Actors Denzel Washington and Viola Davis from the 2016 drama film “Fences” won the top honours at the 23rd Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG-AFTRA) where stars talked about politics right from the moment the awards ceremony began.
While Washington won the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role award, Davis was given the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role trophy at the ceremony that took place on January 29 night, reports cnn.com.
However, the highlight of the awards gala was how the stars slammed US President Donald Trump’s executive order on banning citizens, including refugees, from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US.
From “Scandal” star Kerry Washington explaining that actors are activists to Ashton Kutcher declaring “I am a citizen of the world”, Hollywood did not shy away from criticising Trump’s ‘Muslim ban’.
Kutcher, who was announcing the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series, greeted “everyone in airports that belong in my US”.
“You are a part of the fabric of who we are. And we love you and we welcome you,” Kutcher said.
Kutcher presented the award to “Veep” actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who said in her acceptance speech that she is the daughter of an immigrant who fled the persecution of Nazi-occupied France.
Besides them, actor William H. Macy, who won the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in “Shameless”, and “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” actress Sarah Paulson, who won the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries award, also talked about the ban.
It was “Moonlight” star Mahershala Ali who raised eyebrows when he said that his mother is an ordained minister who was not thrilled when he converted to Islam 17 years ago.
“But I tell you, now, you put things to the side and I’m able to see her and she’s able to see me. We love each other. The love has grown. And that stuff is minutia. It’s not that important,” said Ali, who won the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role trophy for his role in “Moonlight”.
Actress Emma Stone won for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role award for her role in “La La Land”.
The Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion Picture was won by “Hidden Figures”.
