The 29th Screen Actors Guild Awards were given out on Sunday, with the American absurdist comedy-drama Everything Everywhere All at Once coming out as the biggest winner by sweeping off categories such as lead actress, supporting actor, and ensemble cast.
Ke Huy Quan made history by becoming the first Asian male to win a film acting award since the inception of the SAG Awards in 1994. He is the second Asian actor to win any individual SAG award in either film or television. Last year, Squid Games’ actor Lee Jung-jae won for male actor in a drama series.
Speaking about being the first Asian male award winner, Quan said, “This moment no longer belongs to just me, it also belongs to everyone who has asked for change,” he said. “When I stepped away from acting it was because there were so few opportunities. The landscape looks so different now than before. So thank you so much to everyone in this room who contributed to these changes.”
He then turned to address the actors watching from home, “Please keep on going because the spotlight will one day find you.”
Ke Huy Quan’s victory isn’t the only Asian victory from this year’s awards. Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian woman to win Best Actress in a Lead role. She also became the second Asian woman ever to win a film acting prize after Yuh Jung Youn won an award as a supporting actress for Minari (2020). In addition, she is the second Asian woman nominated as a best actress after Ziyi Zhang, who was nominated for Memoirs of Geisha (2005). Further, Stephanie Hsu was also nominated for her performance as a supporting actress.
