The nominations for the 32nd Annual Actor Awards, formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards, have officially been announced. While some frontrunners strengthened their place in this year’s awards race, several high-profile names were surprisingly left out, making this year’s nominations one of the most debated in recent memory.

Announced on January 7 by Abbott Elementary star Jannelle James and Heated Rivalry actor Connie Storrie, the nominations spotlighted major contenders such as “One Battle After Another”, “Sinners”, “The Pitt”, “The Studio”, and “Adolescence”.

Dwayne Johnson was surprisingly left out, even though his performance in “The Smashing Machine” had received plenty of praise. His co-star Emily Blunt was also overlooked, despite both actors receiving nominations at other major award shows. The absence was especially notable given the strong momentum going into awards season.

Photo Credit: Los Angeles Times

Another notable omission was Cynthia Erivo, whose performance in “Wicked: For Good” had positioned her as a strong contender. While Ariana Grande earned a supporting actress nominations for reprising her role as Glinda, Erivo’s absence marked a sharp contrast to the franchise’s awards success during the 2025 awards season.

Television fans were equally shocked by the lack of individual nominations for Kristen Bell in “Nobody Wants This” and Jeremy Allen White, who was overlooked both for “The Bear” and his portrayal of Bruce Springsteen in “Deliver Me from Nowhere.”

Veteran actors George Clooney and Adam Sandler received no recognition for “Jay Kelly,”despite widespread expectations.

International cinema didn’t fare much better, as Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” is widely regarded as an awards-season favorite, failed to secure acting nominations for its ensemble cast, including Elle Fanning and Renate Reinsve.

While some omissions disappointed fans, several unexpected nominations injected excitement into the list, Kate Hudson emerged as one of the surprises, earning a lead actress nomination for “Song Sung Blue,” breaking into one of the most competitive categories of the year.

Photo credit: Billboard

Miles Caton had two nominations for “Sinners,” coming right after his Critics Choice Award win. At just 20 years old, Caton’s riding success signals a promising future in the industry.

Another pleasant shock was Odessa A’Zion, who earned recognition for “Marty Supreme,” further solidifying the film’s strong showing alongside lead actor Timothée Chalamet. Jesse Plemons also defied expectations with a lead actor nominations for his role in “Bugonia,” emerging as a potential dark-horse contender.

On the television side, “Stranger Things” received rare recognition in the stunt ensemble category for its final season, while Taylor Sheridan’s Landman surprised with nominations for both drama ensemble and stunt performance after being largely ignored elsewhere.

Perhaps the impressive breakthrough came from Chase Infiniti, whose performance in “One Battle After Another” earned widespread recognition. The film earned nominations in almost every acting category, marking Infiniti as one of the season’s most promising new talents.

Awards Season Heats Up

With the Actor Awards ceremony set to stream live on Netflix on March 1, these nominations have set the stage for what promises to be an exciting and closely watched awards season.

Anok Yai’s recognition at the Fashion Awards came after a year where her work was everywhere across the global fashion circuit. The event at the Royal Albert Hall brought together the industry’s usual mix of designers, photographers, editors, and public figures, but her category carried particular interest because of the scale of her work over the past year. The award confirmed what has been visible across runways, campaigns and major editorials; she has been one of the most active and consistently booked models in the world.

Anok Yai- Instagram

Over the last two seasons, Yai appeared in campaigns for multiple luxury houses and major beauty brands. This solidified her status as one of fashion’s most relied-upon faces. Her presence across top publications, including repeated appearances in British Vogue, Vogue US, Vogue Italia, Another Magazine, Dazed and others, showed how central she has become to editorial planning. These were not one-off features; she held recurring space in print and digital editions throughout 2024 and 2025, reflecting sustained relevance rather than periodic visibility.

Anok Yai- Instagram

Professionals who have worked with Yai have publicly spoken about her preparation and attention to detail on set. Photographers and stylists have noted in interviews that she arrives ready, understands references and adapts quickly to direction. Designers have highlighted her ability to hold the mood of a show, which is one of the reasons she appears regularly in prominent runway lineups in New York, London, Milan and Paris. This consistent performance across markets has placed her among the most in-demand models of the current era.

