Hollywood’s biggest stars gasped, cheered, and scratched their heads last night as the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards delivered one of the most jaw-dropping moments in recent awards season history. The indie darling Anora—a critical favorite fresh off wins at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards—was completely shut out, failing to take home a single trophy. Meanwhile, Timothée Chalamet sent fans into a frenzy by clinching Best Actor in a Motion Picture for his role in Wonka, beating out heavyweights like Cillian Murphy and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Just weeks ago, Anora seemed unstoppable. The gritty drama, praised for its raw performances and bold storytelling, swept multiple precursor awards, making its SAG Awards snub all the more shocking. Fans flooded social media, with one user tweeting, “How did Anora get ZERO love? This feels like a robbery!” Even critics admitted the film’s absence from the winners’ circle was baffling, especially after its star, Mikey Madison, had been tipped as a frontrunner for Best Actress.
But the night wasn’t without its triumphs. Timothée Chalamet, 28, made SAG history as the youngest-ever winner of Best Actor for his whimsical turn as Willy Wonka. “This role was pure magic—literally,” he joked during his emotional acceptance speech, thanking co-stars and fans. The win solidifies Chalamet’s meteoric rise, marking his first major individual SAG Award and sparking Oscar buzz ahead of next month’s Academy Awards.
Other surprises included a surprise Best Ensemble win for the underdog comedy The Book Club: Part Two over predicted favorites like Oppenheimer, and a tearful Elizabeth Debicki (The Crown) upsetting frontrunner Sarah Snook (Succession) for Best Drama Actress.
As the dust settles, questions loom: Was Anora’s shutout a fluke, or a sign of shifting industry tastes? Can Chalamet’s golden momentum carry him to Oscar glory? One thing’s clear—this year’s SAG Awards proved that in Hollywood, expect the unexpected.