All four major film acting categories were won by people of colour at the SAG Awards last night. As established, Chadwick Boseman is the only slamdunk among the categories, every other race is unpredictable, although Daniel Kaluuya is getting closer. Hosting Saturday Night Live this weekend didn’t hurt either. I’m sure you’ve heard about his joke in the opening monologue? If not, here it is: 

 

Taking a shot at the British royal family made the headlines, but I also appreciate Daniel going on American television and making it clear that there is definitely racism in England, especially after those ridiculous headlines last week following a report on racism commissioned by Boris Johnson’s government found that there was no institutionalised racism in the UK. Which… please. By the way, there is already controversy over how the report was interpreted.

Back to Daniel, he won the Golden Globe, the Critics Choice, and now the SAG. He’s nominated for a BAFTA and I feel like that one should be his as well. At the Oscars though, he’s nominated alongside his castmate LaKeith Stanfield. LaKeith was a surprise on nomination morning, because he hadn’t been a factor leading up to the Oscar announcement – but the fact that the actors branch of the Academy put him on the list speaks to how much they respect his work. Which is why we can’t quite call it for Daniel yet, despite the fact that he’s won so much, because the Oscars will be the first time he’s going head-to-head with LaKeith. 

 

Daniel dedicated his win last night to Chairman Fred Hampton, who he plays in Judas and the Black Messiah, and Chadwick Boseman. If he and Chadwick both win, it’ll be a beautiful Black Panther reunion, T’Challa and W’Kabi, BFFs for life. 

While Daniel’s win was in the Supporting Actor category, Minari’s Youn Yuh-jung was named Best Supporting Actress by the Screen Actors Guild. This is the category that seemed like such a question mark – and I thought the SAGs might go with Glenn Close. Not that Glenn isn’t way overdue for an Oscar but what’s complicated about this year is that her nomination is for Hillbilly Elegy which, well, you know. Still, actors win all the time for accumulated performances over the course of an entire career so YJ winning the SAG doesn’t necessarily mean Glenn’s out of the race. That said, YJ’s acceptance was so charming and I can’t imagine the Academy would have not found it endearing and that’s exactly the kind of moment that an actor can ride all the way to the Oscar stage. 

 

 

If you’re familiar at all with YJ, from any of her previous appearances and interviews or from her reality shows (which is where I know her best), seeing her get emotional like that… it doesn’t happen very often. She’s usually all business, she’s not one for sentimentality, but she was clearly moved last night, which says to me that she wasn’t expecting it all, totally caught off guard. 

This is history though – Youn Yuh-jung is now the first Asian woman to win an acting award in a film category at the SAGs. Will Oscar be next?! 

Here’s my weekly reminder: both Judas and the Black Messiah and Minari are available to stream now. WATCH THESE FILMS!