'Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to diverse TV!' SAG Awards make a mockery of Oscars race row as black actors Idris Elba, Queen Latifah, Viola Davis and Uzo Aduba all prove triumphant
- Stars including Idris Elba, Viola Davis, Queen Latifah and Uzo Aduba won big TV prizes at the awards on Saturday night
- Their success comes amid the 'OscarsSoWhite' controversy after the 40 nominees in acting categories at Academy Awards 2016 were white
- Elba won Best Supporting Actor for Beasts Of No Nation and Best Actor in a TV Miniseries for Luther
- He mentioned the rich diversity on the small screen in his speech, saying: 'Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to diverse TV!'
- Viola Davis won Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Drama Series for How To Get Away With Murder, while Queen Latifah won Best Actress in a TV Movie or Miniseries for HBO's Bessie
- Other big winners included Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenent and Brie Larson for Room
While the Academy Awards is in the grips of a race row crisis, the Screen Actors Guild proved to be a clear celebration of diversity on Saturday.
The winners list, unveiled at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, was a stark antidote to the controversy that has overwhelmed Hollywood's awards season and the #OscarsSoWhite backlash.
There was a double win for British star Idris Elba, who won Best Supporting Actor for Beasts Of No Nation, about child soldiers in Africa, and Best Actor in a TV Miniseries for Luther.
Elba, in fact, succinctly summed up what was happening when he took the stage for a third time, as a presenter, and said: 'Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to diverse TV!'
It followed not only his wins but those by the cast of the Netflix series Orange Is The New Black for Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series and for its star Uzo Aduba for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series.
There were also wins for Viola Davis won for her performance in the TV series How To Get Away With Murder and Queen Latifah for her performance in HBO's Bessie.
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Celebrating diversity: Idris Elba won the first of his two Screen Actor's Guild Awards on Saturday night for his supporting role in the film Beast Of No Nation, about child soldiers in Africa. He also won for his role in Luther
Victory: Uzo Aduba won for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series for Orange Is The New Black; Viola Davis picked up the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for How To Get Away With Murder; Queen Latifah won the award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a TV Movie or Miniseries for the HBO film Bessie
Proud: The cast of Orange Is The New Black took home the SAG Award for Best Comedy Series Ensemble for the second year in a row. Laura Prepon took to the microphone and pointed out her co-stars, saying that they represented what is meant by diversity on screen
What made the night's events so interesting was the fact that members of SAG were casting their votes right up until the end of the day on Friday.
That meant that the 160,000 guild members were making their decisions as the lack of diversity row over the Academy Awards was in high gear and talks of a boycott were being bandied about.
And since actors make up the largest voting bloc in the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences, it's interesting to see them voting firmly in favor of diversity on big and small screens.
It would be hard not to wonder how much the 'OscarsSoWhite' backlash influenced the way votes were cast for Saturday night's SAGs.
Making a statement: SAG Award winner Elba declared 'this is diverse TV' as he took to the stage with his Beasts of No Nation co-star Abraham Attah to introduce a clip from their film which was shot in Ghana
Small screen and big screen: He won a SAG for his Outstanding Performance in the BBC America drama series Luther. He also nabbed an award for his supporting role in the movie Beasts Of No Nation in which he plays an African warlord
British star Elba was overcome when his name was called for the second time in quick succession.
Elba, who first made his name in the gritty drama series The Wire, was a surprise winner despite the critical acclaim he has received for his performance in Beasts Of No Nation and as a tormented detective in Luther.
'I remember getting my SAG card from Law & Order 20 odd years ago,' the actor said as he excitedly collected his first award of the night for Beasts Of No Nation.
'We made a film about real people and real lives, you know, and to be rewarded for it is very special. Thank you for giving this film some light, respect, love.'
Taking it all in: The 43-year-old Londoner was a clear favorite among the members of the Screen Actors Guild
Spring in his step: Elba literally bounded up the steps onto the stage and couldn't contain his delight after his name was announced and he took home awards for his performances on both the big and the small screen
Thanks, buddy! The popular actor was presented with his award for Luther by nine-year-old Jacob Tremblay, the young star of Room, who had to stand on a box at the podium in order to reach the microphone to speak
Viola Davis won her first SAG Award in 2012 for her supporting role in the movie The Help and on saturday night she picked up another one, this time for her work on the small screen.
Davis stars as criminal defense professor Annalise Keating in the popular ABC series How To Get Away With Murder.
She said in her speech that her job as an actor is to 'create a human being' and she does her job to the best of her ability.
Here she comes! Viola Davis approached the stage a little more sedately than did Elba in her heels and low-cut gown. It was the second time the actress won a SAG Award - she was awarded one for her supporting role in the film The Help back in 2012
Hot topic: The spectre of an Oscars boycott hung over the SAG Awards with winners being asked about the controversy backstage. USA Today reporter Andrea Mandell tweeted Davis' reaction to the situation
Bright star: The 50-year-old actress was honored this time for her small screen role as Annalise Keating in How To Get Away With Murder. Backstage she told reporters: 'We’ve become a society of trending topics. Diversity is not a trending topic, it’s just not'
Netflix series Orange Is The New Black picked up the award for Outstanding Comedy Ensemble while star Uzo Aduba was honored with the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series trophy.
As the OITNB cast took the stage to collect their Actor, as the SAG trophy is known, actress Laura Prepon addressed the audience.
'Look at this stage. This is what we talk about when we talk about diversity,' she said.
Time to celebrate: Actress Laura Prepon, who accepted OITNB's ensemble award, gestured to the cast of the prison comedy with her on stage and said that they represented what diversity looks like
Fan favourite: Orange Is The New Black has been a hit with fans since it debuted on Netflix in 2013 and opened the doors for a number of actors launching the careers of transgender star Laverne Cox and Uzo Aduba
Another SAG for Uzo: Aduba received her Actor, as the SAG trophy is known, from Jon Hamm and Kristen Wiig and the 34-year-old said her win was 'truly touching'
Honoured: The actress has won over fans and critics alike with her performance as Suzanne 'Crazy Eyes' Warren in the prison comedy that looks at the lives of an assortment of women behind bars
Jon Hamm and Kristen Wiig presented the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series, to OITNB's Uzo Aduba.
'Oh my gosh,' she said as she collected the award. 'It's truly touching,' she said before adding that the show features characters that represent 'so many people.'
Queen Latifah picked up the award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a TV Movie or Miniseries for Bessie.The film that aired on HBO was a labor of love for the rapper and TV personality who spent 20 years trying to bring the story of the celebrated Blues singer to the screen.
Keep fighting: Queen Latifah encouraged people to celebrate diversity. 'You build your own boxes, not people. So knock that thing away and do you!’ she said
Hit role: The actress and TV personality spent 20 years trying to get a biopic of Blues singer Bessie Smith made for the screen and she expressed her gratitude to SAG members for honoring her work in the film that aired on HBO
'I am in shock right now,' Latifah said. 'I'm really just very grateful.'
She spoke in her acceptance speech about how her mom and dad had told her she could be whoever she wanted to be and she urged others not to be pigeon-holed or settle for less than who they are.
‘I hope that anyone out there who does not come in the package that people say you should, keep fighting for it,’ said Latifah.
‘Flip those rocks over. Keep pushing, keep turning. You can do it. You build your own boxes, not people. So knock that thing away and do you!’
Sparkling: Alicia Vikander cemented her Oscar chances with a win at SAG for her supporting role in the movie The Danish Girl. The pretty 27-year-old from Sweden has become a one of the breakout stars of the year
Support: The actress paused to greet her co-star Eddie Redmayne on her way to collect her trophy and said in her acceptance speech that actors don't work in a bubble and it takes a collaboration for magic to happen
Moving: The Danish Girl stars Redmayne, left, as Danish artist Lili Elbe and Vikander as Gerda Wegener, Elbe's wife who supports his transgender transition in the based-on-a-true-story movie
Swedish actress Alicia Vikander was named Best Supporting Actress for The Danish Girl, about transgender pioneer and Danish artist Lili Elbe, played by Eddie Redmayne.
She paused on her way to the stage to greet Redmayne and thanked him in her speech saying actors 'don't work in a bubble.'
Vikander, who picked up the Golden Globe earlier this month, is now the out and out favorite to win an Oscar for her performance in the Tom Hooper-directed movie.
So, too, is Room star Brie Larson who fresh off her Golden Globe victory took home the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Lead Role in a Motion Picture.
Larson said in her acceptance speech that watching movies as a child had made her feel 'less alone' and she discovered that acting gave her 'a safe place to explore my creativity.'
Best actress: Room star Brie Larsen won Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Lead Role in a Motion Picture and is now the firm favorite to repeat the success at the Academy Awards on February 28
Big smile: The Californian picked up her award from a beaming Eddie Redmayne, who won a SAG last year for The Theory Of Everything
In Room, Larson, 27, plays a young mother who has been held captive for several years with her son, played by Tremblay, and explores what happens when they are finally free
It was a good night for Leonardo DiCaprio who finally took home his first SAG Award for The Revenant.
