Girl power! The 2018 Screen Actors Guild Awards will feature all-female presenters, Us Weekly can confirm. Kristen Bell will be its first-ever host.
“Culturally, there’s always been a conversation about equality,” Bell, 37, told The New York Times on Tuesday, December 12. “Now there’s some mega-spotlights on this conversation and, dare I say, some pyrotechnics in the background. I’m not the first female host. I’m the first host. The fact that a female was chosen to be the first one means my genitals become irrelevant.”
The Bad Moms actress also revealed that she’s still deciding whether or not to address the Hollywood sexual misconduct scandals in her opening monologue. “An awards show is not as serious as the conversation deserves to be,” she said. “And this night will celebrate women more than any other SAG Awards has and possibly more than any other show has.”
The annual award show’s executive producer, Kathy Connell, also spoke out about her decision to exclusively include female presenters. “I feel pretty strongly about the women’s movement. Women stepped forward in such a huge way in this last year,” Connell told the NYT. “I want to salute women who are coming forward to speak at a very difficult time about very difficult subjects at great risk to themselves.”
As previously reported, Olivia Munn and Niecy Nash announced the nominations for the 24th show on Wednesday, December 13, from the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. The stars have since taken to Twitter to express their gratitude and excitement about getting recognized for their work.
“Screen Actors Guild! Thank you so much for recognizing me and our cast for the second year in a row,” Millie Bobby Brown, who is nominated for Female Actor in a Drama Series for Stranger Things, said in a statement. “This means the world coming form you, our peers. I am so lucky and honored to have the privilege of playing Eleven — a strong, powerful, badass, strange, wonderful character! Can’t wait to celebrate with my Stranger Things family!”
Kumail Nanjiani, writer and star of The Big Sick thanked also SAG for recognizing his film, which was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. “Oh wow. Thank you thank you thank you,” Nanjiani tweeted. “I am so proud and thrilled to know and have worked with the cast of The Big Sick and seeing them recognized by their peers has brought a tear to my eye. Special shout out to Gayle Keller, our magical casting director.”
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The 2018 Sag Awards will air on TNT and TBS Sunday, January 21, at 8 p.m. ET.
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