By SANDY COHEN AP Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES — Actors obviously love the camera, but some of the most delightful and insightful moments at Sunday’s Screen Actors Guild Awards didn’t make the show. Here’s a look at some of the fun from behind the scenes:
THE STATUE
The SAG Awards statuette is the heaviest of Hollywood’s awards season — a full 31/2 pounds weightier than the Oscar. Every actor who receives one remarks on its heft.
But William H. Macy, Matthew Modine and “Orange is the New Black” actress Blair Brown made some more detailed observations about the Actor trophy.
“It’s odd that he has no mouth,” Macy said thoughtfully as he inspected the award he won for his comedic performance in “Shameless.” “You’d think it would be a big mouth.”
Brown noted the statuette’s defined anatomy, including his perky posterior and pronounced pecs. “Are those breasts?” she asked.
Modine examined the statuette he picked up for “Stranger Things,” noting, “He’s got a great behind.”
THAT SPEECH
As shocked as anyone to have won the TV ensemble drama award, the cast of “Stranger Things” was still reeling from David Harbour’s passionate and stirring acceptance speech when they were ushered into the “thank you cam” area just offstage.
“That was the best speech ever!” actress Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven, told her co-star.
“So good!” actor Matthew Modine said as he scooped up Brown into a hug. Her eyes were teary.
“I hope you guys don’t act like divas on Tuesday when we shoot,” Harbour said.
As the group made their way down the hallway toward the table where 12-pound statuettes awaited each member of the cast, Brown and her fellow pre-teen stars realized they’d each get trophies of their own.
“We get a statue! We each get a SAG award!” 12-year-old Brown said.
“Wait, we each get one?” Finn Whitrock, 14, asked in disbelief.
As they piled into the trophy area, Brown shouted, “Someone go get our parents!”
Meanwhile, John Lithgow, picking up his award for “The Crown,” praised Harbour for his speech.
“Fabulous,” Lithgow said, embracing his colleague. “That was the moment of the evening.”
THOSE POLITICS
For many actors, accepting awards amid political change casts the honors in a different light.
Sarah Paulson, who continued her awards reign for playing Marcia Clark in “The People v. O.J. Simpson” at the SAG Awards, said she wants to keep the recognition in perspective.
“This has been a very celebratory time in my life in terms of my work being recognized, but at the same time, it’s dovetailing with a very interesting time in our country,” she said backstage after accepting her SAG Award. “Even as I was getting ready tonight, as excited and as honored as I was, I felt the duality of the celebration and also the seriousness of people who are at JFK (airport) right now, people who are at LAX, people who are at airports all over the country ... So I’m trying to find a place to put it where I can be celebratory and also give the day its appropriate weight.”
Asked whether it’s appropriate for actors to use awards shows as a political forum, Emma Stone, who won for her leading role in “La La Land,” said yes.
“I would hope that everyone that’s seeing things being done that are absolutely unconstitutional and inhumane would say something — in any venue, whether it’s at school or in an awards show or in their offices or online,” she said backstage. “I would hope that people would fight for what’s right and what’s just (expletive) human. Sorry I said the F-word. I sort of whispered it.”
Mahershala Ali, a double-winner for “Moonlight” and “Hidden Figures,” said that as an African American and a Muslim, the pain of injustice is nothing new.
“It’s just as painful as it’s always been,” he said. “The positive thing is as artists, as actors, we have an opportunity to make certain choices that shine light on situations that light needs to be shined on, so perhaps we can bring attention to situations that need support and help start conversations and help raise awareness. Because with awareness, we can bring about change.”
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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen at www.twitter.com/APSandy .
