SAG Awards makes history this year with people of color (finally) sweeping the individual acting categories

Awardees included Daniel Kaluuya, the late Chadwick Boseman, Viola Davis, and Youn Yuh-Jung

Chadwick Boseman poses in the press room during the 2019 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 24, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.
(Image credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp)

The hottest celebrities and rising stars appeared for the Screen Actors Guild Awards to honor outstanding onscreen performances. And by the end of the night, history was made.

For the first time ever, all four individual acting SAG Awards were received by people of color (yes, you read that right). This is the first time it's happened since the awards started 27 years ago.

Award nominees, presenters, and winners all came together virtually to celebrate this occasion due to the restrictions COVID-19 has on social gatherings.

This year, the SAG awards went to Daniel Kaluuya, the late Chadwick Boseman, Viola Davis, and Youn Yuh-Jung for their performances in Judas and the Black Messiah, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Minari.

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Chadwick won for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for his performance as Levee Green in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Viola took home the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor for the same film.

Viola made sure to thank August Wilson and his legacy in her speech, saying, "Thank you, August [Wilson] for leaving a legacy to actors of color that we can relish for the rest of our lives."

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Daniel Kaluuya (who also recently made his debut as an SNL host) received the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Judas and the Black Messiah. His excitement and surprise over winning the category were clear in his speech, where he thanked his fellow nominees and the "incredible" cast and crew involved.

"I share this light with all the nominees," said Daniel. "You can't make a film without an incredible group of people that come together and wanna tell a truth."

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Lastly, Young Yuh-Jung took home the final individual acting category, winning Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for her moving performance in Minari. She also became the first Korean to win in that category.

When asked about why she took on the role, Young said it was because the script was "touching and authentic." 

She also discussed what she hopes people take away from the movie, saying that it's more than just a movie about an "immigrant coming from South Korea" and that everyone needs to become "united together."

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Rylee Johnston

Rylee is a U.S. news writer who previously worked for woman&home and My Imperfect Life covering lifestyle, celebrity, and fashion news. Before joining woman&home and My Imperfect Life, Rylee studied journalism at Hofstra University where she explored her interests in world politics and magazine writing. From there, she dabbled in freelance writing covering fashion and beauty e-commerce for outlets such as the TODAY show, American Spa Magazine, First for Women, and Woman’s World.