded by The Crown, Game of Thrones, The Kominsky Method, The Morning Show, Fleabag, and Stranger Things, all these shows with three nominations. Parasite up for six Oscars, including best film, has risen as possibly the strongest opponent for Sam Mendes’ 1917.
One of the most notable moments of SAG Awards was the reunion of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. Both of them won awards and also celebrated the other’s win. Brad Pitt won his first acting Academy Award for his supporting performance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, his winning speech has been full of one-liners. Pitt, who alleged he was nursing flu, looked down at his award and said, “I’ve got to append this to my Tinder profile.” Later, he added it was a difficult part. A guy who gets high takes his shirt off and doesn’t get on with his wife. It was a big stretch. Jennifer Aniston also won an award of her own for the best female actor in a drama category for the Apple TV Plus show The Morning Show. Which she replied after reaching the stage “What!”, later she told, she wasn't expecting her name for this award. Aniston ended her speech with a shout-out to her Murder Mystery co-star Adam Sandler, whose performance in Uncut Gems has gone essentially unrewarded this term despite noteworthy praise.
However, several people were prophesying that either Martin Scorsese’s gunman epic The Irishman or Quentin Tarantino’s 1960s fantasia Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, both anchored by leading stars, would take the ensemble award. But when the Parasite actors, none of whom won individual nominations, received a fervent standing applause early in the night from the audience of actors at the Shrine Auditorium, while presenting the film, it was crystal-clear where the crowd’s hearts stayed.
As expected, Joaquin Phoenix won his first Star Actor Guild Award for the best performance by a leading male actor for Jokar. This time his speech was controlled as he wanted to make his numbers for Academy Awards next month. After admiring each fellow nominee, Phoenix ended with a bow to his Joker predecessor. “I’m standing here on the shoulders of my ideal actor, Heath Ledger.” Phoebe Waller-Bridge resumed her prizes sweep for Fleabag, a winner at the Emmys and the Golden Globes as well. The event's most remarkable portion might have been the receiving speeches, which were practically devoid of politics, other than Robert De Niro's remarks in accepting a lifetime achievement honor, which was presented by Leonardo DiCaprio.
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