The SAG Awards (now officially called The Actor Awards presented by SAG‑AFTRA) are one of Hollywood’s major annual awards shows honoring acting in film and television.

What the SAG Awards Are

  • They are peer-voted awards given by SAG‑AFTRA, the actors’ union in the U.S.
  • They recognize outstanding performances in movies and prime-time TV, including both individual and ensemble (full cast) work.
  • First held in 1995, they’ve grown into one of the key awards alongside the Oscars and Golden Globes, especially respected by actors because only fellow performers vote.

In simple terms: they’re the night where actors give trophies to other actors for great acting.

Main Categories (Quick Look)

Film categories include:

  • Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
  • Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
  • Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
  • Outstanding Performance by Male/Female Actor in a Supporting Role
  • Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

TV categories include:

  • Ensemble in a Drama Series, Ensemble in a Comedy Series
  • Male/Female Actor in Drama Series
  • Male/Female Actor in Comedy Series
  • Male/Female Actor in TV Movie or Limited Series
  • Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series

There is also the SAG Life Achievement Award for career-long contributions.

How They Work

  • Nominations come from two rotating committees (one for film, one for TV) made up of thousands of randomly selected union members.
  • All eligible SAG‑AFTRA members (over 100,000) can vote on the winners, which makes it a broad “by actors, for actors” vote.
  • Because the same performers vote in both, SAG wins are often seen as a strong predictor of the acting Oscars.

Broadcast and Recent Changes

  • The ceremony began on network TV (NBC), then spent years on TNT/TBS.
  • In 2023 the show moved to being livestreamed via Netflix’s YouTube channel, and from 2024 onward it streams live directly on Netflix under a multi‑year deal.
  • In 2025, the show’s official name changed from “SAG Awards” to The Actor Awards presented by SAG‑AFTRA , but fans and media still often say “SAG Awards” out of habit.

Quick HTML fact table

Item Details
Official name The Actor Awards presented by SAG‑AFTRA (formerly SAG Awards)
First year 1995
Focus Acting in film and TV, including ensembles and stunt ensembles
Voters SAG‑AFTRA members (actors and other performers)
Current broadcaster Netflix (live streaming)

Why They Matter Now

  • The show has become a high‑profile “actors’ night,” often delivering viral speeches and emotional cast moments that trend across social media every year.
  • Because they track industry sentiment among working actors, people watch the SAG/Actor Awards closely each season to guess where the Oscars might land in acting categories.

TL;DR: The SAG Awards (Actor Awards) are the big annual union‑voted prizes where actors honor the best acting in movies and TV, now streaming live on Netflix and heavily watched as an Oscars predictor.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.