After the fallout from the Hollywood sex scandal, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards are making next year’s ceremony all about female empowerment.
The annual awards, which hand out 13 acting honours, will have a host for the first time – Kristen Bell – and all of the presenters will also be women.
“It’s been the year of the woman,” SAG Awards executive producer Kathy Connell told Hollywood Reporter.
The 24th annual SAG awards take place on 21 January.
The presenters have not been named yet, but it marks a change from tradition which dictates that a man and a woman present the prizes.
“This is a unifying salute to women who have been very brave and speaking up,” Connell added.
“We don’t want to slight the men who have given great performances this year – knowing our membership, I’m sure our men will embrace the opportunity to honour women.’
“It’s still an awards show and a celebration. We’re not here to preach to anybody. To me, just having some of these fabulous women on stage sends its own message.”
‘Stereotypes shattered’
Frozen star Bell was announced as host earlier this month and Connell explained their choice at the time.
“This has been a year in which assumptions have been challenged, stereotypes have been shattered, and precedents have been broken.
“We decided to capture the cultural mood by casting aside one of our own traditions, and we’re thrilled to have such a talented performer like Bell help us do so.”
This year’s nominations are led by Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri in the film categories, and Big Little Lies, GLOW and Stranger Things in the TV categories.
The SAG awards are often seen as a good indicator of who and what will triumph at the Oscars a few weeks later.
Source: BBC
