Will Smith couldn’t hold back his emotions as he landed his first Screen Actors Guild Award (SAG) for best actor, for his stint in King Richard.
The 53-year-old portrayed titular character Richard Williams in the acclaimed flick, real life father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams.
He was awarded the best actor gong at the SAG ceremony on Sunday, held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, and was visibly emotional as he thanked his big screen co-stars.
‘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,’ he told the crowd.
‘Richard Williams is a dreamer like no one you’ve ever known. He has a power of belief that borders on insanity and sometimes tips over the border, which is absolutely necessary to take something from impossible to possible.’
Will used his moment to shed the spotlight on his King Richard castmates, as well as their real-life counterparts.
‘Aunjanue, you pushed every single day, you demanded authenticity, you did it in such a beautiful, quiet way and you did miss Oracene wonderful justice,’ he told on-screen wife Aunjanue Ellis, who took the role of the Williams matriarch.
‘Saniyya [Sidney] and Demi [Singleton], these two young ladies… It was such a great honor for me to… You guys are actors, so you know how sometimes your onscreen characters bleed into real life.
‘To walk you around this room tonight, to parent you on this film, to deliver you into this business has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life.’
‘Venus, Serena, the Williams family, you entrusted me and our group with your story. You didn’t agree to put your name on it until you saw the final project,’ he added to laughter from the crowd.
‘I get that, I get that. That’s cool. That’s real because we be messing stuff up sometimes. But when I got the call and you watched the movie and you said you loved it, I just want to say thank you very much.
SAG Awards 2022 – full list of winners
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus)
Oscar Isaac (Scenes From a Marriage)
Michael Keaton (Dopesick) Winner
Ewan McGregor (Halston)
Evan Peters (Mare of Easttown)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus)
Cynthia Erivo (Genius: Aretha)
Margaret Qualley (Maid)
Jean Smart (Mare of Easttown)
Kate Winslet (Mare of Easttown) Winner
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method)
Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso)
Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building)
Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)
Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso) Winner
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Elle Fanning (The Great)
Sandra Oh (The Chair)
Jean Smart (Hacks) Winner
Juno Temple (Ted Lasso)
Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso)
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
The Great (Hulu)
Hacks (HBO Max)
The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Ted Lasso (Apple TV Plus) Winner
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Brian Cox (Succession)
Billy Crudup (The Morning Show)
Kieran Culkin (Succession)
Lee Jung-Jae (Squid Game) Winner
Jeremy Strong (Succession)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Jennifer Aniston (The Morning Show)
Jung Ho-yeon (Squid Game) Winner
Elizabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Sarah Snook (Succession)
Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show)
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
The Morning Show (Apple TV Plus)
Squid Game (Netflix)
Succession (HBO) Winner
Yellowstone (Paramount Network)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Caitríona Balfe (Belfast)
Cate Blanchett (Nightmare Alley)
Ariana DeBose (West Side Story) Winner
Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog)
Ruth Negga (Passing)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Ben Affleck (The Tender Bar)
Bradley Cooper (Licorice Pizza)
Troy Kotsur (CODA) Winner
Jared Leto (House of Gucci)
Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye) Winner
Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter)
Lady Gaga (House of Gucci)
Jennifer Hudson (Respect)
Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos)
Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog)
Andrew Garfield (Tick, Tick … Boom!)
Will Smith (King Richard) Winner
Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth)
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Belfast (Focus Features)
CODA (Apple Original Films) Winner
Don’t Look Up (Netflix)
House of Gucci (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
King Richard (Warner Bros)
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
Black Widow
Dune
The Matrix Resurrections
No Time to Die – Winner
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series
Cobra Kai
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Loki
Mare of Easttown
Squid Game – Winner
‘It was my deepest pleasure to honor your family and to tell your story to the world. Thank you all.’
It was a huge night for Will who landed his first ever SAG Award.
He was up against some huge names for the best actor gong, triumphing against Javier Bardem for Being the Ricardos, Benedict Cumberbatch for The Power of the Dog, The Tragedy of Macbeth’s Denzel Washington, and Tick, Tick… Boom! star Andrew Garfield.
It has already been a successful awards season for the Men In Black star, after he landed a Golden Globe for the role, and is tipped for a Bafta Award and an Oscar.
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