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The winners of the 28th annual SAG Awards were presented live on Sunday evening, with the entertainment industry praising and acknowledging key nominees for upcoming events, especially the Academy Awards. Moreover, there were a fair number of unexpected moments tossed in for good measure.
The SAG Awards are one of the largest Hollywood gatherings, happening annually to commemorate the successes and accomplishments of blockbusters in cinema and television.
A few of the major victories include Jessica Chastain for The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Will Smith for King Richard, and CODA, making two historical wins, with Troy Kostur becoming the first deaf actor to receive a solo SAG Award. However, fans also look forward to an outstanding representation of fashionable outfits on the red carpet and victory speeches made by the stars on the night.
On Sunday night, some of the most noteworthy acceptance speeches were presented at the 2022 SAG Awards in languages other than English. Here are a few of the hard-hitting speeches made this year.
2022 SAG Awards acceptance speeches concerning inequality, diversity, and other matters
1) HoYeon Jung tears up on stage
On Sunday night, HoYeon Jung won the award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for her role in the hit Netflix series Squid Game at the 2022 annual SAG Awards. The actress broke down on stage with tears of disbelief and happiness rolling down her cheeks during her speech.
She revealed her desire to become an actress and expressed her gratitude to the Squid Game team, especially the co-stars who made it possible for her to be a part of the industry.
Jung said,
"I have sat many times watching you on the big screen dreaming of one day becoming an actor. I just want to say thank you so much."
She concluded her speech by thanking and expressing her love for the Squid Game crew.
2) Troy Kotsur's monumental victory
On Sunday night, at the 28th annual SAG Awards, the 53-year-old CODA actor Troy Kostur was honored with the award for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role. Upon his win, he became the first deaf male actor to single-handedly win a SAG Award.
The interpreter translated, following Kostur's signs in ASL on-stage during his acceptance speech, saying,
"I'm so proud to be a member [of SAG]. I've been a member since 2001, and so now I finally feel like I'm part of the family."
He added,
"I know you all are artists, and I know you all know what it's like to be a starving actor. Back then I used to sleep in my car, I slept in my dressing room backstage, I couch-surfed and all of that. You feel me, right? So thank you so much."
His heartfelt speech had a mixture of sentimental, powerful, and hilarious words, which made the audience go from chuckling to mushy within moments.
In CODA, Kostur co-stars with Marlee Matlin, who made history with her Oscar nomination this year. The actress won an Academy Award in 1986 for her role in Children of Lesser God, and she is still the only deaf actor to have ever won an Oscar.
3) Will Smith balancing his emotional and comical feelings
The legendary Men in Black actor, Will Smith, sobbed on stage as he accepted the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role at the 28th SAG Awards. On Sunday night, he called his victory over King Richard "one of the greatest moments" of his career while initiating his acceptance speech.
Smith spoke eloquently about his on-screen character, Richard Williams. He also his authentic history as the father of Venus and Serena Williams, the two tennis champions. From praising his King Richard cast and crew mates to extending a special mention to the Williams family, not once did Smith stop himself from making wacky comments.
Smith joked,
"Venus, Serena, the Williams family, you entrusted me and our group with your story. You didn't agree to put your name on it until you saw the final project. I get that, I get that. That's cool. That's real because we be messing stuff up sometimes."
He added,
"But when I got the call and you watched the movie and you said you loved it, I just want to say thank you very much. It was my deepest pleasure to honor your family and to tell your story to the world. Thank you all."
A memorable moment and a prodigious move in his acting career, the SAG Awards and King Richard highlighted the accomplishments of everyone's favorite, Will Smith.
4) Deaf culture progression via CODA in Hollywood
At the 28th annual SAG Awards, the AppleTV+ blockbuster CODA took home the award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. The list of nominees for the category included hits such as Belfast, Don't Look Up, King Richard, and House of Gucci.
The movie tells a tale about a deaf teenager who is the only member of the family with the ability to hear. The 56-year-old deaf actress, Marlee Matlin, accepted the award on behalf of the team. She delivered a heart-warming and enthralling speech that got the audience excited.
Matlin expressed her gratitude towards the SAG Awards and AppleTV+ for believing in the team, trusting them, and voting for them.
In her speech on stage, the interpreter said, following Matlin's signs,
"We deaf actors have come a long way. [For] 35 years, I have been seeing so much work out there and all this time, I've watched all of your films and I pay the deepest respect to all of you."
At the end of her speech, Matlin triumphantly added,
"This validates the fact that we deaf actors can work just like anybody else. We look forward to more opportunities for deaf actors [and] deaf culture."
Marlee Matlin is also the only deaf actress to have ever received an Oscar for herself in 1986.
5) Michael Keaton makes a statement
Michael Keaton marked his historic accomplishment with a touching speech at the 28th annual SAG Awards as the Dopesick actor won the title for Outstanding Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries. The actor was very sentimental as he dedicated the award to his family for their loss in the drug crisis during his award acceptance speech.
According to reports, Keaton has previously mentioned, on several occasions, his emotional connection to the Dopesick narrative as his nephew died of a fetanyl and heroin overdose recently. Thus, he explains his role as Dr. Samuel Finnix, who observes the direct consequences of OxyContin in the limited series.
In his speech, the actor said,
"I am blessed to be able to do something that might improve someone's life. I'm the most fortunate person. Mostly, given the subject matter, this is for my nephew Michael and my sister Pam. I lost my nephew Michael to drugs, and it hurts."
Keaton made use of the platform to talk about his commitment to using his position to stand against inequalities and the drug crisis. The actor has also set a record by being the first actor to have won the SAG Award thrice for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture category.
