Beast of No Nation star, Idris Elba, on Saturday became the first black man and only male to ever win two Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG) in one night.
The 22nd SAG Awards which was held at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium saw Elba walk home with the awards for Outstanding Performance by Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for Beasts of No Nation and Outstanding Performance by Male Actor in a Television Movie or Mini Series for Luther.
This win is a big accomplishment for the 43-year-old who many feel was snubbed in the 2016 Oscars nomination list.
Accepting the award for Outstanding Performance by Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, Elba said “I remember getting my SAG card from Law & Order. That was 20 years ago, so thank God for that man.”
He went on to thank the movie’s director Cary Fukunaga and the rest of the production team on the film.
“I want to tell you man we made a film about real people and real lives you know?” He said of the harrowing flick about child soldiers in an African civil war.
“And to be awarded for it is very special because a lot of people were damaged through that, so thank you for giving this film some light man, respect.”
After winning his second award for Outstanding Performance by Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries for his work in Luther, Elba, “Wow, I don’t know what to say man, I really don’t. Thank you so much everyone that’s in this room for giving me that.”
To win the award for Outstanding Performance by Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, Idris beat out The Big Short’s Christian Bale, Bridge of Spies’ Mark Rylance, 99 Homes’ Michael Shannon and Room’s Jacob Tremblay.
For Outstanding Performance by Male Actor in a Television Movie or Mini Series, he beat out Tut’s Ben Kingsley, Texas Rising’s Ray Liotta, A Very Murray Christmas’ Bill Murray and Wolf Hall’s Mark Rylance.
