21st Annual SAG Awards

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The SAG Awards® ceremony takes place in an intimate dinner setting where film casts and TV casts alike are seated next to one another making for a unique and relaxed party atmosphere. Between bites, actors can mix and mingle with their friends and peers.   

The evening is a fast and fun two hours packed with various elements:

• Surprises - Nobody in the audience knows which actors will tell their "stories" during the show's signature opening sequence until the ceremony begins.

• Emotion and humor - There is no telling what the actors will say or do onstage during their acceptance speeches.  

• No host - There is no single host for the SAG Awards. Prominent actors introduce each award or film sequence.

• Debbie Reynolds - The beloved actor, singer, dancer, author, champion for the preservation of the artifacts of film history and for the understanding and treatment of mental illness will receive the SAG 51st Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment. It is presented annually to an actor who fosters the "finest ideals of the acting profession."   Award Categories & Voting The SAG Awards are a peer award, voted upon by 111,228 members of SAG-AFTRA.  There are 13 acting awards:

• Five for film, including awards for male & female lead actors, male & female supporting actors and ensemble.  

• Eight for TV, including awards for male & female actors in drama series; male & female actors in comedy series, male & female actors in movies/miniseries and ensemble awards for drama and comedy series.  Recognizing that acting is a collaborative art, the SAG Awards include award categories for acting ensembles in film, television drama and television comedy. As a result, several other award-giving bodies now honor ensembles.  Honors for outstanding action performances by television and film stunt ensembles were instituted in 2008.

These non-televised kudos are announced from the SAG Awards Red Carpet.  Studios, networks, actors and actors' representatives submit performances for consideration each year.  Nominations are decided by two panels selected annually in the spring through a random sample drawing from the 160,000 SAG-AFTRA members. A total of 2,200 members serve on the film nominating committee, with another 2,200 on the TV committee. After serving, members are not eligible to serve on the same committee again for eight years.  

Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage