The most iconic moments from the SAG Awards

The Screen Actors Guild Awards are always a memorable night. Each year, actors, musicians, journalists, and other members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) come together to celebrate the most brilliant shows and movies of the year.

With three major category themes – films, TV, and stunts – the SAG awards bring together some of Hollywood’s most talked-about names from the year.

Ahead of this year’s 29th annual award ceremony, let’s take a look back at the SAG Awards’ most iconic moments.

Carrie Fisher presents Lifetime Achievement Award to her mother

At the 2015 SAG Awards, Carrie Fisher presented her mom, Debbie Reynolds, with the Lifetime Achievement Award. This moment remains iconic, as the mother-daughter duo would go on to pass away within days of each other the next year.

“I’m very close to this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award honoree. Not only was my grandmother her mother, she is the grandmother to my alleged daughter,” Fisher says.

“It also turns out that we’re neighbors. And, as if all this weren’t enough, she’s also my mother,” Fisher joked while presenting the award.

Betty White roasts Sandra Bullock

Betty White was known for her humor along with her successful acting career. At the 2010 SAG Awards, she was presented with the Life Achievement Award by Sandra Bullock, and White did not forget to use the opportunity to get a joke in.

“And the fact that this lovely lady, she is such a wonderful one, and with all the wonderful things that have happened to her ...” White gushed.

“Isn’t it heartening to see how far a girl as plain as she is can go?” White joked as she accepted her award.

The clip of the humorous exchange went viral almost 12 years after it happened, after Betty White’s passing in late 2021 just ahead of her 100 birthday.

Morgan Freeman calls out a member of the audience

Another iconic actor honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the SAG Awards was Morgan Freeman in 2018. The actor was honored for his work in the film industry along with his humanitarian accomplishments.

Freeman livened up the show by calling out an audience member directly for being on their phone during his acceptance speech.

Winona Ryder’s facial expressions

During the 2017 Screen Actor Guild Awards, Winona Ryder went viral with her expressive facial expressions on screen. The actress looked surprised, among other expressions, to hear her Stranger Things co-star David Harbour’s acceptance speech for the Netflix cast’s Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series win.

The internet quickly picked up Ryder’s variety of facial expressions, instantly making her time on stage that night a viral meme.