In less than a week, one of the industry’s quiet electric nights returns, the one awards show actors actually watch with their phones face down. The SAG-AFTRA ceremony has long been the cool sibling in the awards-season family. And yet, for all its insider prestige, the name has always been… peculiar. ‘SAG Awards’ never exactly rolled off the tongue at dinner parties.This year, that changes.

The SAG Awards will no longer be called the SAG Awards. In 2025, they officially become The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA, but why did they change?

First presented in 1995, The SAG Awards are now officially The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA. The change moves away from the word ‘SAG’ and formally incorporates AFTRA into the show’s identity. The rebrand is a final stitch in a 13-year-old union seam. The announcement came on November 14, 2025.

“The show’s name is now The Actor Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA, but the foundation remains the same: it’s actors honoring actors. The statuette has always been called The Actor, and we’re simply aligning the show’s title with the name of the award itself and the union behind it," as per the official Actor Awards website.

Historically, the show aired on NBC from 1995 to 1997 before settling into a long cable tenure on TNT and TBS. In 2023, it leapt into the streaming era via Netflix, first on YouTube, then directly on the platform. The 32nd edition, celebrating both film and television performances, marks another evolution.

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But the real intrigue is not typography alone. It is who is walking that carpet. Will awards-season favorites dominate, or will SAG’s famously actor-centric voting body pull off a curveball? 

The 32nd Annual Actor Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA will stream live on Netflix on Sunday, March 1 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT from the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles. Netflix subscribers across all tiers, Standard with ads ($8/month), Standard ($18/month), and Premium ($25/month) can tune in live, though the platform does not offer a free trial.

This year’s red carpet has been given a distinct directive, essentially a Met Gala-level theme based fashion brief. Expect bias-cut gowns, razor-sharp tuxedo tailoring, Marcel waves and enough vintage references to make a studio archivist weep. Nominees such as Ariana Grande, Emma Stone, Jacob Elordi, Jenna Ortega, Teyana Taylor and Timothée Chalamet are expected to attend, turning the revamped carpet into a living mood board of modern stardom.

The presenter lineup adds another layer of gravitas and star power. Gwyneth Paltrow, Jenna Ortega and Delroy Lindo are among those set to present, with additional appearances from Odessa A’zion, Viola Davis, Andy Garcia and SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin.

The Actor Awards have always been about one simple principle: actors honoring actors. The name now says exactly that.

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So does the rebrand feel overdue or unnecessary? And more importantly, who is taking home The Actor this year? Share your predictions.