He seemed to be a popular winner with the audience applauding and cheering when his name was announced by presenter Julianne Moore.
He was immediately on the receiving end of a huge hug and embrace for his Titanic co-star Kate Winslet who has been championing his cause all awards season.
Golden boy: Leonardo DiCaprio couldn't hide his sense of satisfaction as his name was called out as winner of Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role in a Motion Picture for The Revenant
Don't let go! First to congratulate the actor was his Titanic co-star and good friend Kate Winslet who has been championing his cause all awards season and would dearly love to see him finally win an Oscar
Air kisses: DiCaprio also got a congratulatory kiss from Julianne Moore who presented him with his award
DiCaprio, 41, is now the clear frontrunner for the Best Actor Academy Award - a recognition that has eluded him time after time in his more than 20-year career in Hollywood.
Individual actor SAG winners the last three years have exactly corresponded with eventual Oscar winners.
In collecting his award, the hearthrob star had some advice for those aspiring to join the profession.
'For any young actors out there, I encourage you to watch the history of cinema,' he said. 'As the history of cinema unfolds, you realize that we all stand on the shoulders of giants.'
It's Leo's year: The Hollywood heartthrob was rewarded for his recreation of an 19th century frontiersman who is left for dead by his traveling companions and sets out to seek revenge in The Revenant which was shot on location in Canada and Argentina
'This means so much to me,' said DiCaprio, 41, who has been nominated five times for an individual SAG Award but never won until now
At the top of their game: DiCaprio and Larsen, shown here bumping into each other backstage, are now the clear frontrunners to repeat their wins at the Academy Awards
The SAG equivalent of Best Picture went to the movie Spotlight, about the work by reporters at the Boston Globe to reveal the Catholic Church's cover up of pedophile priests.
The cast including Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber and John Slattery took to the stage and appeared somewhat surprised at their win.
'No way,' exclaimed Ruffalo who accepted the statuette from Demi Moore.
Suprise win: Mark Ruffalo accepted the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Motion Picture for Spotlight from Demi Moore
Making headlines: Ruffalo dedicated the award to the victims and survivors of Catholic pedophile priests who had served as inspiration for the film about the Boston Globe's reporting on the scandal
The actor described the sexual abuse of children by priests as 'one of the most horrific things that our culture has allowed to happen' and dedicated the award to the victims and survivors.
'This movie allows them to be seen in the world in a world that has been blind to them,' he said.
Ruffalo's co-star Michael Keaton said that for him personally, the award 'is really for the disenfranchised everywhere.'
'This is for every Flint, Michigan, in the world. This is for the powerless,' Keaton said.
'It comes down to two things: There's fair and there's unfair, and I am always going to vote for the fair. I'm always going to vote for the good guys.'
Sombre moment: Michael Keaton also spoke about how the award was for 'the disenfranchised and the powerless' as his costars watched - from l-r, Billy Crudup, John Slattery, Liev Schreiber, Mark Ruffalo, Brian d'Arcy James and Rachel McAdams
Based on a true story: Spotlight explores how journalists at the Boston Globe investigated allegations of widespread sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic priests in the Archdiocese of Boston
Celebration: Backstage the cast of Spotlight let loose with their delight at winning and whopped it up as they brandished their Actors in the air
Surpise presenter: Demi Moore presented the final award of the night to Spotlight and the 53-year-old star looked simply stunning in her vintage outfit
The cast of British series Downton Abbey won the Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series Award and their delight was plain to see as they gathered on stage.
Lesley Nicol, who plays cook Mrs. Patmore in the PBS drama, spoke on behalf of her co-stars to thank the American actors for their warmth and generosity over the six years that the Downton Abbey crew had been coming to the awards show.
'We're up against your TV royalty so it's a deep, deep honor, and to win this is simply phenomenal,' Nicol said.
Brits win big: The cast of Downton Abbey were honored for their Outstanding Performance in a Drama Series with Lesley Nicol, who played the cook Mrs. Patmore, thanking the American actors for their generosity towards them
Autographs please! Backstage, Phyllis Logan, left, who plays Mrs. Hughes, and Joanne Froggatt, right, who plays Anna, autographed posters on their way to the press room to talk to reporters
Last hurrah: It's the fourth year in a row that the BBC/PBS period drama has won the Best Ensemble Screen Actors Guild Award. The show has completed its sixth and final season
Kevin Spacey won Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Drama Series for House of Cards.
It marked another big win for the streaming service Netflix whose shows and films accrued quite a collection of trophies throughout the ceremony.
