The SAG Awards Are Now Called "The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA" — Why the Name Changed

The ceremony we know as The SAG Awards is the only major awards show voted on solely by members of the actors' union (SAG-AFTRA). It's by actors, for actors.

After the SAG-AFTRA merger in 2012, the show maintained the name it had since its initial broadcast in 1995: The SAG Awards. Now, the team behind the show is finally updating its name to reflect the true nature of the awards.

The SAG Awards will now be called "The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA." This name change incorporates the merger between SAG and AFTRA, and it centers the actual award, "the Actor," in the way that The Oscars centers the Oscar, according to Billboard.

Jon Brockett, the showrunner and Executive Producer of the show, and JoBeth Williams, the chair of SAG-AFTRA's Awards Committee, released a statement about the name change.

"The show’s name is now The Actor Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA, but the foundation remains the same: it’s actors honoring actors. 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," they explained, per Billboard.

They explained that their mission was to recognize the merger and "align it with the name of our statuette, The Actor."

The name was changed to “reflect its true spirit and position as the only industry honor given to actors, by actors,” per The Actor Awards. They said the change was "inspired by both our iconic statuette, The Actor, and the power of human performance."

To help things transition smoothly and avoid confusion, the awards retained their old name during the pre-nomination voting period that ended on Jan. 6, 2026.

The 2026 Actor Awards will air live on Sunday, March 1 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, exclusively on Netflix. Subscribers can rest assured that if they miss the initial broadcast, they can still catch the show. It will remain on Netflix for 28 days.

Kristen Bell will be hosting the ceremony for the third time.

The nominations for Female Actor in a Leading Role are Jessie Buckley (Hamnet), Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I'd Kick You), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), Chase Infiniti (One Battle After Another), and Emma Stone (Bugonia).

The actors nominated for Male Actor in a Leading Role are Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), and Jesse Plemons (Bugonia).

Harrison Ford is set to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremony.