Jamie Lee Curtis: I Am Nepo Baby

The ceremony kicked off with its traditional “I Am An Actor” opening segment, featuring Niecy Nash, of Dahmer, talking about being inspired to be “Black, fabulous, and on TV” as a child, and her first act: “Turn around in a circle and let my family get a load of me.”

Bob Odenkirk also joined in, pretending to forget his final line: “I am an actor.”

Jamie Lee Curtis was grinning as she remembered her first project, Operation Petticoat, and mirthfully called herself a “nepo baby.” She attributed her firing from Petticoat to allowing her to audition for the iconic Halloween franchise.

Ke Huy Quan Makes History

Ke Huy Quan won the award for best supporting actor for his role as Waymond Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once, directed by Daniels, Kwan and Scheinert.

Orlando Bloom presented the award. In his speech, Quan said: “This is a really emotional moment for me. Recently, I was told that if I would win tonight, I would become the very first Asian actor to win in this category. When I heard this, I quickly realized that this moment no longer belongs to just me. It also belongs to everyone who has asked for change. When I stepped away from acting, it’s because there were so few opportunities.” He went on to recognize his fellow castmates and fellow Asian nominees. Quan is the first Vietnamese-American actor ever to be nominated and, as he said in his speech, the first Asian actor to ever win in this category at the SAG Awards. He’s the only non-white male actor nominated individually at this year’s ceremony.

Michelle Yeoh: First Asian Woman

Michelle Yeoh earned the award for best female actor in a leading role for Everything Everywhere All at Once, making her the first woman of Asian descent to win the individual acting honor.

“I thank you for your love, for your support, because I know I am up against titans,” she said, trying to hold back tears. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. This is not just for me, this is for every single girl that looks like me.”

Sally Field was given the acting guild’s highest honor: Life Achievement Award, recognizing “career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment.”

Referencing her extensive, eclectic filmography, she said “I’ve been Mrs. Doubtfire’s employer, Forrest Gump’s mother, Lincoln’s wife and Spider-Man’s aunt.”

“Sometimes I have been lucky enough to be part of projects whose screenplays were so good that my hands shook the first time I read them. … They opened and revealed parts of myself I would not have known otherwise. I’ve worked my whole life. In all of these almost 60 years, there is not a day that I don’t feel quietly thrilled to call myself an actor.”

Quinta Brunson Praises ‘Abbott Elementary’ Cast

The cast of Abbott Elementary kept the laughs coming while accepting outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series award. Quinta Brunson took to the stage to accept the honor alongside cast members Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti and Sheryl Lee Ralph. After thanking their peers for the honor, Bruson explained that the award meant a lot “because being a part of this ensemble means the world to me.”

Brendan Fraser Offers Inspiration to Other Actors

Brenda Fraser, who won best male actor in a leading role for The Whale, shared what he learned from playing the role and inspirational words for other actors. “Charlie is someone who is on a raft of regrets, but he’s in a sea of hope. And I’ve been at that sea and I rode that wave lately and it’s been powerful, and I’ve also had that wave smash me down to the ocean floor and dragged my face along there and wound up on some strange beach in a different world and wondering, where am I now?

And I just want you to know, all the actors out there who have gone through that or are going through that, I know how you feel. Believe me, if you just stay in there and you put one foot in front of the other, you’ll get to where you need to go. Have courage.”

‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Wins Big

A24’s Everything Everywhere All at Once won best cast, best actress, best supporting actor and best supporting actresss.

Lead actress Yeoh gave co-star James Hong, who recently celebrated his 94th birthday, the opportunity to give speech on behalf of the ensemble. The actor noted that his first film was made 70 years ago and featured Clark Gable. “Back in those days, Asian roles were played by white guys with their eyes taped because producers said that Asians were not good enough and they were not ‘box office,’” said Hong. “But look at us now!”