The Screen Actors Guild Awards have officially rebranded as The Actor Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA, aligning the ceremony’s name with its iconic statuette, “The Actor.” The change marks a new chapter for the guild’s annual celebration of performances in film and television.
After more than 30 years as the SAG Awards, the ceremony will now be known as The Actor Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA. Organizers explained that the statuette handed to winners has always been called The Actor, making the renaming a natural evolution. “Since the beginning, our statue has been called ‘The Actor’ and we’re a show that’s entirely about actors, so this new name is a perfect next step in the show’s evolution,” said Jon Brockett, the showrunner and executive producer.
The change also reflects the union’s full identity as SAG-AFTRA, following the 2012 merger of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. By incorporating AFTRA into the title, the awards now represent all 160,000 members who vote on the winners.
Global Reach and Industry Impact
The Actor Awards will continue to be broadcast worldwide, with Netflix streaming the ceremony live to more than 190 countries. The event remains a crucial bellwether for the Academy Awards, particularly in performance categories, as SAG-AFTRA members often overlap with Oscar voters.
The upcoming ceremony, scheduled for March 1, 2026, will be the first under the new name. To avoid confusion during the current awards season, studios and networks are advised to use “SAG Awards” in promotional materials until nominations conclude in January, after which “The Actor Awards” will be adopted for final voting.
What Stays the Same
Despite the rebrand, eligibility rules, voting procedures, and submission guidelines remain unchanged. The ceremony’s ethos—actors honoring actors—continues to be its defining feature. JoBeth Williams, chair of SAG-AFTRA’s Awards Committee, emphasized: “The foundation remains the same: it’s actors honoring actors. The statuette has always been called The Actor, and we’re simply aligning the show’s title with the name of the award itself”.
Looking Ahead
The rebrand positions the awards alongside other major ceremonies like The Oscars and The Emmys, where the show’s name directly reflects the prize. For SAG-AFTRA, the move is both symbolic and strategic: it clarifies the ceremony’s purpose for global audiences while reinforcing the union’s identity.
In short: the SAG Awards are gone in name, but not in spirit—welcome to The Actor Awards, where the phrase “And the Actor goes to…” will now define Hollywood’s night of collective celebration.
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