‘CODA’ takes top honors at SAG Awards

LOS ANGELES

In an upset, the deaf family drama “CODA” took top honors at an unpredictable and history-making 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards that also saw wins for the leads of “Squid Game,” the cast of “Ted Lasso” and Will Smith.

The ceremony, held at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, and broadcast on both TNT and TBS, was notably border-breaking, with historic wins for deaf actors, Korean stars and some of Hollywood’s biggest names.

It culminated with “CODA,” Sian Heder’s heartwarming Apple TV+ coming-of-age film featuring a trio of deaf actors in Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur and Daniel Durant, along with newcomer Emilia Jones, winning best ensemble. The film has been seen as a watershed moment for the deaf community in Hollywood.

“This validates the fact that we, deaf actors, can work just like anybody else. We look forward to more opportunities for deaf actors,” said Matlin on stage before teaching the crowd sign language for “I love you.”

Matlin is the only deaf actor to win an Oscar, but her “CODA” co-star, Kotsur, may be in line to join her. Kotsur won best supporting actor Sunday, becoming the first deaf actor win an individual SAG award. When his name was read, the 53-year-old veteran actor plunged his head into his hands. On stage, he thanked his wife for “reminding me to check my fly before walking the red carpet.”

Netflix’s “Squid Game,” the first non-English language series nominated by the actors guild, came on strong with three awards, including Lee Jung-jae for best male actor in a drama series and Jung Hoyeon for best female actor in a drama series.

Those wins came over the likes of “Succession” stars Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong, and Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston of “The Morning Show.”

Still, HBO’s “Succession” ultimately reigned in the best drama series category. Cox fittingly accepted the award with an expletive printed on his face mask, and another uttered as he struggled to take it off. But Cox turned serious when discussing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In the evening’s bluntest remarks on the invasion, he noted that the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was a comic, and thus a fellow performer. He urged censored dissenters in Russia to speak out.

The SAG Awards are considered one of the most reliable predictors of the Academy Awards.

SAG’s track record may also mean Will Smith, star of the Williams family tennis drama “King Richard,” is heading for his first Oscar. Smith took best actor, scoring his first SAG award.

Best actress has been more difficult category to track. Many have seen Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”) as the favorite to win her second Oscar. In an especially competitive category, those snubbed have often drawn the most focus. Kristen Stewart of “Spencer” was passed over by SAG, while Lady Gaga (“House of Gucci”) missed with the film academy.

Yet it was Jessica Chastain, who plays the infamous televangelist in ``The Eyes of Tammy Faye,’’ who won Sunday, notching her first individual SAG award. Heading into the Oscars on March 27, no category may be more uncertain.