‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ took home the prestigious Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture prize at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards on Sunday (21.01.18).
The comedy drama was the big winner on the night, and is now heavily tipped for Oscars success as the ensemble award is often seen as a strong indicator as to what will take home the coveted Best Picture accolade at the Academy Awards.
As well as the cast trophy, the film’s stars, Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell were also honoured with Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role and Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role respectively.
Frances – who beat off competition from the likes of Dame Judi Dench, Sally Hawkins, Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan to win her award – praised the "tsunami" of the film’s script as she accepted her honour, and also praised young actors.
The 60-year-old star said: "Representation — those tireless men and women who represent us truly — our desires, our dreams, our individual strengths, and our ethical beliefs: to them, we owe a great deal. To mine, Frank, Bryan, Simon, full credit, gentlemen.
"And to serving the word. When Martin [McDonough] wrote ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’, he did not sketch a blueprint. He wrote a meticulously crafted a tsunami, and then he allowed his troupe of actors to surf it into the shore…
"I come out of the woods every few years. There’s a lot of young one’s coming out, too, and they need doorstops, too."
Frances was also tasked with accepting the ensemble prize from Brie Larson and Lupita Nyong’o, and praised those working off camera on the movie.
She said: "All we kids of ‘Ebbing, Missouri’, would like to thank our papas, Martin McDonagh, Graham Broadbent, Ben Davis our cinematographer, and Gregory, our editor. You made us what we are.
"Our mamas, Mama Dixon, Sandy Martin! And our casting director, Sarah Finn. And our godparents, Fox Searchlight and Film4."
Gary Oldman’s performance in ‘Darkest Hour’ won him Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role and Allison Janney’s turn in ‘I, Tonya’ saw her awarded Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role.
Elsewhere at the ceremony, which was hosted by Kristen Bell at the The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, ‘Big Little Lies’, ‘Veep’, and ‘This Is Us’ all picked up two awards in the TV categories.
Nicole Kidman continued her run of awards season success when she beat her co-stars Laura Dern and Reese Witherspoon, along with ‘Feud: Bette and Joan’ stars Jessice Lange and Susan Sarandon to pick up Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series, while her ‘Big Little Lies’ on-screen husband, Alexander Skarsgard took the award in the male category.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus – who wasn’t at the ceremony as she’s currently receiving cancer treatment – picked up Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series for her role in ‘Veep’, and the show also took Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series went to the cast of ‘This Is Us’, while Sterling K. Brown was singled out for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series.
Morgan Freeman was the recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Full list of winners at the 24th Screen Actors Guild Awards:
FILM
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:
‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture:
Gary Oldman, ‘Darkest Hour’
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture:
Frances McDormand, ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture:
Sam Rockwell, ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture:
Allison Janney, ‘I, Tonya’
Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture:
Wonder Woman
TELEVISION
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series:
‘ This Is Us’
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series:
‘ Veep’
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series:
Sterling K. Brown, ‘This Is Us’
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series:
Claire Foy, ‘The Crown’
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series:
William H. Macy, ‘Shameless’
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series:
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, ‘Veep’
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series:
Alexander Skarsgård, ‘Big Little Lies’
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series:
Nicole Kidman, ‘Big Little Lies’
Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series:
‘Game of Thrones’
Lifetime Achievement Award:
Morgan Freeman