‘Black Panther’ wins top honor at SAG Awards

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES

“Black Panther” took the top award at Sunday’s 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards, giving Ryan Coogler’s superhero sensation its most significant honor yet and potentially setting it up for more wins at the Academy Awards.

“Well, I’ll be,” said Chadwick Boseman, accepting the award for best ensemble in a motion picture. “To be young, gifted and black.”

It was the only award “Black Panther” was nominated for besides best ensemble of stunt performers, which it also won.

Glenn Close, who memorably triumphed at the Golden Globes, won best actress, possibly making her up as the Oscar frontrunner. The 71-year-old Close has frequently been nominated but never won an Academy Award.

“One of the most powerful things we have as human beings are two eyes looking into two eyes,” said Close. “Film is the only art form that allows us the close-up.”

Rami Malek won best actor for his Freddie Mercury, Emily Blunt was the upset winner for her supporting role in the horror thriller “A Quiet Place,” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” swept comedy series honors at the 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday.

The Amazon series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” won the first three awards handed out Sunday at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. It won best ensemble in a comedy series, as well as individual honors Rachel Brosnahan and Tony Shalhoub, whose win was a surprise in a category that included Bill Hader (“Barry”) and Michael Douglas (”The Kominsky Method”).

Tom Hanks presented the lifetime achievement award to Alan Alda, who in July revealed that he had been living with Parkinson’s disease for more than three years. The 83-year-old actor took the stage to a standing ovation while the theme to “M*A*S*H” played. He said the award came at a reflective moment for him.

“And I see more than ever now how proud I am to be a part of our brotherhood and sisterhood of actors,” said Alda. “It may never have been more urgent to see the world through another person’s eyes. When a culture is divided so sharply, actors can help – a least a little – just by doing what we do. And the nice part is it’s fun to do it. So my wish for all of us is: Let’s stay playful.”