Anok Yai- Instagram

Her win therefore aligns with a year defined by high-profile work rather than isolated standout moments. Her runway appearances spanned several major fashion weeks; her editorial output remained steady across multiple continents; and her campaign bookings cut across both fashion and beauty sectors. These are measurable indicators of influence in an industry where longevity and volume across major platforms matter as much as visibility.

Anok Yai- Instagram

Her award reflects a documented body of work that extended across campaigns, runways and publications throughout the year. It marks her as one of the most prominent working models of the moment.

The red carpet at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards produced its own share of stories, with actors, musicians, and hosts choosing looks that said as much about their place in the industry as the roles they play on screen. Rather than simple pageantry, the night unfolded as a kind of visual conversation between designers and artists.

Selena Gomez – Hollywood Reporter

Selena Gomez stepped out in a custom red Louis Vuitton gown that balanced simplicity with presence. The halter neckline and flowing train elongated her shape, while Tiffany jewelry gave the look a clean final touch. Known for Only Murders in the Building, Gomez has shifted her red-carpet style toward quiet confidence, and this gown fit neatly into that chapter of her career.

Jena Ortega- Getty images

Jenna Ortega approached the carpet differently. In Givenchy by Sarah Burton, she paid homage to Isabella Rossellini’s iconic look in Death Becomes Her. The embellished, near-nude top set against a pared-back skirt was deliberate in its reference, folding costume play into high fashion. Ortega, who rose to prominence with Wednesday, has often threaded gothic and theatrical notes into her style, and this homage felt like another carefully chosen step.

Hunter Schafer- Hollywood Reporter

Hunter Schafer’s Alexander McQueen gown was architectural, with sharp lines and a sculpted halter that emphasized her natural grace. The Euphoria star has consistently leaned toward modern, slightly experimental shapes on the carpet, and this look backed it, structured enough to hold attention, yet simple enough not to distract.

LISA- Getty images

LISA, of BLACKPINK, embraced fantasy in a pink Lever Couture creation. Layers of tulle and a daring slit gave her gown a storybook quality, as if motion itself was part of the design. Making her acting debut in The White Lotus this year, she used the Emmys carpet as a stage in its own right, combining her pop star persona with her new role in television.

Zuri Hall- The Gazette

Zuri Hall went for a wet-like effect in a sculpted gown by Elio Abou Fayssal. The wet-look fabric caught the flash of cameras in a way that made the dress seem to shift between textile and water. As a host and presenter, Hall has built a career on holding attention, and this gown achieved exactly that without excess ornament.

Gwendoline Christie- Hollywood Reporter

Gwendoline Christie offered a counterpoint to the sea of gowns in a tailored pink Tom Ford suit. Her statuesque frame gave the suit prestige, while the choice of color softened the lines into something playful yet commanding. Christie, familiar to audiences from Game of Thrones has always embraced scale in her fashion, and this ensemble was a continuation of that philosophy.

Megahann Fahy- Instagram People

Meghann Fahy chose a plunging velvet dress that channeled classic Hollywood glamour with a contemporary edge. The neckline and slit emphasized drama, while the velvet gave the gown depth under the lights. Known for her roles in The White Lotus and more recently Sirens, Fahy’s style choices have grown bolder, and this look reflected that evolution.

Pedro Pascal- Page Six

Pedro Pascal kept to his own rhythm in an all-white suit by Céline. Paired with sunglasses and sneakers, the ensemble read as polished but never stiff, in line with the relaxed charisma that has marked his recent turns in The Last of Us and The Mandalorian.

Sydney Sweeney- Page Six

Sydney Sweeney chose a strapless Oscar de la Renta gown in a saturated red, complemented with diamonds that played into a deliberately Old Hollywood mood. Her choice spoke to a performer aware of her growing profile, offering a look that was timeless enough to photograph beautifully while still making her stand out in a night crowded with statement dresses.

Together, these appearances shaped a carpet that felt less like a competition for spectacle and more like a series of individual conversations between actors, designers, and the characters they inhabit. From Gomez’s understated glamour to Ortega’s cinematic reference, from Christie’s bold tailoring to Lisa’s fairytale gown, the night’s fashion captured the varied ways performers choose to define themselves in front of the cameras.