From Hilarious to Heartwarming: The Best Quotes of the 2017 SAG Awards

“Good evening fellow SAG-AFTRA members and everyone at home and everyone in airports that belong in my America. You are a part of the fabric of who we are and we love you and we welcome you.”

— Ashton Kutcher, in his ceremony opening speech

“A lot of people are saying right now, ‘actors shouldn’t express their opinions when it comes to politics.’ But the truth is actors are activists no matter what, because we embody the worth and humanity of all people. ”

— Kerry Washington, in the “I Am An Actor” opening segment 

“I want you all to know that I am the daughter of an immigrant, my father fled religious persecution in Nazi occupied France and I’m an American patriot and I love this country. And because I love this country I am horrified by it’s blemishes, this immigrant ban is a blemish and it is un-American, so I say to you this: Our sister guild the WGA made a statement today that I would like to read because I am in complete agreeance with it. ‘Our guilds are unions of storytellers, who have always welcomed those from nations and from various beliefs who wish to share their creativity with America, we are grateful for them. WE stand with them. And we will fight for them.’ Thank you very much.”

— Julia Louis-Dreyfus, while accepting the award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series for Veep

“And what August [Wilson] did was honor the honest man, who happened to be a man of color. And sometimes we don’t see him in the history books. The fact that he lived and breathed, that means we have a story to be told. We deserve to be in the canon, in the center of any narrative that’s written out there. And that’s what August did. He elevated my father, my mother, uncles who had eight and fifth grade educations. He just encapsulated them in history. So thank you, August.”

— Viola Davis, accepting the award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role for Fences

“You know, when we kind of get caught up in the minutia — the details that make us different — I think there’s two ways of seeing that. There’s an opportunity to see the texture of that person, the characteristics that make them unique. And then there’s an opportunity to go to war about it, and to say that that person is different from me, and I don’t like you, so let’s battle. My mother is an ordained minister, I’m a Muslim. She didn’t do backflips when I called her to tell her I converted 17 years ago. But I tell you now, you put things to the side. And I’m able to see her, and she’s able to see me. We love each other and the love has grown. And that stuff is minutia. It’s not that important.”

— Mahershala Ali, accepting the award for outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role for Moonlight

“I’m often asked, ‘How would Lyndon Johnson think about Donald Trump?’ And I honestly feel that 36 would put his arm around 45 and earnestly wish him success. He would also whisper in his ear something he said often as a form of encouragement and a cautionary tale: ‘Just don’t piss in the soup that all of us gotta eat.'”

— Bryan Cranston, accepting the award for outstanding performance by a male actor in a television movie or limited series for All the Way

“I’m really so glad to be here tonight because this is the SAG Awards, the highest honor that you can get is going to be given to my 9 to 5 buddy, Miss Lily Tomlin. I might say that Lily is receiving an award that I’ve spent my whole life trying to avoid. SAG award? I see something sagging, dragging and bagging I’m going to call Dr. Markowitz and say ‘Get that nip, tucked and sucked right away.” 

— Dolly Parton, presenting the life achievement award to Lily Tomlin. 

“But somehow I learned to turn my flaws into spiritual lessons — I must say watching Oprah really helped. And now after 50 years in the business I find young actors are asking me fore sage advice, hoping for kind of nuggets of wisdom. So along with telling them to wear sunscreen, I suggest a few other things you may find helpful: Don’t leave the house when you’re drunk.”

— Lily Tomlin, accepting the life achievement award

“This really means a lot to me because I feel like I wanted to be an actress since I was in utero.”

— Sarah Paulson, accepting the award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or limited series for The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

“I never would have cast myself as Winston Churchill.”

—John Lithgow, accepting the award for outstanding performance by a male actor in a drama series for The Crown

“We will repel bullies, we will shelter freaks and outcasts, we will get past the lies, we will hunt monsters, and when we are lost amidst the hypocrisy and the casual violence of certain individuals and institutions, we will, as per chief Jim Hopper, punch some people in the face when they seek to destroy the meek, and the disenfranchised, and the marginalized, and we will do it all with soul, with heart and with joy.”

— David Harbour, accepting the award for outstanding performance by an ensemble drama series on behalf of the Stranger Things cast

“‘Please wrap up!’ Okay, I was just gonna say that I feel insecure a lot of the time, genuinely, and feeling like I could deserve anything like this requires a little bit of mental gymnastics for me. But then I was thinking about the films and the art and the shows that I’ve seen this year, many of which were by the people in this room, and to get to be even a part — even a tiny, tiny part — of a group of people that cares about reflecting society and bringing people joy and making them laugh and giving people hope, or … just we’re in a tricky time in the world and our country and things are very inexcusable and scary and need action, and I’m so grateful to be part of a group of people that cares and wants to reflect things back to society. So, thank you.”

— Emma Stone, accepting the award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role for La La Land 

“I’m a God-fearing man, I’m supposed to have faith, but I didn’t have faith. I said ‘You know that young boy’s going to win, Denzel. You ain’t going to win.’ So I didn’t even prepare, but I am prepared.” 

— Denzel Washington, accepting the award for oustanding performance by a male actor in a leading role for Fences 

“The shoulders of the women that we stand on are three american heroes, without them we would not know how to reach the stars. These women did not complain about the problems, their circumstances, the issues — we know what was going on in that era — they focused on solutions … Thank you so much for appreciating these women, they are hidden figures no more.” 

—Taraji P. Henson, accepting the award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture on behalf of Hidden Figures