Denzel Washington was stunned to pick up his first-ever Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award on Sunday (29.01.17).
The 62-year-old actor admitted he didn’t have "faith" in himself and hadn’t written a speech as he had expected the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role prize to go to one of the other stars nominated for the award, Casey Affleck, Andrew Garfield, Ryan Gosling or Viggo Mortensen.
Accepting the prize at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, he said: "Thank you very much.
"You know, I am a God-fearing man. I’m supposed to have faith, but I didn’t have faith. God bless you all, all the other actors. I’d say, ‘You know, young boys are going to win, you ain’t going to win.’ So I didn’t even prepare. But I am prepared!"
He went on to thank America’s original playwrights, the cast and crew of his movie ‘Fences’ and those who "don’t get recognised", such as the writers.
Following her recent success at the Golden Globe Awards, ‘La La Land’ star Emma Stone picked up the SAG for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role and was so surprised, she forgot her speech.
She said: "Thank you so much for this. Wow, to be an actor, playing an actor and receiving an actor by a guild of actors, it’s pretty exceptional. Thank you
"OK. I forgot everything that I ever have thought in my life."
But the 28-year-old actress quickly recovered and thanked her fellow nominees and her co-star Ryan Gosling.
She said: "The women in this category, really quickly.
"Meryl Streep, Natalie Portman, Emily Blunt, Amy Adams. You are the greatest and your talent and intelligence are mind-blowing.
"Ryan, you are the best. That’s just the truth. Nobody can argue that."
Elsewhere at the ceremony, ‘The Crown’ stars John Lithgow and Claire Foy picked up the drama series acting accolades, and both were emotional as they accepted their awards.
Taking his statuette for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series, John admitted: "I never would have cast myself as Winston Churchill. This was the bright idea of Peter Morgan, Stephen Daldry and Nina Gold."
And when she stepped up on stage shortly afterwards, Claire admitted she was still "really emotional and a bit shaky" after seeing her co-star win.
Following a string of thank yous to those who worked on the show, the brunette beauty singled out Matt Smith, who played her on-screen husband Prince Philip.
She said: "But one actor in particular I’m going to really embarrass: Matt Smith.
"You’re not only a really spontaneous, exciting, incredibly talented actor, but you’re also my friend, Matt. And thank you for making this job a joy, and for making me laugh. I love you very much."
William H. Macy picked up the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in ‘Shameless’ and joked both he and fellow nominee ‘Transparent’ actor Jeffrey Tambor were "shocked" by his win.
He quipped: "I’m shocked to be up here. Probably not as shocked as Jeffrey."
‘Veep’ star Julia Louis-Dreyfus picked up her fourth SAG, for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series and used her speech to take a stand against President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration ban.
She said: "I want you all to know that I am the daughter of an immigrant.
"My father fled religious persecution in Nazi-occupied France and I’m an American patriot and I love this country and because I love this country, I am horrified by its blemishes. And this immigrant ban is a blemish and it is un-American."
Other winners at the event included Denzel’s ‘Fences’ co-star Viola Davis, the casts of ‘Hidden Figures’, ‘Orange is the New Black’, and ‘Stranger Things’, ‘Moonlight’ actor Mahershala Ali, Bryan Cranston, and Sarah Paulson.
A complete list of winners at Sunday’s 23rd annual Screen Actors Guild Awards:
Movies:
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role: Denzel Washington, ‘Fences’
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Emma Stone, ‘La La Land’
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Mahershala Ali, ‘Moonlight’
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Viola Davis, ‘Fences’
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Motion Picture: ‘Hidden Figures’
Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture: ‘Hacksaw Ridge’
Television:
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 an Ensemble in a Comedy Series: ‘Orange is the New Black’
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Mini-Series: Bryan Cranston, ‘All the Way’
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Mini-Series: Sarah Paulson, ‘The People V. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story’
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series: ‘Stranger Things’
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series: John Lithgow, ‘The Crown’
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series: Claire Foy, ‘The Crown’
Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series: ‘Game of Thrones’
Life Achievement: Lily Tomlin