10 SAG Award Moments That Pop Culture Fans Will Never Forget

From surprise reunions to moving acceptance speeches, you never know what to expect at the award show

By Mike Vulpo Jan 19, 2018 11:00 AMTags

Anything can happen at the SAG Awards! Need proof? You've come to the right place.

As the excitement continues for the annual award show airing this Sunday on TBS and TNT, we thought there was no better time than now to look back on some of the most memorable moments from year's past.

Searching for LOL-worthy speeches? We got them! Surprises reunions between old cast members? We found those too.

And as pop culture fans know, when you bring the best in movies and TV together for a live telecast, big moments are almost guaranteed to happen.

Before Kristen Bell takes to the stage as this year's host, we're looking back on 10 special moments from past shows in our gallery below. Congratulations to all the nominees!

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Best SAG Awards Moments of All Time
Carrie Fisher & Debbie Reynolds

Back in 2015, Carrie was on-hand to present her mom with the Life Achievement Award. "This is an extraordinarily kind, gifted, and funny woman who would give you the shirt off her back if Vivien Leigh hadn't once worn it in Gone With the Wind," Carrie joked during the powerful moment filled with heart and humor. 

Leonardo DiCaprio & Kate Winslet

When Leo won his first SAG Award for The Revenant, nobody was more excited than his former Titanic co-star. "To be honest with you, because I've been so focused on Leo and him winning everything and being so excited for him," Kate shared on Live From the Red Carpet

Winona Ryder

When the Stranger Things cast won big, people couldn't stop looking at Winona's reactions on-stage. "I just love her so much. Her face is just so expressive. What an amazing quality," David Harbour told Vanity Fair after the viral moment. "And it's just so fun to have people—to have this kind of fiery speech, and then to have people also appreciate the silliness and the joy of just like a totally wonderful, sensitive, expressive actress. I love it."

Idris Elba

Back in 2016, Idris made history when he accepted the award for Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for Beasts of No Nation as well as the trophy for Best Male Actor in a Television Movie or Mini Series for Luther. Not only is he the very first male to take home two SAG trophies in one night, but he is also the first black person to do so, too.

Betty White

Nobody brings the laughs quite like Betty. When accepting the Life Achievement Award in 2010, the actress had the entire audience laughing with jokes about her age, co-star Sandra Bullock and more. "From the bottom of my heart and from my bottom of my bottom, thank you for whatever," Betty joked. 

Viola Davis

When the actress made history for becoming the first black woman to win 5 SAG Awards, she didn't disappoint in her acceptance speech. When giving thanks to Fences writer August Wilson, Viola said, "They say that maybe all one can hope for is the right regrets and what August did so beautifully is that he honored the average man, who happened to be a man of color," she explained. "And sometimes we don't have to shake the world and move the world and create anything that is gonna be in the history book. The fact that we breathed and live a life and was a God to our children. Just that means that we have a story and it deserves to be told."

Cuba Gooding Jr. & Ben Affleck

Never turn the TV off early. When Ben tried to bid the audience goodnight, Cuba decided to rush the stage and have the final words of the night. "Happy MLK!" the SAG Award winner for Jerry Maguire wished the world. 

Matthew McConaughey

When continuing his winning streak at the 2014 award show, the Dallas Buyers Club star provided another unforgettable speech. In addition to thanking his nominees, the actor spoke about...outer space. "But boy when it does, and it feels like they could put a blindfold on you and put you on a spaceship and take you to Neptune and you could hop off on the planet and they better have the sprock control and you get off that spaceship because you are going to behave as your man," he explained. "That is a glorious feeling!"

Emma Stone & Jonah HIll

When it's time for the SAG Awards, that also means it's time for reunions. We loved when the Superbad stars came together when Emma won the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. 

Denzel Washington

Back in 2016, Denzel accepted his very first Screen Actors Guild Award. While he may be a veteran in Hollywood, the Fences star admitted in his powerful speech that he didn't always believe in himself. "You know, I am a God-fearing man. I'm supposed to have faith, but I didn't have faith. God bless you all, all the other actors," he shared. "I'd say, 'You know, young boys are going to win, you ain't going to win.' So I didn't even prepare. But I am prepared!"

For complete coverage of the 2018 SAG Awards, watch E! News Monday, Jan. 22, at 7 and 11 p.m.!