No, the table tennis bit didn’t work.

The best and worst moments from the 2026 Actor Awards

No, the table tennis bit didn't work.

By Samantha Highfill

Samantha Highfill

Samantha Highfill is an executive editor at **, where she's worked for more than 12 years covering television.

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on March 1, 2026 9:36 p.m. ET

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Seth Rogen at the 2026 Actor Awards; Catherine O'Hara on 'The Studio'. Credit:

Netflix; Apple TV

It isn't an awards show unless it's given us at least five things to talk about — whether that's a good or a bad thing. And the 2026 Actor Awards were no exception, as the Kristen Bell-hosted show celebrated the year in movies and television with some beloved bits, a few new ones, and a heartfelt moment or two. Which of them worked? Well, that's for us to judge.

(You can check out the full winners list here.)

BEST: Michael J. Fox is an actor (and a dad)

Michael J. Fox at the 2026 Actor Awards.

If there's one bit that always works, it's the opening of the Actor Awards — formerly the SAG Awards, when a handful of audience members give us a story about their career. Sometimes the stories are sweet, sometimes they're funny, sometimes they're a bit of both! And this year, the opening once again gave us several memorable moments, from Teyana Taylor talking about how Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) could've fit on the door at the end of *Titanic* to Oliver Hudson jokingly making faces as his sister, Kate Hudson, spoke. But the best moment this year? The camera cutting to Michael J. Fox, which caused the audience to erupt into applause, just in time for Fox to give a heartfelt speech about how his career led him to his wife, Tracy Pollan, and their four children (one of whom was sitting next to him).

"He's not an actor, he's just my date," Fox said of his son, before finishing with, "I'm Michael J. Fox. I'm a dad and I'm an actor."

BEST: All the swearing

Teyana Taylor at the 2026 Actor Awards.

No, this isn't the show's first year on Netflix, and therefore this isn't new, but it's still refreshing to hear actors get to swear during the live broadcast. Teyana Taylor really set the bar when her opening speech included this line about *Titanic*: "I cried when Rose let Jack sink to the bottom because we know good and well he could've fit his ass on that goddamn door."

And Taylor wasn't alone — both host Kristen Bell and presenter Connor Storrie dropped a curse word or two. Guess what? It all just feels a bit more authentic (even if they're not technically supposed to do it).

BEST: Keri Russell wins Best Female Actor in a Drama Series

Keri Russell wins at the 2026 Actor Awards.

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE WATCH *THE DIPLOMAT*! That's one reason why Keri Russell's win for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series was so great, but the other was just simply that it was unexpected. Russell, who's been nominated three years in a row for her incredible work on the Netflix drama, beat out Britt Lower, Parker Posey, Rhea Seehorn, and Aimee Lou Wood, in a shocking (but very deserved) moment. And seriously, go watch *The Diplomat*.

WORST: Unnecessary table tennis

Ted Danson, Kristen Bell, and Jackie Tohn play ping-pong at the 2026 Actor Awards.

When Bell explained that she was going to force people to play table tennis throughout the evening, we didn't expect to actually have to watch them... play table tennis. I'm sure Marty Mauser would agree that watching anyone who's not a professional play table tennis is just not all that interesting.

BEST: Seth Rogen honors Catherine O’Hara

Seth Rogen at the 2026 Actor Awards; Catherine O'Hara on 'The Studio'.

Netflix; Apple TV

Watching Catherine O'Hara win a posthumous award for her work on* The Studio *would've been a best regardless, but the moment was only made better by executive producer Seth Rogen's heartfelt speech honoring the comedy legend. Rogen took to the stage to accept the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series award on O'Hara's behalf and called out her ability to both know her worth and want to be her very best — even if it meant rewriting all the scenes she was in. As Rogen put it, "100 percent of the time it made not just her character better but it made the scene better and the entire show better as a whole."

Thinking about her legacy, Rogen added, "She really showed that you can be a genius and be kind and one of those things does not have to come at the expense of the other in any way, shape, or form."

He then encouraged everyone to watch her work — and we're not going to disagree with that.

WORST: The Hamnet bit that wouldn’t end

Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs at the 2026 Actor Awards.

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

When *Hacks* stars Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs first walked out on stage, everything was great — funny, even! Stalter being upset that their "comedic relief" roles had been cut from *Hamnet*? It worked! But then the bit just kept going. And *going*. And at one point, we had to wonder: Are they going to make poor Jessie Buckley actually say something? I mean, how many times can you cut to her laughing before it gets awkward? (The answer? Three.)

Yeah, it got a little awkward.

BEST: Noah Wyle is a proud father (figure)

Noah Wyle accepts an award for 'The Pitt' at the 2026 Actor Awards.

Noah Wyle winning Outstanding Performance by Male Actor in a Drama Series? Great. Noah Wyle watching the cast of *The Pitt* win? Even better. After the cast of the medical drama won the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, the group walked to the stage, where Wyle, quite frankly, beamed with pride.

"I'll be honest and say that, of all the trophies that are out there, I was so desirous of this one for this cast just so I could share this moment right now with them," Wyle said. "I've never been more proud of a group of people in my life."

But that wasn't even the best part. Wyle then turned to his costars and asked, "Does anybody else want to say anything?" No, Dr. Robby, they trust that you can handle it.

- Awards Shows & Events

- The Actor Awards

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