Black, silver and the pantsuit – Hollywood’s awards season kicks off with stunning red carpet

Louise Talbot
Feb 28, 2022, updated Feb 28, 2022

Jessica Chastain, Venus Williams, Helen Mirren, Marlee Matlin and Elle Fanning stunned at the 2022 SAG Awards. Photo: TND

There was a lot of black, silver, a splash of pink and suits galore as Hollywood’s first major televised, in-person awards show for the season returned to light up Hollywood.

Broadcast live from The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, the first time the show has not been held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles since 1997, the 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards red carpet (known as the silver carpet for sponsorship reasons) was a treat for the entertainment world.

Arriving for an 8pm start on February 27 local time, a who’s who of the best and brightest stars of film and television walked the carpet before heading inside to feast on the sit-down dinner of Australian Michelin star chef Curtis Stone.

With no afterparty in line with COVID-19, hundreds of guests and nominees all enjoyed delicacies such as mint and quinoa salad, sweet potato with curry, salmon rillettes with lemon and dill, accompanied by chilled Taittinger Champagne and a few cheeky wines.

Just like the old days.

SAG nominees including Lady Gaga (House of Gucci), Marlee Matlin (CODA) and Helen Mirren (who received a Lifetime Achievement award), all stunned in designer gowns and accessories.

Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye), Elle Fanning (The Great) and Mira Sorvino went for the pants suit.

Will Smith (King Richard) and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith complemented each other with matching, dark blue satin, while Australians Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos) and Cate Blanchett (Don’t Look Up) competed with each other for the safest long black dress option.

Some teary speeches mentioned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, while others chose to highlight the unfolding conflict with gowns designed in Ukraine’s yellow and blue flag colours, like Spider-Man actress Greta Lee.

Hollywood veteran Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method) wore a simple lapel badge.

Lady Gaga didn’t win the Best Actress category for playing Patrizia Reggiani in the House of Gucci, but she got to present an award in a custom Giorgio Armani Privé white silk-satin gown with gold embroidery and Tiffany jewels. Photo: Getty

Will Smith, who won Best Actor for his role as Richard Williams in King Richard, with wife and producer Jada Pinkett Smith. Photo: Getty

Australian Nicole Kidman was nominated in the Best Actress category for her role as Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos, wearing a demure Saint Laurent dress and an Omega timepiece. Photo: Getty

CODA‘s Marlee Matlin thrilled as she and the cast took out top honours for a drama about a hearing member of a deaf family. She signed on stage: “This validates the fact that we, deaf actors, can work just like anybody else”. Photo: Getty

Can’t forget the little fellas. Jude Hill plays a young Kenneth Branagh in Belfast and he was all smiles as he joined his co-stars Caitriona Balfe and Jamie Dornan on the carpet. Photo: Getty

CODA‘s Troy Kotsur made Dame Helen Mirren’s night on the carpet as she beautifully held together a Dolce & Gabbana gown. Photo: Getty

One of the Actors Council and Scandal alum Kerry Washington, in handing out best performance by an ensemble for Succession, said: “In serious television, it’s no secret that the success or failure of a show is a result of the entire team’s collaboration and chemistry”. Photo: Getty

Venus Williams and her family approved of King Richard and how their father was portrayed. Photo: Getty

It’s a big Yellowstone cast including Jefferson White, Eden Brolin, Ian Bohen, Piper Perabo, Brecken Merrill and Kevin Costner, who told reporters on the red carpet he was happy to be there after four years. Photo: Getty

Silver linings. Killing Eve’s Sandra Oh is spectacular: Photo: Getty

House of Gucci‘s Jared Leto (in Gucci) and Emma Ludbrook also shared a nod to the crisis unfolding in Ukraine. Photo: Getty

Together? Billy Crudup and Naomi Watts turned up arm in arm. Photo: Getty

South Korean actors Lee Jung-jae and Jung Ho-yeon in Louis Vuitton took out the top awards for outstanding performances in a drama series for Squid Game. Netflix has confirmed a second season. Photo: Getty

Don’t Look Up‘s Cate Blanchett wore the Giorgio Armani Privé gown in sophisticated style. Photo: Getty

Cynthia Erivo (nominated for playing Aretha Franklin) with Demi Singleton, who plays a young Serena Williams in King Richard, was acknowledged, as was her on-screen sister played by Saniyya Sidney, by Will Smith in his acceptance speech: “To walk you around this room tonight, to parent you on this film, to deliver you into this business has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life”. Photo: Getty