'Oppenheimer' claims top SAG award on way to Oscars

Entertainment

Oppenheimer took the trophy for best movie cast

Updated On: Mon, 26 Feb 2024 13:50:36 PKT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Historical drama "Oppenheimer," the story about the race to build the first atomic bomb, won the top honour at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, bolstering its chances at next month's Oscars.

"Oppenheimer" took the trophy for best movie cast at the honours handed out by members of the SAG-AFTRA actors union.

Cillian Murphy, who played scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, was named best movie actor, and his co-star Robert Downey Jr. landed the best supporting actor prize.

The best actress trophy went to Lily Gladstone, star of the historical drama "Killers of the Flower Moon." Da'Vine Joy Randolph won supporting actress for playing a grieving mother in "The Holdovers."

SAG-AFTRA's film choices are closely watched because actors form the largest group of voters for next month's Academy Awards, the film industry's top prizes.

The ceremony took place after SAG-AFTRA staged a four-month strike against Hollywood studios last year to fight for higher pay and protections around artificial intelligence.

"It is especially meaningful to be here with us all together again, for this occasion, after going through a very difficult time with the strike," actor Idris Elba said in opening remarks.