Actor Awards: Who's In The Lineup This Year
Inside the Actor Awards: who's nominated and why it matters
The Actor Awards nominees are the performers and ensembles selected by SAG-AFTRA members for the 32nd annual ceremony, with the 2026 list led by One Battle After Another and The Studio across film and television. The awards, formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards, will stream live on Netflix on Sunday, March 1, 2026, and the full nominee slate covers motion pictures, TV series, limited series, and stunt ensembles.
What the Actor Awards are
The Actor Awards are the only televised honors devoted exclusively to actors, and they are voted on by SAG-AFTRA's membership of more than 130,000 performers, making them one of the largest peer-voted prizes in awards season. That scale matters because the nominations reflect industry peers rather than critics or journalists, which often makes the results a strong signal for later Oscar momentum.
The 2026 ceremony also carries historical weight because the show has been running since 1995 and has now fully shifted into its new branding after the rebrand from SAG Awards to Actor Awards. In practical terms, the new name does not change the core idea: actors are still honoring actors, and that gives the event a specific kind of credibility in the broader awards calendar.
Who is nominated
Here are the major 2026 nominees by category, with the strongest attention centered on film ensembles, drama series, and comedy series.
- Best film ensemble: Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, Sinners
- Best TV comedy ensemble: Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks, Only Murders in the Building, The Studio
- Best TV drama ensemble: The Diplomat, Landman, The Pitt, Severance, The White Lotus
- Best limited-series male actor: Jason Bateman, Owen Cooper, Stephen Graham, Charlie Hunnam, Matthew Rhys
- Best limited-series female actor: Claire Danes, Erin Doherty, Sarah Snook, Christine Tremarco, Michelle Williams
In the film acting races, the leading-role field features Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Michael B. Jordan, and Jesse Plemons for male actor, while Jessie Buckley, Rose Byrne, Kate Hudson, Chase Infiniti, and Emma Stone are nominated for female actor in a leading role. Supporting categories include Ariana Grande, Amy Madigan, Wunmi Mosaku, Teyana Taylor, Benicio del Toro, Jacob Elordi, Paul Mescal, Sean Penn, and Miles Caton, showing a mix of established stars and breakout performers.
Top contenders
One Battle After Another is the clear film leader, collecting seven nominations, including recognition for Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, Teyana Taylor, Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn, the cast ensemble, and the stunt ensemble. The Studio leads television with five nominations, powered by Seth Rogen, Kathryn Hahn, Catherine O'Hara, Ike Barinholtz, and an ensemble nomination.
Sinners is the other major film story, earning five nominations and outperforming expectations by landing spots for Michael B. Jordan, Wunmi Mosaku, Miles Caton, its cast, and its stunt ensemble. On television, The White Lotus and Adolescence each secured four nominations, which keeps both titles firmly in the conversation for the rest of awards season.
Why it matters
The Oscar race often takes cues from Actor Awards momentum because the same performers voting here are professionals who understand craft, ensemble chemistry, and category breadth. When a film like One Battle After Another lands both individual and ensemble recognition, it signals a level of broad support that can be persuasive beyond this one ceremony.
The nominations also matter because they can reveal consensus and surprise patterns at the same time. In 2026, Sinners exceeded some expectations, while The Studio confirmed itself as a television powerhouse, and that combination helps journalists, studios, and viewers identify which performances have the widest industry support.
"It is created exclusively by actors and for actors," Sean Astin said during the nomination announcement, underscoring the peer-driven identity that still defines the awards.
Category table
This table gives a fast scan of the highest-profile 2026 categories and the nominees most likely to shape the conversation through awards night.
| Category | Nominees |
|---|---|
| Film ensemble | Frankenstein; Hamnet; Marty Supreme; One Battle After Another; Sinners |
| TV comedy ensemble | Abbott Elementary; The Bear; Hacks; Only Murders in the Building; The Studio |
| TV drama ensemble | The Diplomat; Landman; The Pitt; Severance; The White Lotus |
| Male actor, leading role | Timothée Chalamet; Leonardo DiCaprio; Ethan Hawke; Michael B. Jordan; Jesse Plemons |
| Female actor, leading role | Jessie Buckley; Rose Byrne; Kate Hudson; Chase Infiniti; Emma Stone |
How the process works
The Actor Awards are chosen by SAG-AFTRA members, and the organization says its voting body is the largest on the awards circuit, with more than 130,000 performers participating. That broad membership matters because it makes the nomination list feel less like a narrow industry echo chamber and more like a cross-section of working actors across film, TV, voice, and stunt work.
The awards also cover stunt ensembles, which is a meaningful distinction because it acknowledges the physical craft behind action-heavy films and series. In 2026, the stunt categories include F1, Frankenstein, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, One Battle After Another, Sinners, Andor, Landman, The Last of Us, Squid Game, and Stranger Things.
Timeline and broadcast
The 2026 Actor Awards will stream live on Netflix on Sunday, March 1, 2026, and the event will also include the presentation of the SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award to Harrison Ford. That date places the ceremony in the heart of awards season, where guild results often shape the narrative heading into the Oscars.
- Nominees were announced on January 7, 2026.
- The ceremony will stream live on March 1, 2026.
- Harrison Ford will receive the Life Achievement Award during the telecast.
Key concerns and solutions for Actor Awards Whos In The Lineup This Year
Who is in the Actor Awards?
The people "in" the Actor Awards are the nominated actors and ensembles across film and television, plus the stunt teams recognized in their own categories. In 2026, the headline names include Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Michael B. Jordan, Emma Stone, Jessie Buckley, Seth Rogen, Kathryn Hahn, Catherine O'Hara, Noah Wyle, Keri Russell, Parker Posey, and Sarah Snook, among many others.
Why are the nominees important?
The nominees matter because the Actor Awards are peer-voted, highly watched, and often predictive of broader season momentum. When a title dominates across individual, ensemble, and stunt categories, it suggests support that goes beyond one standout performance and points to industry-wide appreciation.
What changed with the name?
The event's new name reflects a rebranding from the Screen Actors Guild Awards to the Actor Awards, but the underlying institution and voting body remain tied to SAG-AFTRA. The change is mostly cosmetic for viewers, though it reinforces the show's simplest selling point: actors recognizing actors.
Which show leads the TV nominations?
The Studio leads television in 2026 with five nominations, including acting nods for Seth Rogen, Kathryn Hahn, Catherine O'Hara, and Ike Barinholtz, plus an ensemble nomination. That makes it the strongest comedy-series contender heading into the ceremony.
Which film leads the nominations?
One Battle After Another leads the film side with seven nominations, including major acting recognition and both ensemble categories. Its showing makes it the single most important film title in the 2026 Actor Awards conversation.