This year, the 22nd annual Screen Actors Guild awards offered a chance for Black actors and actresses to showcased and honored for their tremendous work in the past year. Similarly, this award show offered diversity on stage, the red carpet, and more. 

Uzo Aduba won the award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Comedy Series for her role as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren in the Netflix Original Series Orange is the New Black. This is Aduba’s second time in a row taking that award for her performance. 

Queen Latifah received the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries for her portrayal of Bessie Smith in the HBO biopic. Her performance in the movie has been remarked on by fans and critics as “some of her best work” noting that it was surprising she wasn’t nominated for a Golden Globe. 

Viola Davis won the “Actor” for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for her role of Annalise Keating in ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder. Davis, just like Aduba, isn’t new to the SAG’s appreciation of her quality work; she won the same award last year and received a SAG Award in 2012 for her acting in The Help.

Idris Elba made history at the SAG Awards, as he won two awards, making him the first male to win, as well as the first black male to do so. Elba accepted the award for Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for Beasts of No Nation and Best Male Actor in a Television Series or Miniseries for Luther. Similar to Latifah, critics thought that Elba had been snubbed for a nomination at the Golden Globes. 

He seemed appreciative of the award during his interview with E! News. 

“[The SAG Awards] are good because it’s my peers,” he told us. “We all work hard and everyone respects each other. It’s nice to get that nod from everyone,” he said. “When I first got my SAG card, that was the biggest moment of my life. It’s better than any award when you get that moment.” 

The red carpet was not shy of highlighting some of the beautiful people this year, either. Some of the gorgeous women who graced the award show included Laverne Cox, Trace Lysette, Hari Nef, Alexandra Billings, and Our Lady J. 

Our Lady J captioned one of her pictures on Instagram that was able to encapsulate the night’s outlook on diversity and inclusion. “I can’t believe we’ve come so far.” 

How is it that #OscarsSoWhite is a thing when the SAG Awards knew how to do it right?

(Photo by Dan MacMedan/WireImage)