Where to Watch all the 2026 Actors Awards Winners (And Which Ones You Can't Miss)
While the Academy Awards are the big one that every actor, crew member, and movie fan eagerly awaits every year, there are plenty of other award bodies that are worth paying attention to.
This has been one of the most unpredictable Oscar races in years, and the 2026 Actor Awards (formerly known as the SAG Awards) threw up a few surprises to really keep this awards season rollercoaster ride moving in the worlds of both film and television.
Here, we break down all the winners from this year’s ceremony to tell you which of them are unmissable, which are worth checking out, and which you can take or leave.
One of the biggest shocks of the night was Michael B. Jordan winning the Best Lead Actor award for his dual role in Sinners over favourite Timothee Chalamet. Until now, many suspected he was just there to make up the numbers, but there’s a real chance he now takes the top prize at the Oscars. And he deserves it: His performance as both Smoke and Stack was fantastic, not least of all because he made the two characters so distinctive.
Jordan wasn’t the only one in the Sinners cast to impress, though. The whole ensemble was recognised for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture by the Actors Awards, with the likes of Delroy Lindo, Hailee Steinfeld, Wunmi Mosaku and newcomer Miles Caton earning praise for their roles. You can see them all in this visually stunning, thematically rich vampire movie on Now TV Cinema.
Our verdict: Unmissable
While Michael B. Jordan’s win was a surprise, Jessie Buckley taking home the Best Actress award was far from it. She was absolutely breathtaking in Hamnet, and, if the Academy does the right thing, she should be in line to take the same award at the Oscars. As a mother suffering extreme grief, Buckley hits formidable heights as she pours her heart out on screen in a raw, visceral performance.
The film itself is brutal but beautiful. When I went to see this at the cinema, I sobbed at three different points, but the last of them was a cathartic, spiritual kind of pain that I’ve rarely felt before. Chloé Zhao has crafted something truly special here, and you can see it for yourself by renting it from Apple TV for £15.99 now.
Our verdict: Unmissable
The other major frontrunner in this year’s awards season is Paul Thomas Anderson’s wild ride of rebellion and revenge, One Battle After Another. We’ve already seen wins for Teyana Taylor at the Golden Globes, but at the Actors Awards, it was Sean Penn’s turn. In his supporting role as Colonel Lockjaw, the veteran star brings an unerring, menacing energy to every scene he’s in. It may just be his best performance to date.
Not only is One Battle After Another an exhilarating, politically-charged thriller, it’s also very, very funny. Between Leonardo DiCaprio’s frantic vibes as Bob Ferguson and Benicio Del Toro’s calm, happy-go-lucky approach to playing the brilliant Sensei – complete with the best line of 2025: “A few small beers” – this PTA effort will have you laughing out loud one moment, and then recoiling in shock the next. You can rent it on Sky Store for £4.99 ahead of the Oscars.
Our verdict: Unmissable
Amy Madigan may be the dark horse in the Supporting Actress race at the Oscars, and she just added another trophy to her cabinet at the Actors Awards. Zach Cregger’s thriller-horror hybrid, Weapons, rides or dies on Madigan’s performance as Aunt Gladys, and she gives it her terrifying, nightmare-inducing best from the moment she first appears on-screen to the last.
For me, Weapons as a whole is a case of good, not great. It starts promisingly, with lots of tension and mystery, but by the end, I felt that too many questions were answered. Some will appreciate the lack of ambiguity, and there’s no denying that every step of the journey is very entertaining, with moments of genuine dread sprinkled throughout for good measure. It’s another rental job at the moment, but for £4.99 on Amazon Prime Video, I’d say it’s worth a watch.
Our verdict: Worth a watch
Few actors have done for the movie industry what Tom Cruise has, and specifically, he has pushed endlessly for the recognition of stunt performers. It’s nice to see his team rewarded for their work on Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, then, with the film picking up the prize for Best Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture.
As the title suggests, this was the last chapter in the Mission: Impossible franchise (although we’ve heard murmurs that Cruise wants more). To really appreciate this film, you’ll need to have seen the other seven movies in the series, and even then, you might be left wanting. While the action set-pieces are, obviously, unbelievably exciting – particularly the scene in the submerged submarine – the plot is a little convoluted and guilty of being bogged down by callbacks to previous storylines of years gone by. See for yourself on Paramount Plus.
