Tony Shalhoub took the first prize of the evening, best actor in a comedy series for his turn as the title character’s father. Then, after the show’s star, Rachel Brosnahan, won best actress, Shalhoub, backed by his castmates, returned to the stage to accept best ensemble — the SAG Award equivalent of best comedy.
Unlike the Oscars, there is a host: Megan Mullally of “Will & Grace.” After performers in the audience, including Geoffrey Owens, the “Cosby Show” actor who took a job at Trader Joe’s, shared their backstories, Mullally took over with digs at Hollywood about diversity or the lack thereof.
“They cast black people in ‘Black Panther,’ Asian people in “Crazy Rich Asians” and a green book in ‘Green Book,'” she said, and she noted that women had been nominated for playing a wife (Glenn Close in “The Wife”), a nanny (Emily Blunt in “Mary Poppins Returns”) and “a mom who wasn’t allowed to speak” (Blunt again).
Patricia Arquette, named best actress in a miniseries for “Escape at Dannemora”), drew much applause from fellow guild members when she called out production companies that didn’t pay actors overtime and other fees. She also sounded the rare political note of the night when she thanked Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating Russia’s 2016 election interference.
The SAG lifetime achievement award went to Alan Alda, the veteran actor probably best known for the 1972-83 series “M*A*S*H.” In July, he revealed that he had been living with Parkinson’s disease for more than three years but that he had been leading a full life despite the movement disorder. At 82, he continues to appear on television — in “Ray Donovan,” “The Good Fight,” “Broad City” and more — and on the big screen (“Bridge of Spies”).
After being introduced by Tom Hanks, who noted that the actor’s real name is Alphonso D’Abruzzo, Alda took the stage to a lengthy standing ovation from an audience that included his “M.A.S.H” co-star Mike Farrell. “It may never have been more urgent to see the world through another person’s eyes,” he said onstage, his hands trembling. “And when the culture is divided so sharply, actors can help, at least a little, just by doing what we do.”
Here are the winners announced so far.
MOVIES
Best supporting actor: Mahershala Ali, “Green Book”
Best supporting actress: Emily Blunt, “A Quiet Place”
Outstanding stunt ensemble: “Black Panther”
TELEVISION
Outstanding ensemble, comedy series: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Best actor, comedy series: Tony Shalhoub, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Best actress, comedy series: Rachel Brosnahan, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Best actor, TV movie or miniseries: Darren Criss, “The Assassination of Gianni Versace”
Best actress, TV movie or miniseries: Patricia Arquette, “Escape at Dannemora”
Outstanding stunt ensemble, comedy or drama series: “Glow”
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.