SAG-AFTRA is an American labor union representing approximately 160,000 film and television actors, voice-over artists, announcers, broadcast journalists, program hosts, puppeteers, stunt performers, DJs, dancers, news writers, news editors, singers, and recording artists, among others. The union was founded in 2012 following the merger of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Screen Actors Guild.
The SAG Awards were established by the Screen Actors Guild in 1995. The inaugural ceremony was held on February 25, 1995, at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, California. The first winners included Tom Hanks, Jodie Foster, Martin Landau, Dianne Wiest, Raúl Juliá (posthumously), Joanne Woodward, Dennis Franz, Kathy Baker, Jason Alexander, Helen Hunt, the cast of NYPD Blue, and the cast of Seinfeld. In 2025, the award was renamed the Actor Award.
Unlike some other industry awards that focus on either film or television, the Actor Award honors outstanding performances in both. It can be awarded to film and television actors, as well as to entire casts/ensembles and stunt ensembles.
Two committees submit nominations for the Actor Awards. One is responsible for film, and the other is responsible for television. Each committee comprises 2,100 SAG-AFTRA members who are randomly selected each year. As soon as the nominations are announced, all Guild members can vote. Success at the Actor Awards is considered an indicator of future success at the Oscars.
The Actor Award statuette is called “The Actor”. It portrays a nude male figure holding a comedy mask in one hand and a tragedy mask in the other. The 16-inch-tall, 12-pound statuette is cast in solid bronze.
As of 2026, the actors and actresses with the most overall wins at the Actor Awards, including ensemble categories, are Julia Louis-Dreyfus (nine awards), Alec Baldwin (eight awards), Julianna Margulies (eight awards), Allison Janney (seven awards), Viola Davis (six awards), Anthony Edwards (six awards), Tony Shalhoub (six awards), and Noah Wyle (six awards). Those with the most individual wins are Alec Baldwin (seven awards), Viola Davis (five awards), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (five awards), Tina Fey (four awards), William H. Macy (four awards), Julianna Margulies (four awards), Helen Mirren (four awards), Tony Shalhoub (four awards), and Kate Winslet (four awards).
Photo: actorawards.org
