The 2026 Actor Awards ceremony, presented by SAG-AFTRA, recently concluded in Los Angeles, marking a significant moment in awards season with its historic name change and potential implications for the upcoming Academy Awards.

This year's event, hosted by Kristen Bell for the second consecutive year at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall, celebrated outstanding achievements in film and television across 15 categories. The newly rebranded Actor Awards — formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards — aims to provide clearer recognition of its purpose for both domestic and global audiences.

A New Chapter: The Actor Awards Rebrand

The decision to rename the show from the Screen Actors Guild Awards to the Actor Awards signals a strategic move to sharpen its focus. The official website explained the change, stating, "We wanted to provide clearer recognition in terms of what the show is about for our domestic and global audiences: We honor actors in film and television." The statement further elaborated on the rationale: "Laser-focusing the name on those two things became the clearest and most straightforward path for this new chapter of the show."

This rebranding effort by SAG-AFTRA reflects an industry-wide trend toward streamlined, impactful messaging. By emphasizing the core function of the ceremony – honoring actors – the organization seeks to enhance global recognition and resonate more directly with audiences who may not be familiar with the intricacies of guild nomenclature. The simplified title also positions the awards as a direct celebration of performance, an essential element that remains at the heart of both film and television.

Oscar Buzz: Actor Awards as a Key Indicator

Beyond the name change, the 2026 Actor Awards hold particular weight as a significant bellwether for the Academy Awards. Actors constitute the largest voting body within the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, making the preferences expressed by their peers at the Actor Awards a crucial indicator of potential Oscar success.

Insights gleaned from the Actor Awards often provide a clearer picture of momentum for individual performances and ensemble casts ahead of the 98th Oscars ceremony, scheduled for later this month. Industry observers and awards prognosticators will be closely dissecting these results to predict who might take home the coveted golden statues.

The Nominees: A Glimpse at 2026's Top Talent

The 2026 Actor Awards showcased a diverse array of talent across film and television. While the definitive winners from the ceremony are typically bolded in the original reporting, we present the full list of distinguished nominees:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

• Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme
• Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another
• Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon
• Michael B. Jordan, Sinners
• Jesse Plemons, Bugonia

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

• Jessie Buckley, Hamnet
• Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
• Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue
• Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another
• Emma Stone, Bugonia

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

• Miles Caton, Sinners
• Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another
• Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein
• Paul Mescal, Hamnet
• Sean Penn, One Battle After Another

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

• Odessa A’zion, Marty Supreme
• Ariana Grande, Wicked: For Good
• Amy Madigan, Weapons
• Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners
• Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

• Frankenstein
• Hamnet
• Marty Supreme
• One Battle After Another
• Sinners

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series

• Jason Bateman, Black Rabbit
• Owen Cooper, Adolescence
• Stephen Graham, Adolescence
• Charlie Hunnam, Monster: The Ed Gein Story
• Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series

• Claire Danes, The Beast in Me
• Erin Doherty, Adolescence
• Sarah Snook, All Her Fault
• Christine Tremarco, Adolescence
• Michelle Williams, Dying for Sex

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

• Sterling K. Brown, Paradise
• Billy Crudup, The Morning Show
• Walton Goggins, The White Lotus
• Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
• Noah Wyle, The Pitt

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

• Britt Lower, Severance
• Parker Posey, The White Lotus
• Keri Russell, The Diplomat
• Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
• Aimee Lou Wood, The White Lotus

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

• Ike Barinholtz, The Studio
• Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This
• Ted Danson, A Man on the Inside
• Seth Rogen, The Studio
• Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

• Kathryn Hahn, The Studio
• Catherine O’Hara, The Studio
• Jenna Ortega, Wednesday
• Jean Smart, Hacks
• Kristen Wiig, Palm Royale

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

• The Diplomat
• Landman
• The Pitt
• Severance
• The White Lotus

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

• Abbott Elementary
• The Bear
• Hacks
• Only Murders in the Building
• The Studio

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

• F1
• Frankenstein
• Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
• One Battle After Another
• Sinners

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series

• Andor
• Landman
• The Last of Us
• Squid Game
• Stranger Things