Awards season seems to be taking a leaf out of the Met Gala's book as SAG has revealed that their 2026 red carpet will, for the first time, have a theme. The Actor Awards has partnered with ELLE who have set the official fashion theme for the Actor Awards red carpet as Reimagining Hollywood Glamour From the ‘20s and ‘30s
The era was defined by luxury fabrics and dramatic silhouettes, with the 1920s aesthetic for women introducing shorter hemlines, fringe, and intricate beadwork, inspired by Art Deco. The Flapper trend was also popularized in this decade, but the 1930s saw the return of floor-length gowns for evening wear in satin or silk, often with bias cuts and drapery.
Menswear was sophisticated with a heavy focus on accessories like ties and pocket squares, while both men's and women's beauty looks established sleek and polished hair, and flawless skin.
"As the Actor Awards continue to evolve for a global audience, partnering with ELLE allows us to elevate fashion as a central part of the show’s creative expression," said Jon Brockett, showrunner and executive producer for The Actor Awards. "It’s an opportunity to align the red carpet, the show and the culture around it into a single, cohesive moment."
"ELLE has a long history with Hollywood, and we have always championed both emerging talent and established stars," said Nina Garcia, Editor-in-Chief of ELLE. "Our vision of fashion is forever intertwined with what we see onscreen, so I’m thrilled that ELLE is joining the Actor Awards as its first-ever fashion partner. We’re excited to bring our distinct editorial point of view to an event that celebrates creativity, craft and the power of storytelling."
The 2026 SAG Awards are now known as the 2026 Actor Awards, but their significance remains unchanged, with more than 120,000 SAG-AFTRA performers eligible to vote and influence the upcoming Oscar race, which has begun to narrow after the Golden Globes.
The film categories of the Actor Awards have been a bellwether for the rest of the awards season for decades; only four films in 30 years have won the Best Picture award at the Oscars without earning a nomination from the SAG voters.
That makes this category incredibly important and a reliable indicator of where the vibes lie for the acting branch - and means Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, and Sinners have all seen their likelihood at nominations shoot up.
One Battle After Another remains the early Oscars frontrunner after scooping four Golden Globes; it broke SAG history with seven nods, featuring in all six categories and twice in Supporting Male; Shakespeare in Love (1998), Chicago (2002), Doubt (2008), The Banshees of Inisherin (2022), Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) and Wicked (2024) previously held the record with all receiving five.
In solo categories, Kate Hudson and Emma Stone both scored nods for Female Actor in a Leading Role, but all eyes will be on Rose Byrne and Jessie Buckley, who both won at the Globes.
Amy Madigan and Odessa A'Zion are also now names to watch in Supporting, especially after Amy scooped the Critics Choice Awards, but Teyana Taylor remains the one to watch.
Ethan Hawke's work in Blue Moon also scored him a nod in Male Actor in a Leading Role, alongside favorites Timothee Chalamet and Michael B. Jordan, as well as Leonardo DiCaprio and Jesse Plemons.
Globes winner Stellan Skarsgard, however, was left off the Actor's Awards list for Supporting Actor, as was Cynthia Erivo.
The Globes represent a small body of international journalists compared to the Actor Awards panel of industry peers, suggesting a lack of industry-wide support that could cost them Oscar nods.