The Screen Actors Guild Awards is being officially rebranded as the Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA, beginning with the 2026 ceremony on March 1.
Commonly known as the SAG Awards, the change was announced on Friday, November 14, to the SAG-AFTRA board, the union that presents the annual honors. Streaming on Netflix since 2023, the awards will continue their tradition of spotlighting outstanding performances in film and television under the new title.
Beginning in 1995, the SAG Awards have been an “awards show for actors, by actors,” created to honor the year’s best performances in film and primetime television. Over the decades, the ceremony has become a highlight of Hollywood’s awards season, often serving as a strong predictor of who will ultimately walk away with Academy Award gold.
Here is a breakdown of the name change, as well as any questions regarding the ceremony, including where to watch it and what else is changing.
Why did the Screen Actors Guild Awards change its name?
SAG-AFTRA explained the change on its website:
“Since the show started over 30 years ago, our iconic statuette has always been called The Actor, and simply evolving the show’s name to align with the award itself made obvious sense. We wanted to provide clearer recognition in terms of what the show is about for our domestic and global audiences – we honor actors in film and television. Laser-focusing the name on those two things became the clearest and most straightforward path for this new chapter of the show.”
The official site also stated: “The statuette has always been called The Actor®, and we’re simply aligning the show’s title with the name of the award itself and the union behind it.”
Why change the name now?
According to the official site, “this evolution has been a long time coming.” Due to the expansion of its audience thanks to streaming the awards on Netflix, “the timing felt right to make the alignment official and step confidently into the show’s next era.”
Is SAG-AFTRA changing its involvement with the show?
No. According to the site, “the show continues to be proudly presented by SAG-AFTRA.”
Are there any other changes?
According to the official statement, the foundation remains the same, focusing on actors honoring actors.
The site also clarifies that voting, submissions, and eligibility will remain the same. “Only the show name is changing.”
Where can you watch the Actor Awards?
Since 2023, the awards have been streaming on Netflix. The next ceremony will be held on March 1, 2026.
The Actor Awards, March 1, 2026, 8/7c, Netflix
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