This is What’s Trending Today.
People on social media are talking about the 2017 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards show. The event took place Sunday night in Los Angeles, California.
Five young actors were as surprised as the crowd when they heard their show, “Stranger Things,” had won the award for best drama series.
Finn Wolfhard, from left, Gaten Matarazzo, Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, and Caleb McLaughlin pose in the press room with the awards for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series for “Stranger Things” at the 23rd annual Screen Actors Gu
The young actors are from 12 to 15 years old. They jumped for joy as they got out of their seats to accept the award.
The show “Stranger Things” is set in 1983. It tells about the disappearance of a young boy in a small Indiana town. His friends try to find him with the help of the boy’s mother, played by Winona Ryder, and the local police chief, played by David Harbour.
Accepting the award for the cast, Harbour said that actors can “change the world … and through our art … battle against fear, self-centeredness and exclusivity … to cultivate a more empathetic and understanding society.”
During his speech, many people saw Ryder giving a number of facial expressions.
Another group of less-known actors won the award for best cast in a motion picture. The movie “Hidden Figures” tells the story of three African-American women who were mathematicians. They helped the American space agency send a man to the moon. The film’s cast includes Mahershala Ali, who also won an award for outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role for “Moonlight.”
Denzel Washington won the award for outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role for “Fences.” The well-known actor had never before received a SAG award.
The online service Netflix had a big night at the awards ceremony. Netflix won four awards. Among them was “Orange Is the New Black,” which won for best group of actors in a comedy series for the third time in three years. The series’ lead actor, Taylor Schilling, spoke about the diversity of the cast.
“We stand up here representing a diverse group of people, representing generations of families who have sought a better life here from places like Nigeria, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Ireland … and we know that it’s going to be up to us and all of you, probably, to keep telling stories that show what unites us is stronger than the forces that seek to divide us.”
The next award ceremony for the movie industry will be the Academy Awards, which takes place on February 27.
One nominee is Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, whose film “The Salesman” is nominated for best foreign language film. Farhadi says he will not attend the ceremony. He is protesting the new U.S. travel ban on Iran and six other countries.
I’m Jill Robbins.
Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English based on an Associated Press story by Lynn Elber and other sources. George Grow was the editor.
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Words in This Story
guild – n. an organized group of people who have joined together because they share the same job or interest
cast – n. the actors in a play, film, or television show
exclusive – adj. not shared; available to only one person or group
empathize – v. to have the same feelings as another person
diversity – n. the state of having a variety of types of people
drama – n. a movie or television production with a story about a serious subject, such as conflict
role – n. a part played by an actor
comedy – n. a show with a happy ending; ahumorous production
Now it’s your turn. What was your favorite TV show or movie for 2016? Who are your favorite actors? Write to us in the Comments section.
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Here is a complete list of the SAG winners and nominees:
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Captain Fantastic
Fences
Hidden Figures
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
Denzel Washington, Fences
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Amy Adams, Arrival
Emily Blunt, The Girl on the Train
Natalie Portman, Jackie
Emma Stone, La La Land
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
The Crown
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
Stranger Things
Westworld
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things
Claire Foy, The Crown
Thandie Newton, Westworld
Winona Ryder, Stranger Things
Robin Wright, House of Cards
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
John Lithgow, The Crown
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series
Riz Ahmed, The Night Of
Sterling K. Brown, The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Bryan Cranston, All the Way
John Turturro, The Night Of
Courtney B. Vance, The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series
Bryce Dallas Howard, Black Mirror
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
Audra McDonald, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill
Sarah Paulson, The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Kerry Washington, Confirmation
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Hugh Grant, Florence Foster Jenkins
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Dev Patel, Lion
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Viola Davis, Fences
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory
Blackish
Modern Family
Orange Is the New Black
Veep
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson, Blackish
Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Ty Burrell, Modern Family
William H. Macy, Shameless
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black
Jane Fonda, Grace and Frankie
Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble Captain America:
Civil War
Doctor Strange
Hacksaw Ridge
Jason Bourne
Nocturnal Animals
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble
Game of Thrones
Daredevil
Luke Cage
The Walking Dead
Westworld