LOS ANGELES: Sinners, a brooding vampire tale set in the segregated American South, emerged as the night’s big winner at the 2026 Actor Awards, claiming best ensemble in a motion picture while its star, Michael B Jordan, secured best lead actor.

The ceremony, formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards before a rebrand last November, is presented by Sag-Aftra and honours performances across film and television. The prizes are widely viewed as a bellwether for the Oscars, due on 15 March.

Jordan was recognised for playing bootlegging twins in Sinners, delivering an emotional speech in which he thanked an industry that had watched him “grow up in front of the camera”.

Director Ryan Coogler made history, becoming the first to helm two best ensemble winners in the awards’ history. He previously claimed the top prize with Black Panther in 2018. With a record 16 nominations, Sinners is now locked in a tight awards-season contest with One Battle After Another, which recently triumphed at the Directors Guild Awards and Producers Guild Awards.

On the film side, Jessie Buckley was named best lead actress for her portrayal of a grieving mother in Hamnet. Supporting honours went to Sean Penn for his turn as a deranged soldier in One Battle After Another and Amy Madigan for playing a witch in Weapons.

Television saw satire and grit share the spoils. The Studio, a send-up of Hollywood power brokers, led with three awards, including best ensemble in a comedy series. Co-creator Seth Rogen won lead actor in a comedy, while his co-star Catherine O’Hara received a posthumous honour for lead actress.

Medical drama The Pitt took best ensemble in a drama series, with Noah Wyle adding lead actor in a drama series to his accolades.

In a surprise, Keri Russell won best lead actress in a drama series for The Diplomat, edging out Rhea Seehorn of Pluribus. Michelle Williams claimed best actress in a limited series for Dying for Sex, while 16-year-old Owen Cooper won best actor in a limited series for Adolescence.

Veteran star Harrison Ford received the lifetime achievement award, delivering a self-deprecating speech that drew laughter and tears in equal measure.

The evening unfolded against a sombre geopolitical backdrop, as the US and Israel remain engaged in conflict with Iran. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, executive director of Sag-Aftra, opened the ceremony with a call for peace.

Hosted for the second consecutive year by Kristen Bell on Netflix, the awards also intersected with industry intrigue. Netflix recently withdrew from a bidding war with Paramount Skydance over Warner Bros Discovery, the studio behind The Pitt and Sinners. Paramount, which won a single prize for the latest “Mission: Impossible” stunts, has agreed to acquire the conglomerate in a $110 billion deal.

See the full list of winners below:

Cast Ensemble in a Motion Picture

“Frankenstein” (Netflix)

“Hamnet” (Focus Features)

“Marty Supreme” (A24)

“One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros)

“Sinners” (Warner Bros.) (Winner)

Male Actor in a Leading Role

Timothée Chalamet, “Marty Supreme” (A24)

Leonardo DiCaprio, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros)

Ethan Hawke, “Blue Moon” (Sony Pictures Classics)

Michael B. Jordan, “Sinners” (Warner Bros) (Winner)

Jesse Plemons, “Bugonia” (Focus Features)

Female Actor in a Leading Role

Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet” (Focus Features) (Winner)

Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” (A24)

Kate Hudson, “Song Sung Blue” (Focus Features)

Chase Infiniti, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros)

Emma Stone, “Bugonia” (Focus Features)

Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Miles Caton, “Sinners” (Warner Bros)

Benicio Del Toro, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros)

Jacob Elordi, “Frankenstein” (Netflix)

Paul Mescal, “Hamnet” (Focus Features)

Sean Penn, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros) (Winner)

Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Odessa A’zion, “Marty Supreme” (A24)

Ariana Grande, “Wicked: For Good” (Universal Pictures)

Amy Madigan, “Weapons” (Warner Bros) (Winner)

Wunmi Mosaku, “Sinners” (Warner Bros)

Teyana Taylor, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros)

Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

“F1” (Apple Original Films/Warner Bros)

“Frankenstein” (Netflix)

“Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” (Paramount Pictures) (Winner)

“One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros)

“Sinners” (Warner Bros)

TV Categories

Cast Ensemble in a Drama Series

“The Diplomat” (Netflix)

“Landman” (Paramount plus)

“The Pitt” (HBO Max) (Winner)

“Severance” (Apple TV)

“The White Lotus” (HBO Max)

Cast Ensemble in a Comedy Series

“Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

“The Bear” (FX)

“Hacks” (HBO Max)

“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)

“The Studio” (Apple TV) (Winner)

Male Actor in a Drama Series

Sterling K. Brown, “Paradise” (Hulu)

Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show” (Apple TV)

Walton Goggins, “The White Lotus” (HBO Max)

Gary Oldman, “Slow Horses” (Apple TV)

Noah Wyle, “The Pitt” (HBO Max) (Winner)

Female Actor in a Drama Series

Britt Lower, “Severance” (Apple TV)

Parker Posey, “The White Lotus” (HBO Max)

Keri Russell, “The Diplomat” (Netflix) (Winner)

Rhea Seehorn, “Pluribus” (Apple TV)

Aimee Lou Wood, “The White Lotus” (HBO Max)

Male Actor in a Comedy Series

Ike Barinholtz, “The Studio” (Apple TV)

Adam Brody, “Nobody Wants This” (Netflix)

Ted Danson, “A Man on the Inside” (Netflix)

Seth Rogen, “The Studio” (Apple TV) (Winner)

Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)

Female Actor in a Comedy Series

Kathryn Hahn, “The Studio” (Apple TV)

Catherine O’Hara, “The Studio” (Apple TV) (Winner)

Jenna Ortega, “Wednesday” (Netflix)

Jean Smart, “Hacks” (HBO Max)

Kristen Wiig, “Palm Royale” (Apple TV)

Male Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series

Jason Bateman, “Black Rabbit” (Netflix)

Owen Cooper, “Adolescence” (Netflix) (Winner)

Stephen Graham, “Adolescence” (Netflix)

Charlie Hunnam, “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” (Netflix)

Matthew Rhys, “The Beast in Me” (Netflix)

Female Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series

Claire Danes, “The Beast in Me” (Netflix)

Erin Doherty, “Adolescence” (Netflix)

Sarah Snook, “All Her Fault” (Peacock)

Christine Tremarco, “Adolescence” (Netflix)

Michelle Williams, “Dying for Sex” (FX) (Winner)

Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series

“Stranger Things” (Netflix)

“Andor” (Disney plus)

“Landman” (Paramount plus)

“The Last of Us” (HBO Max) (Winner)

“Squid Game” (Netflix)