Succession had a big night at the 2022 SAG Awards, taking home the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series prize at the annual awards show. Star Brian Cox used the spotlight to voice support for actors, actresses and other talent in Ukraine and Russia, who oppose the ongoing invasion.
“It’s truly, truly awful what’s happening. And it’s particularly awful in terms of what is affected the other people particularly in our profession” he said.
Praising Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was formerly a comic and actor, Cox brought attention to the experiences of artists, critics, performers and writers in Russia. He said “they are told under pain of high treason,” that they cannot speak about the ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine. Cox then encouraged his fellow actors present at the awards ceremony to show solidarity for the artists in both Ukraine and Russia.
“We should all stand together…and the people in Russia who don’t like what’s going on, particularly the artists, I think we should really join and celebrate them, hoping they can actually make a shift as I believe they can,” he said.
His comments come after the SAG Awards kicked off with a message of peace from Leslie Odom Jr., who opened the show with his Hamilton co-stars Lin-Manuel Miranda and Daveed Diggs. Hacks‘ Jean Smart and SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher also extended support and messages for peace during the night’s ceremony.
Sunday’s 28th annual SAG Awards aired live on TNT and TBS from The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, CA.
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