‘Anointed’ — The Blackest Moments From The 32nd SAG Actor Awards
The 32nd SAG Actor Awards delivered culture, comedy, tears and triumph, a night for the history books. From heartfelt speeches to hilarious banter, these were the Black moments that had us cheering loudest.
The 32nd annual SAG Awards on March 1 gave us culture, comedy, tears and triumph, the kind of night that will absolutely go down in Black history. From heartfelt speeches to hilarious on-stage banter, here are the moments that had us cheering the loudest.
1. Delroy Lindo got emotional during his Sinners speech.
When the cast of Sinners took home Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, it was more than a win — it was a moment.
Delroy Lindo, who portrayed Delta Slim in the hit film, could barely hold back his emotions as he addressed his castmates.
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“First of all, this project is anointed,” he said. “This project is anointed and from that standpoint, we’re all anointed to be a part of this incredible journey created by the genius Ryan Coogler.”
Looking out at the audience, and with Ryan Coogler watching proudly, Lindo kept it heartfelt. “I love you all.” And in true legend fashion, he powered through a teleprompter hiccup.
“I’m supposed to speak on behalf of our cast. There’s supposed to be a teleprompter and I don’t see it, so I’m just going to speak.”
He closed it out with pure gratitude.
“From the bottle of our hearts, from the bottom of your hearts, thank you so much. Thank you so much for everything.”
Notably, Samuel Jackson presented the cast with the award and let out an audible laugh of excitement before the cast accepted their big win, making the moment even sweeter.
Michael B. Jordan pulled double duty in Sinners and it paid off. The 39-year-old actor, who portrayed twins Smoke and Stack in the popular horror flick, snagged the award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role and gave a speech full of humility and love.
“I don’t even know where to begin. I wasn’t expecting this at all, and I just want to quickly say that I’m so honored and privileged to be nominated in categories with people and actors and humans that I love, and I love their work and what you contribute to our craft, and this ride has been unbelievable.”
Reflecting on his journey and his SAG-AFTRA peers, he thanked his mother for all of the sacrifices she endured to help him on the path to success.
“That kid from Newark, New Jersey, is standing here right now,” Jordan continued. “Mom, thank you for driving me back and forth to New York when we didn’t have enough money to go through the Holland Tunnel. We were looking for gas money, parking spaces.”
And the love in the room? He felt every bit of it.
“Just being in this room right now with all these people who saw me grow up in front of the camera and in these rooms, and I feel the love and support that you’ve always given me and encouraged me to go on and do my best,” he added. “So I just want to say thank you.”
Viola Davis, who presented the award, audibly gasped before announcing Jordan’s name and led the cheers during one of the biggest standing ovations of the night. “You are shining!” the actress yelled, before the crowd broke out into a massive applause.
3. Teyana Taylor paid tribute to ‘Titanic’ and stunned on the red carpet with daughter Rue.
The annual “I am an actor” skit brought out Kristen Wiig, Kate Hudson, Delroy Lindo, Michael J. Fox, and Teyana Taylor, who absolutely stole her moment.
She revealed her lifelong Titanic obsession before joking about starring opposite Leonardo DiCaprio years later, explaining that she never wanted to let her One Battle After Another co-star down when they filmed together.
While watching Titanic as a young girl, Taylor said, “Rose let Jack sink to the bottom, because we know good and well he could have fit his ass on that goddamn door.”
The actress who portrayed One Battle character, Perfidia Beverly Hills, added, “I made a promise that if I ever got the chance to work with Leonardo DiCaprio, that I wouldn’t let him drown. I’d run off, rob a bank and left him with a whole damn baby,” she quipped.
As if the jokes weren’t enough, Teyana hit the red carpet with the ultimate accessory — her daughter, Rue Rose Shumpert.
The five-year-old proudly adjusted her mom’s train and posed like a seasoned pro. A nomination, a jaw-dropping gown, and the sweetest little stylist by her side? That’s a triple win.
During a sweet interview with E! News on the red carpet, Rue told the reporter she was “honored” to have attended the award show with her famous mom.
4. Sterling K. Brown & Janelle James laugh and flop ‘Waiting To Exhale’ skit.
Sterling K. Brown and Janelle James brought comedy chaos while presenting the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series award. James launched into a mock dramatic monologue of a scene from Waiting To Exhale, during the SAG Awards, but Sterling couldn’t quite keep up.
“I gave you 11 years of my life, and you left me for a white woman?” James said, putting on her best impression from the film. Hilariously, Brown fumbled his reply in real time.
“Would it be better if she was white … I mean, if she was black?”
After pretending to storm off, he redeemed himself, telling the audience:
“Fun fact, even though I ruined that joke, I actually can be funny!”
Messy. Relatable and downright perfect. From emotional tributes to viral one-liners, this year’s SAG Awards delivered unforgettable Black excellence at every turn. And honestly? We’re still not over it.
