SAG Awards 2025: What You Didn't See on TV

The SAG Awards 2025 on Sunday night were the final awards show before next Sunday’s Oscars—and, like the rest of this season, they had a few surprises up their sleeves. Not only did Only Murders in the Building sneak in an unexpected win for best ensemble in a comedy series (“We never win, this is so weird!” said star Selena Gomez onstage), but A Complete Unknown’s Timothée Chalamet beat The Brutalist’s Adrien Brody for lead actor in a movie, and best movie ensemble went to Conclave.

Vanity Fair was in the room at the Shrine Auditorium on Sunday night, where we caught all the action that didn’t make it onto the Netflix stream—including a heartfelt dedication to Los Angeles firefighters, fans (and staff!) fawning over Demi Moore, and the debates that ensued at the after-party over who might win an Oscar next week.

Party Before the Party

After the talent completed their red-carpet walk, they made their way over to the venue’s bars to mingle before the show began. Jane Fonda, who was receiving the lifetime achievement award, came up to Conclave star Ralph Fiennes. “We were waiting for Jane Fonda!” joked Fiennes before Fonda took his hands to compliment him for his work on Conclave. Over near another bar, Wicked director Jon M. Chu hung out with some of the film’s cast, including Marissa Bode and Ethan Slater, along with Cynthia Erivo’s partner, Lena Waithe.

The LA Fires Take Center Stage

Courtney B. Vance, president of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, welcomed the crowd before speaking about the devastating challenges that the industry has already faced this year due to the LA fires. “Once again we find ourselves facing significant adversity. Thousands have lost their homes, including hundreds of our own members,” said Vance, noting that the foundation has lent support to members who lost their homes or suffered other challenges: “Thanks to our foundation, no one in our community will have to face it alone.” Vance also introduced a video featuring several SAG-AFTRA members who lost their homes talking about the challenges they’ve faced and how the union has supported them.

Among the many attendees in the room were around a dozen Los Angeles firefighters, who were seated at tables in the center of the room. They received a standing ovation at the beginning of the night, and many of the biggest names in the room were seen going over to talk to them during breaks in the show. Harrison Ford spent a significant amount of the night talking to them and posing for selfies with them, while Adrien Brody and Jason Segel were also among those who stopped to chat with the group.

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

When You Need a Break

Although the room was divided into two sections (talent in the front of the room, and everyone else in the back), there’s always one great equalizer at these events: the bathroom. During one of the few commercial breaks, the women’s bathroom line snaked down the hallway, with talent like Monica Barbaro mixed in with everyone else. One attendee was heard yelling, “What category is it?” as she frantically ran to the door, concerned she was missing her own group’s announcement. Demi Moore was spotted walking back to her seat with Georgina Chapman (Brody’s partner), but Moore was also stopped several times by burly security guards who simply wanted to tell her, “I’m a big fan.” She smiled and said thank you to each one. Some talent—like The Bear’s Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Jeremy Allen White—went for a different kind of break when they moved to the outdoor area for a cigarette.

Sound Woes

The best tradition of the SAG Awards remains its opening, when the camera glides from table to table as a half dozen or so nominees give mini “I Am an Actor” monologues. When this year’s ceremony started on Mikey Madison and we couldn’t hear much of anything she was saying, we knew we’d be in for a rough night sound-wise—at least in the room.

This issue continued through other mid-show bits on the floor, including a handful of microphone snafus—we’re still not sure exactly what sounds were coming out of the speakers as Jane Fonda gave her rousing lifetime achievement speech—and several commercial break reels. It was hard to make a word out of the package dedicated to “Scream Queens,” which found the likes of Jenna Ortega, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Neve Campbell reflecting on their “first screams.” That’s why, when she came out to present an award after the package finished airing, Curtis asked the room to quiet down and took a few moments before taking the teleprompter’s cue. You needed a pro to know how to handle a finicky production setup.