Michelle Williams, Sam Rockwell & Renée Zellweger Take Home SAG Awards for Playing Theater Legends

Michelle Williams, Sam Rockwell and Renée Zellweger brought performances to the screen this year that resurrected three of musical theater's greatest stars. Williams and Rockwell played Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse, respectively, in FX's Fosse/Verdon, about the tumultuous creative partnership between two of Broadway's most influential theatermakers, and Zellweger, star of Judy, brought to life Judy Garland in the tragic last year of her life. All three were awarded for their turns at the 26th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on January 19. 

Williams, who was nominated for a Tony in 2016 for her leading role in Blackbird and who starred as Sally Bowles in the 2014 Broadway revival of Cabaret, garnered the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries Award. Sam Rockwell, who will appear on Broadway this season in a revival of American Buffalo, won the Lead Actor Award for playing Fosse, the nine-time Tony-winning director and choreographer responsible for mounting shows like Chicago, Pippin, Sweet Charity and Damn Yankees.

Zellweger, who was nominated for an Academy Award in 2003 for her turn as Roxie Hart in Chicago (and won in 2004 for Cold Mountain), was awarded for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. Judy, which gave Zellweger her fourth SAG Award, was adapted for the screen from the Broadway play End of the Rainbow by Peter Quilter. "Judy Garland, 50 years later, your community is thinking of you tonight," Zellweger said while accepting the award. 

The SAG Awards were held in Los Angeles and honored the best performances in film and prime time television last year. Its voting body is made up of over 2000 SAG union members. These awards are often seen as a bellwether for success at the Oscars. 

Tony Shalhoub, the 2018 Tony-winner for The Band's Visit and longtime Broadway veteran, was also awarded for his supporting role as Abe Weissman in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, as well as a member of the show's ensemble. Among other cast members, Shalhoub shared the Oustanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series award with Broadway alums Rachel Brosnahan, Michael Zegen, Caroline Aaron, Brian Tarantina, Stephanie Hsu, Leroy McClain, Jane Lynch and Marin Hinkle. Tony nominee Ben Daniels, who plays Lord Snowdon in The Crown, also shared the Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series award.