He's ace: Kevin Spacey won a SAG Award for his leading role in Netflix's House Of Cards that has just been greenlit for a fifth season on Netflix
Power player: Spacey was honored for his portrayal of the scheming and ruthless politician Francis Underwood in the series that premiered on the streaming service in 2013
Jeffrey Tambor was handed the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Comedy Series for his role in Transparent.
‘This is the group of my brothers and sisters,’ he said of the Screen Actors Guild.
And he dedicated his win to trans men and women.
‘I play Maura Pfefferman, she's very entitled and she has a lot of money, and I would just like to dedicate this award to the non-Maura Pfeffermans who don't have a lot of cash for their operations, for their medicines, for their freedom,' Tambor said.
Emotional: Veteran actor Jeffrey Tambor won the first SAG Award of his career for Transparent and gave a shout out to trans men and women who struggle to win 'their freedom'
Amazon hit: Tambor, 71, has garnered critical acclaim for his portrayal of a middle-aged man who finally comes out to his family as transgender
Starry night: The SAG Awards are held at the cavernous Shrine Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles and represent the votes of the 160,000 members of the actors union
Cheers: Carol Burnett received a SAG Lifetime Achievement Award from Tina Fey and Amy Poehler
Round of applause: The TV veteran, who pioneered female comedy on television, received a standing ovation as she took to the stage
Carol Burnett was honored with the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award.
The 82-year-old TV icon was presented with the trophy by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler after they paid tribute to her long-lasting and hugely successful career.
'This is a very special honor,' the star of The Carol Burnett Show said as she received a standing ovation.
She concluded with a tug of the ear and her signature phrase: 'I'm so glad we had this time together.'
Big smile: Burnett, who's 82, appeared genuinely touched by the outpouring of affection
Girl power: Funny ladies Fey and Poehler introduced a showreel of some of the highlights of Burnett's career
The three comediennes kept the laughter going backstage as they posed with Burnett's Lifetime Achievement Award
The SAG Awards honor the best of movies and television and it's the one show where actors' performances are judged by their peers.
The star-studded ceremony opened with several celebrities including Queen Latifah, Jeffrey Tambor and Rami Malek talking about their dream of being an actor and their early experiences as an actor.
Some of Hollywood's top names also turned out to help with presenting the awards and celebrate their actors union.
Step right up! Room stars Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay were among the big names who served as presenters at the awards show held at LA's Shrine Auditorium
Hair-raising moment: Sarah Silverman and Jason Bateman brought some humor to proceedings
Keegan-Michael Key and Julia Louis-Dreyfus also served as presenters
The nominees and the audience enjoyed dinner during the awards show that was broadcast live on TNT
Mr. Robot star Rami Malek was among those who introduced the show by talking about why they wanted to be actors and how they came to get their SAG cards
Kunal Nayyar, from The Big Bang Theory, joked about how he'd been cast as a terrorist and punched by Mark Harmon during his first professional gig on TV's N.C.I.S.
Following the telecast, the winners gathered backstage where they autographed posters and put their signatures on champagne bottles.
They also did the rounds of the media crews waiting to ask them questions and naturally the diversity - or lack of it - in the Academy Award nominations was a hot topic.
Viola Davis said she didn't mind if people watched or didn't watch the Oscars but made it clear that becoming more inclusive was not something that should just be talked about during awards season.
'We’ve become a society of trending topics. Diversity is not a trending topic, it’s just not,' she told reporters.
Davis, posing backstage with her Actor, said the discussion about diversity in Hollwyood must continue even once awards season is over
Best actor DiCaprio and best actress Larson looked ot be having a blast backstage once the awards show ended
The 27-year-old California native was clearly having the time of her life as she celebrated another awards win for Room
Spotlight star Michael Keaton added his moniker to one of the large bottles of Taittinger champagne backstage at the awards show
The men of Downton Abbey exhibited the best of British backstage
The women of Downton Abbey showed off their playful side
Winner Uzo Aduba did some heavy lifting with her pair of SAGs
Idris Elba, too, can also use his SAG Awards as bookends after collecting a matching pair
Burnett greeted Spacey like a long lost friend, running over to give him a big hug after spotting him backstage at the Shrine Auditorium
The 56-year-old will reprise his House Of Cards role for a fifth season on Netflix
Latifah had clearly fallen in love with her Actor as she posed for photos with a dreamy smile on her face and next to a vase of red roses
Alicia Vikander's winning smile was as bright as her shimmering sequinned gown
The large cast of Orange Is The New Black posed a challenge for photographers as they all gathered backstage for a photo op clutching their Actors
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