Our verdict: Take it or leave it
The Pitt has taken America by storm since it first aired last year, and one of the main reasons we can’t wait for HBO Max to hit the UK is that everyone here will finally be able to check out this intense hospital drama series. With each episode detailing an hour in the Pittsburgh Trauma Centre with Dr Robby, viewers get a front row seat to the chaos in real-time. While it’s a stressful watch, it’s also absolutely riveting.
This show picked up the award for Best Ensemble in a Drama Series, while Noah Wyle, who plays the main man Dr Robby, bagged another win to add to his recent tally, for Best Actor in a Drama Series. It’s quite surprising that Wyle has been getting so much attention for this role. Not because of his talents – he’s truly great in The Pitt – but because the show is pretty close to soap opera territory. Still, if all soap operas were as good as this, the world would be a better place!
Our verdict: Worth a watch
Keri Russell is no stranger to award nominations, but winning is a rarity for her. Over the years, she was recognised for her roles in TV shows like The Americans and Felicity, while her work on The Diplomat has seen her nominated year after year. Now, she finally won one, getting up on stage to collect the award for Best Actress in a Drama Series. Russell is the heart and soul of this blistering political drama, and it’s great to see her finally getting her flowers.
If you’re into shows like Homeland or The Night Agent, you’ll find The Diplomat fits the brief perfectly for you. There are three seasons to dive into already, and you can find them all on Netflix, which makes it super easy to access.
Our verdict: Worth a watch
If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in Hollywood, The Studio might just be able to offer some insight. While it’s largely satire, you do get the feeling this crude comedy is actually, probably, pretty accurate in representing some of the top dogs in Tinsel Town. With Seth Rogen at its core, this show was always going to be a laugh riot, but the star power packed into those first ten episodes is incredible. Martin Scorsese, Kathryn Hahn, Bryan Cranston, Ron Howard, and Zoe Kravitz all show up for the party, but all those cameos and bit parts never feel gratuitous.
It’s not surprising, then, that The Studio won the award for Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series. We also saw wins for Rogen as Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, while the late Catherine O’Hara won the Actress equivalent. Rogen is fantastic as he navigates the chaos of his newfound position as the head of a movie studio – it’s a bit like watching a grown-up version of Evan from Superbad trying to do the job, and it’s hilarious. If you’re looking for a new binge-watch and have access to Apple TV, then look no further.
Our verdict: Worth a watch
Of all the winners in this list, I’d say none have had quite the widespread impact as young Owen Cooper. To think he was just 14-years-old when he filmed Adolescence is mind-blowing, with the teen offering up one of the most powerful performances of 2025, in one of the best shows of the year. His win at the Actors Awards for Best Actor in a Limited Series was a no-brainer, to be honest.
This Netflix show is a must-watch for any parent. It’s a stark and brutal depiction of the radical damage that bullying and toxic masculinity can have on fragile young minds, and hopefully carries a message that plenty of viewers – both parents and teenagers – can take into their own lives. My partner and I watched this together and, as mortifying as it is, we couldn’t take our eyes off it. With Cooper and Stephen Graham putting in top-drawer performances, Philip Barantini employing his signature one-take style, and a hard-hitting story that takes shocking turns, you’ll fly through these four episodes.
Our verdict: Unmissable
Another woman who is no stranger to award success is Michelle Williams, and she just picked up another with a win for Best Actress in a Limited Series for her role in Dying For Sex. Her character, Molly, deals with a life-shattering cancer diagnosis by ending her marriage and going in search of sexual fulfilment, and the show is an emotional yet uplifting journey.
Williams is superb, as she always is, in a series that needs nothing short of perfection from its star to tread that tightrope between bleak and horny. If you enjoyed films like 50/50 and Paddleton, you’ll find this a meaningful experience. It’s not an easy watch, but if you’re feeling strong enough for it, you can find it on Disney+.
Our verdict: Take it or leave it
