The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were held January 30, 2016. These awards honored excellence in television and film throughout 2015.
In film, Spotlight received the award for an outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture. Leonardo Dicaprio, for his role in The Revenant, and Brie Larson, for her role in Room, received awards for male and female actors in a leading role. Idris Elba, for his role in Beasts of No Nation, and Alicia Vikander, for her role in The Danish Girl, received the awards for male and female actors in a supporting role.
In television, Downton Abbey was awarded outstanding performance by a cast in a drama series while Orange is the New Black took the awards for cast in a comedy series. Kevin Spacey won the award for male actor in a drama series for his role in House of Cards, and Viola Davis received the award for female actor in a drama series for her role in How to Get Away With Murder. Transparent’s Jeffrey Tambor was awarded with outstanding performance by a male in a comedy series, while Uzo Aduba took the award for female in a comedy series for her work in Orange is the New Black.
In stunts, Mad Max was awarded best stunt ensemble in a motion picture and Game of Thrones won best stunt ensemble in a comedy or drama series.
Carol Burnett was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2015. She was presented the award by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, and she was the 52nd recipient of the award. Burnett has had an iconic role in television from her work in Annie to the Carol Burnett Show.
Unlike the Oscars, the SAG Awards nominated many African Americans for their work throughout 2015, and many even received awards such as Uzo Aduba and Idris Elba who actually won two awards: outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role and outstanding performance by a male actor in a television movie or mini series. The awarding so many that have not even been nominated by the Academy Awards puts them in a complicated situation.