Jane Fonda supplies SAG Awards with a moment of fiery political resistance

Jane Fonda accepts the lifetime achievement award during the 31st annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

The 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards showered yet more awards on “Shogun,” handed “A Real Pain” co-star Kieran Culkin another supporting actor win and featured a fiery moment of political resistance from Jane Fonda on Sunday.

Host Kristen Bell introduced the ceremony, streaming live on Netflix from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, as an ode to both the aspirational spirit of actors who come to Los Angeles to make it, and to the city, itself.

The SAG Awards unfolded against the backdrop of the aftermath of the devastating wildfires that began in early January. Those fires forced the guild to cancel its in-person nominations announcement and launch a disaster relief fund for SAG-AFTRA members affected. Bell introduced attending firefighters as “the most attractive tables” among a sea of stars.

Jean Smart, who had advocated for canceling award shows because of the wildfires, won best female actor in a comedy series for “Hacks.” Smart didn’t attend, but participated in a pretaped introduction as her character, Deborah Vance.

Also not in attendance: Martin Short, though he upset Jeremy Allen White to win best male actor in a comedy series for “Only Murders in the Building.”

Colin Farrell won his first SAG award, for his performance in “The Penguin” and also became the first winner ever introduced, by Jamie Lee Curtis, as “the man who gave me COVID at the Golden Globes.” Farrell bounded to the stage and promptly responded, “Guilty as charged,” before blaming Brendan Gleeson for giving it to him.

The night’s first televised award went to Culkin, who has won just about every award in the category. Gripping the SAG trophy, he could quickly tell the difference.

“It is funny that the heaviest of all awards is given by actors,” said Culkin, who characteristically riffed his way through a rambling acceptance speech before swearing sincerity: “Believe it or not, this actually means a lot to me.”

Fonda, 87, given the guild’s Life Achievement Award, provided the evening with its most political moment of protest. Fonda, a famed activist, spoke indirectly about President Donald Trump’s administration.

“We are in our documentary moment,” said Fonda. “This is it. And it’s not a rehearsal.”

Fonda added that “woke just means you give a damn about other people.”

“A whole lot of people are going to be hurt by what’s happening, by what’s coming our way,” said Fonda. “We are going to need a big tent to resist what’s coming at us.”

The SAG Awards should offer the final clue in an unusually unpredictable Oscar race. The other major awards -- including the BAFTAs, the Producers Guild Awards, the Directors Guild Awards and the Golden Globes -- have all had their say. But actors make up the largest piece of the film academy pie, so their picks often correspond strongly with Academy Award winners.

After wins from the PGA and the DGA -- and last night, the Independent Spirit Awards -- Sean Baker’s “Anora” is seen as the favorite to win best picture in a week’s time at the Oscars. But Edward Berger’s “Conclave” won last weekend at the BAFTAs, the latest wrench in an award season full of them. That’s included the unlikely rise and precipitous fall of another top contender, “Emilia Perez.”

For the second time, the awards were streamed live by Netflix, which distributed “Emilia Perez.” This time around, the streamer inserted ads sporadically, like a traditional broadcast. Last year, downtimes were occupied by backstage interviews. Audio issues occasionally marred the broadcast Sunday, including brief interruptions of Fonda’s speech.

After romps at the Emmys and Golden Globes, “Shogun” kept up its dominance. The FX series won awards for Hiroyuki Sanada, Anna Sawai and for best stunt ensemble. The corresponding award for film went to the stunt performer ode “The Fall Guy.”

AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton contributed to this report from Los Angeles.