The Crown’s Claire Foy has been honoured at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, where a host of Hollywood stars voiced their anger at Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban.
The British star was named best actress in a drama series for her portrayal of the Queen on the big-budget Netflix show.
A number of award winners used their acceptance speeches to oppose the decision by the US president to ban nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering America.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus branded the move “un-American”, while award nominee Dev Patel said on the red carpet that the decision was “utterly devastating”.
Julia, who was named best TV comedy actress for her role in Veep, said on stage: “I’m the daughter of an immigrant. My father fled religious persecution in Nazi-occupied France.
“I’m an American patriot and I love this country.
“This immigration ban is a blemish and it’s un-American.”
Denzel Washington beat Manchester By The Sea’s Casey Affleck to win the best actor award for his performance in Fences, while Emma Stone was named best actress for her role in musical La La Land.
The cast of Hidden Figures were the surprise winners of the best ensemble prize, beating Manchester By The Sea and Moonlight after La La Land missed out on a nomination.
Accepting her award, Emma said: “We’re in a really tricky time in the world, in our country, and things are very inexcusable and scary and need action and I’m so grateful to be part of a group of people that cares and wants to reflect things back to society.”
Actor David Harbour launched a passionate speech as he accepted the award for best ensemble in a drama series with his co-stars from Stranger Things.
He described the award as a “call to arms” to fellow artists to “battle against fear, self-centredness and exclusivity of our predominantly narcissistic culture”.
David said: “When we are at a loss, amidst the hypocrisy and the casual violence of certain individuals and institutions, we will … punch some people in the face when we seek to destroy the meek and the disenfranchised and marginalised – and do it all with heart and joy and with joy.
“We thank you for this responsibility.”
Viola Davis won best supporting actress for her performance opposite Denzel in Fences.
Meanwhile, Mahershala Ali was named best supporting actor for his role in coming-of-age drama Moonlight.
On stage, a tearful Mahershala said his mother “didn’t do back flips” when he converted to Islam 17 years ago before they quickly realised “that stuff is minutiae, it’s not that important”.
“We see what happens when you persecute people – they fold into themselves,” he said.
“I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to play Juan who saw a young man folding into himself as a result of persecution in his community and took the opportunity to tell him that he matters, that he was OK and he was accepted.
“I hope we do a better job of that.”
John Lithgow praised Meryl Streep’s Golden Globes speech, in which she criticised Mr Trump, after The Crown star was named best actor in a drama series for his performance as Sir Winston Churchill.
He said: “I would like to honour … a great and underrated actress who managed to speak my exact thoughts three weeks ago at another awards ceremony and that’s Meryl Streep.”
Bryan Cranston won the award for best actor in a limited series or TV movie for his portrayal of former US president Lyndon B Johnson in HBO film All The Way.
Accepting his award, he said: “I’m often asked how would Lyndon Johnson think about Donald Trump. I honestly feel that 36 would put his arm around 45 and earnestly wish him success.
“He would also whisper in his ear, something he said often as a form of encouragement and a cautionary tale: ‘Just don’t piss in the soup that all of us got to eat’.”
William H Macy was named best actor in a comedy series for his performance in the US version of Shameless – and thanked Mr Trump for “making Frank Gallagher seem so normal”.
Actor Ashton Kutcher opened the show at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles by welcoming “everyone in airports who belong in America”.
“You are a part of the fabric of who we are and we love you and we welcome you,” he said.
The People Versus OJ Simpson star Sarah Paulson urged people to donate to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) after she won the award for best actress in a limited series or TV movie.
Dolly Parton presented her co-star from Nine To Five, Lily Tomlin, with the SAG Life Achievement Award.
