History Made at the 2023 SAG Awards

On February 26, 2023, the Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG) took place at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Century City, California, including some of the most prominent actors, movies, and shows of 2022. These awards are held to honor performances in the film and television industry. While there were other notable winners, the fantasy movie Everything Everywhere: All at Once stood out as it became the most-awarded film in SAG history with four wins out of six nominations. Moreover, Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan became the first Asian actors to win in their categories!

People are celebrating the history that Everything Everywhere: All at Once made at these awards, showing the importance of diversity on the screen. Jayden Wen (12) claimed, “The SAG awards were very exciting to watch, and it was cool seeing so many Asian actors winning awards!” The box office hit has grossed over $107 million worldwide and became A24’s most globally profitable film.

Ewuraba Buckle (12) described her experience watching this movie: “It had me on the edge of my seat and is one of my favorite movies.” The movie features Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, James Hog, and Ke Huy Quan as key characters who portray the Chinese immigrant experience through an unpredictable series of events throughout the multiverse. Symbols within the movie such as the bagel and the googly eye explore concepts central to Buddhist philosophy. This was used to send a message that emphasizes the importance of a human’s compassion.

Everything Everywhere: All at Once has certainly made a lasting impact in the film industry as well as the Asian-American community. Many watchers found it relatable and emotional as it represented their own experiences or their parents’ experiences. David Kan (12) stated, “it really reflected Asian immigrant struggles, and I was able to relate as an Asian-American teenager as well.”

The success at the SAG Awards led to moving speeches given by the award winners. Quan spoke about his hiatus from acting due to limited opportunities for Asian males and how he was inspired to return to the field after the creation of Crazy Rich Asians. His acting as the character Waymond Wang in the movie received tons of love from the audience. Alexis Allen (12) recalled that her favorite character was “the dorky but kind-hearted husband, Waymond.”

Furthermore, many agree with Michelle Yeoh’s role as the protagonist Evelyn Wang and “tiger mom” earning the title of “Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role.” She thanks the SAG for giving her a seat at the table and how this award was not only for her but “for every little girl that looks like me.” Maren Kissling (10) described her as her “role model” and believes that the award was “more than well-deserved.”

While Asian representation has been around in Hollywood, this movie has shone a new light on it due to several actors triumphing and speeches revolving around the importance of diversity. Along with the release of other Asian-led films, this movie shows that Asian characters are no longer destined to fall under stereotypical sidekicks and secondary characters, but rather main characters that do not focus on flaunting ethnic quirks to be recognized.

Ultimately, Everything Everywhere: All at Once and their overwhelming success both commercially and at the SAG Awards this year paves a way for increasing Asian American representation in the film industry. Jaycee Hoffman (12) exclaimed that she is “excited to see what’s next!” Make sure to look out for Stephanie Hsu’s performance of her Oscar-nominated song “This is a Life” at the Oscars next week on March 12th!