Screen Actors Guild Awards Ditches Confusing Name, Unveils Simpler 'The Actor' moniker
In a move that aligns perfectly with its award-winning statuette, the Screen Actors Guild Awards has announced that it will now be called The Actor Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA. As of next year, the annual ceremony honoring outstanding acting in film and television will ditch its current confusing name in favor of a more straightforward approach.
The decision to rename the awards show comes after years of discussion and evolution. According to SAG-AFTRA, the organization "wanted to provide clearer recognition in terms of what the show is about for our domestic and global audiences – we honor actors in film and television." The website notes that this rebranding has been a long time coming, with the expansion of its global audience through Netflix being a significant factor.
By directly referencing its iconic award, The Actor, SAG-AFTRA aims to provide a clearer identity for both domestic and international viewers. This change is expected to bring a fresh era to the awards show, which will now air live on March 1, 2026. Nominations are set to be announced on January 7.
The Screen Actors Guild Awards has undergone several transformations since its founding in 1933. The organization represents approximately 160,000 actors and other media professionals, having merged with the American Federation of Radio Artists (AFRA) in 2012. With this rebranding, SAG-AFTRA is taking a bold step forward, ensuring that its prestigious awards show remains relevant and recognizable to both old and new audiences alike.
The Actor Awards will stream exclusively on Netflix and will now bear the name of the award that has been synonymous with excellence in acting for generations.
In a move that aligns perfectly with its award-winning statuette, the Screen Actors Guild Awards has announced that it will now be called The Actor Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA. As of next year, the annual ceremony honoring outstanding acting in film and television will ditch its current confusing name in favor of a more straightforward approach.
The decision to rename the awards show comes after years of discussion and evolution. According to SAG-AFTRA, the organization "wanted to provide clearer recognition in terms of what the show is about for our domestic and global audiences – we honor actors in film and television." The website notes that this rebranding has been a long time coming, with the expansion of its global audience through Netflix being a significant factor.
By directly referencing its iconic award, The Actor, SAG-AFTRA aims to provide a clearer identity for both domestic and international viewers. This change is expected to bring a fresh era to the awards show, which will now air live on March 1, 2026. Nominations are set to be announced on January 7.
The Screen Actors Guild Awards has undergone several transformations since its founding in 1933. The organization represents approximately 160,000 actors and other media professionals, having merged with the American Federation of Radio Artists (AFRA) in 2012. With this rebranding, SAG-AFTRA is taking a bold step forward, ensuring that its prestigious awards show remains relevant and recognizable to both old and new audiences alike.
The Actor Awards will stream exclusively on Netflix and will now bear the name of the award that has been synonymous with excellence in acting for generations.
I'm low-key impressed with SAG-AFTRA's decision to ditch the confusing name, tbh! It's about time they simplified things and got straight to the point - The Actor Awards is a much more straightforward name 
. I mean, who doesn't know what the Screen Actors Guild Awards are all about? The new name is like, super clear 
. And streaming exclusively on Netflix is gonna be lit 
! It's cool that they're taking a fresh approach and adapting to the global audience - it's the future of awards shows 
. Can't wait for the live broadcast in March 2026 
!
. Another pointless rebranding attempt from the entertainment industry trying to sound more "relatable" and "authentic". Newsflash: the SAG-AFTRA name is still super long and clunky, and they think simplifying it to just 'The Actor' will magically make a difference? 
It's not like this is going to change anything for the 160,000 actors they represent. The whole thing feels like a PR stunt 
.
. Also, I'm gonna miss their old name, but only because it was kinda cool like that one time I won a participation trophy in gym class 
.
So, this rebranding is about more than just changing names, right? It's about recognizing what really matters - the actors themselves! I mean, think about it, SAG-AFTRA wants to give clear recognition to its global audience, and that's exactly what The Actor Awards does. It's all about giving credit where credit is due. On one hand, I get why they'd want a simpler name, but on the other hand, don't they risk losing some of that prestige with this change? What if it comes across as trying too hard to be trendy? And let's not forget, who gets to decide what "The Actor" means exactly? Is it just about the winner, or is it about the entire acting community? 
like they were using that old name since 1933 and now they just wanna simplify it. i mean i get it, the award statuette is iconic 
, but do we really need to spell out "Screen Actors Guild Awards" every time? 
can't they just use The Actor from now on and be done with it? 
. it's wild to think that an award show can change its name and become so much more... simplified, yet somehow still profound 
. does it say anything about us as a society that we need to simplify something as complex as identity? maybe this rebranding is just the beginning of a new era where we focus on what truly matters: the art, not the labels 
