Hollywood’s prestigious Actor Awards—formerly known as the SAG Awards—just unveiled their 2026 nominees, and the competition is fierce.
One Battle After Another dominated with seven nominations, leading all films this year.
The ceremony, streaming live on Netflix March 1st, marks a significant rebranding effort that’s been 30 years in the making.
And with Harrison Ford receiving this year’s life achievement award, it’s shaping up to be an unforgettable night.
The Film Frontrunners Emerge
One Battle After Another secured its lead position with seven nominations total, including the coveted best stunt ensemble category. Leonardo DiCaprio earned a leading actor nod for his role as Bob, while the cast also picked up nominations for Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn in supporting roles.
Right behind came Sinners with five nominations, making Michael B. Jordan’s double performance as Smoke and Stack one of the season’s most talked-about achievements.
Three films tied with three nominations each: Frankenstein, Hamnet, and Marty Supreme. Timothée Chalamet continues his awards momentum with a leading actor nomination for Marty Supreme, following his win last year for A Complete Unknown.
Best Cast Battle Heats Up
Five films will compete for the evening’s top prize—best cast in a motion picture:
- Frankenstein – featuring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, and Mia Goth
- Hamnet – starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal
- Marty Supreme – with Chalamet leading an ensemble including Gwyneth Paltrow
- One Battle After Another – DiCaprio’s star-studded war drama
- Sinners – Jordan’s ambitious dual-role vehicle
Only Frankenstein among the three-nomination films secured a stunt ensemble nod, highlighting the technical ambition of Guillermo del Toro’s vision.
Television’s Top Contenders
The Studio led television nominations with five total nods. Seth Rogen and Kathryn Hahn both earned individual acting nominations while the show secured a spot in the comedy ensemble category.
Adolescence and The White Lotus followed closely with four nominations apiece. Mike White’s anthology series continues its awards dominance, with ensemble recognition plus individual nods for Walton Goggins, Parker Posey, and Aimee Lou Wood.
Drama Series Excellence
The drama ensemble race showcases television’s current golden age:
- The Diplomat
- Landman
- The Pitt
- Severance
- The White Lotus
The Pitt represents Noah Wyle’s triumphant return to medical drama, earning both an individual acting nomination and ensemble recognition for the entire cast.
Comedy Ensemble Showdown
Five comedy series will battle for ensemble supremacy. Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks, Only Murders in the Building, and The Studio all secured nominations.
Only Murders returns as defending champion after winning last year. Meanwhile, The Bear continues its unprecedented run, blurring genre lines between comedy and drama with its intense kitchen atmosphere.
A Name Three Decades in the Making
The rebranding from SAG Awards to Actor Awards represents significant strategic thinking. Showrunner Jon Brockett and JoBeth Williams, chair of SAG-AFTRA’s Awards Committee, explained the evolution in a joint statement.
Since the show started over 30 years ago, our iconic statuette has always been called The Actor, and simply evolving the show’s name to align with the award itself made obvious sense.
They continued clarifying their vision for global audiences.
We wanted to provide clearer recognition in terms of what the show is about for our domestic and global audiences — we honor actors in film and television. Laser-focusing the name on those two things became the clearest and most straightforward path for this new chapter of the show.
Janelle James, who announced the nominations alongside Heated Rivalry‘s Connor Storrie, quipped about the change with characteristic humor.
Like thousands of actors, they’ve changed the name.
Remembering Last Year’s Wildfires
Wednesday’s announcement came exactly one year after devastating Palisades and Eaton fires tore through Los Angeles, displacing thousands and destroying homes throughout the entertainment community.
SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin addressed the somber anniversary before nominations were revealed.
So many of us were affected, but I’m so proud of our industry for coming together at this difficult time.
The resilience demonstrated by the entertainment community during recovery efforts added deeper meaning to this year’s celebration.
Last Year’s Winners Set the Stage
Conclave took home best cast last year while individual acting honors went to established and rising stars alike. Timothée Chalamet and Demi Moore won leading categories, with Kieran Culkin and Zoe Saldaña claiming supporting prizes.
Notably, both Culkin and Saldaña repeated their victories at the Oscars. However, Anora—which dominated last year’s Academy Awards—was completely shut out at the Actor Awards, demonstrating how unpredictable awards season remains.
On television, Shogun claimed the drama ensemble prize while Only Murders in the Building won comedy ensemble honors.
Harrison Ford Gets Lifetime Recognition
Hollywood legend Harrison Ford will receive this year’s life achievement award, honoring a career spanning over five decades. From Han Solo to Indiana Jones to his recent acclaimed work in 1923 and Shrinking, Ford’s versatility continues inspiring generations.
The honor positions Ford among an elite group of previous recipients who’ve shaped cinema history.
Streaming Into the Future
The 2026 Actor Awards will stream exclusively on Netflix from Los Angeles’s Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on Sunday, March 1st. This partnership with streaming’s biggest platform reflects how dramatically the entertainment landscape has shifted.
Netflix’s YouTube channel hosted Wednesday’s nomination announcement livestream, signaling the platform’s commitment to making awards accessible globally.
With competition fiercer than ever across film and television categories, March 1st promises unexpected moments, emotional speeches, and perhaps a few major upsets that’ll reshape Oscar predictions heading into the final stretch of awards season.