Actor Awards 2026 winners: Michael B. Jordan SHOCKS as he beats Timothee Chalamet leading Sinners to massive surprise SAG wins

Michael B. Jordan pulled off the upset of awards season as he beat Timothee Chalamet for the top acting prize at the Actor Awards 2026, formally known as the SAG Awards, on Sunday night.

That was not the only massive surprise for the talented star as his film, Sinners, also shocked as it earned top prize Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

The 39-year-old star was left in tears as he earned the win in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role.

He beat out Chalamet who starred in Marty Supreme in a field which also included: Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another, Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon, and Jesse Plemons – Bugonia.

Jordan was in disbelief as he looked down at his new actor trophy with his hands at his face and his mouth fully open. 

Chalamet,  30, was a good sport as he stood up and applauded Jordan alongside his co-star Gwyneth Paltrow, 53.

When his name was announced, it was his mother Donna Jordan who had a shocked look on her face as she joyfully grabbed his shoulders.

During his speech, Jordan recognized his mother in a very sweet way as he said: ‘Mom, thank you for driving me back and forth to New York, when we didn’t have enough money to go through the Holland Tunnel.’

The veteran actor went on to thank his peers who voted for him to earn his crowning moment while admitting that he wasn’t expecting this win.

Jordan said: ‘I wasn’t expecting that. I’m so honored and privileged to be nominated in categories with people and actors and humans that I love, and I love their work and what they contribute to our craft and just rise to has been unbelievable.

‘So, thank you for welcoming me in and making me feel seen.’ 

It was not just Jordan’s mother’s reaction that had people talking as presenter Viola Davis’ jaw dropped when she opened up the envelope before she shouted in celebration as she announced the star as the winner.

The Ryan Coogler written and directed horror flick later earned the top ensemble acting prize over Frankenstein (Netflix), Hamnet (Focus Features), Marty Supreme (A24), and One Battle After Another (Warner Bros).

Jessie Buckley beat out the likes of Kate Hudson and Emma Stone to earn the other top acting prize.

The 36-year-old Irish actress was emotional as she earned Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for her work in Hamnet.

The star-studded field included the aforementioned Hudson for Song Sung Blue and Stone for Bugonia along with Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You and Chase Infinity – One Battle After Another.

Meanwhile, Catherine O’Hara earned a posthumous honor just one month after her tragic death.

The talented Canadian-American actress passed away at 71 on January 30 from a blood clot in her lungs.

O’Hara earned Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Series for her work in The Studio.

She beat out an impressive field including: Kathryn Hahn – The Studio, Jenna Ortega – Wednesday, Jean Smart – Hacks, and Kristen Wiig – Palm Royale.

When her name was announced, those nominated in O’Hara’s category looked emotional including her co-star Hahn and Wednesday actress Ortega who was seen wiping a tear from her face.

Her co-star Seth Rogen accepted the honor on her behalf as he shared a cute story about how the late actress would email him with script edits the morning of filming a scene.

He said: ‘I, obviously, have been reflecting on the time I was fortunate enough to spend with her, working with her, and something that I’ve just been marveling at over the last few weeks was really her ability to be generous and kind, while never ever minimizing her own ability to contribute to the work that we were doing. 

‘She knew she could destroy, and she wanted to destroy every day on set.’

O’Hara left behind her husband of 30-plus years Bo Welch, and their sons Matthew, 32, and Luke, 29.

O’Hara’s last public appearance was at the Emmys in September, where she appeared frail on the red carpet.

O’Hara was notably absent from the 2026 Golden Globes on January 11, where she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress on Television for The Studio.

The ceremony saw her Home Alone co-star Macaulay Culkin take to the stage to present the award for Best Screenplay – Motion Picture, and reflect on his role in the holiday classic.

In The Studio, O’Hara portrayed Patty Leigh who was the former studio head and mentor of Rogen’s character. 

The Apple TV+ series was a massive winner as they swept the comedy categories with a win for Rogen and another for the entire cast.

Rogen, 43, earned Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series.

He triumphed over: Ike Barinholtz – The Studio, Adam Brody – Nobody Wants This, Ted Danson – Inside Man, and Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building.

In the series, Rogen portrays Matt Remick who is the new head of Continental Studios who is tasked with trying to balance his desires for film creations with profits of the studio.

The Studio also won the top prize of Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series over Abbott Elementary (ABC), The Bear (FX/Hulu), Hacks (HBO Max), and Only Murders In The Building (Hulu).

On the drama television side, it was The Pitt that was the massive winner as Noah Wyle earned a massive honor while the entire cast earned the top honor.

The 54-year-old actor earned Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series for the HBO show.

He earned the win over a tough field which included: Sterling K. Brown – Paradise, Billy Crudup – The Morning Show, Walton Goggins – The White Lotus, and Gary Oldman – Slow Horses.

The Pitt also earned Outstanding performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series over: The Diplomat (Netflix), Landman (Paramount+), Severance (Apple TV), and The White Lotus (HBO).

The drama series is centered around the daily lives of healthcare professionals in a Pittsburgh hospital as they juggle personal crises, workplace politics, and the emotional toll of treating critically ill patients, revealing the resilience required in their noble calling.

Wyle’s protagonist character is Dr. Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch who is a senior physician who is still reeling from his traumatic experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, Keri Russell was the first winner at the gala event.

The 49 year-old actress earned the win in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for their work in Netflix’s The Diplomat.

She beat out an impressive field including favorite Rhea Seehorn who has earned several awards for her work in Pluribus.

Also nominated in the category were: Britt Lower – Severance, Parker Posey – The White Lotus , and Aimee Lou Wood – The White Lotus.

In the Diplomat, Russell portrays Katherine ‘Kate’ Wyler who is the newly appointed US Ambassador to the UK after an international crisis despite being not suited for the role as the position makes tectonic shifts for her marriage and political future.

The annual gala rolled out the red carpet at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Michelle Williams was another big winner as she earned  Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series.

The 45-year-old American actress was recognized for her work in FX series Dying For Sex.

She earned the honor over a talented field including: Claire Danes – The Beast In Me, Erin Doherty – Adolescence, Sarah Snook – All Her Fault, and Christine Tremarco – Adolescence.

In Dying For Sex, Williams portrays Molly Kochan who is a woman diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, who abandons her husband of 15 years and begins to fully explore her sexuality.

Meanwhile, Owen Cooper earned a massive win at just 16-years-old for his role in Adolescence.

The young actor was not in attendance to accept the prize which was awarded in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series.

He was the top choice amongst a field which included: Jason Bateman – Black Rabbit. Stephen Graham – Adolescence, Charlie Hunnam – Monster: The Ed Gein Story, and Matthew Rhys – The Beast In Me. 

Adolescence is centered around a 13-year-old named Jamie Miller (played by Cooper) who is accused of the murder of a classmate, his family, therapist and the detective in charge are all left asking what really happened.

The ceremony officially rebranded as The Actor Awards this year, a move designed to align the show with its iconic statuette ‘The Actor’, sharpen its global identity and keep the spotlight squarely on performers honoring their peers. 

Kristen Bell returned as host for the third time, having previously emceed in 2018 and 2025. 

Bell started off the show with a humorous musical number about actor stage names.