Another award show has come to an end! As the race for the Oscars later this month gets closer, The Screen Actors Guild Awards which are a precursor were held today. The SAG Awards which honours best onscreen performances, in TV and film, saw a great mix of diversity and representation this year. Point in case, actress Youn Yuh-jung who bagged the best female actor in a supporting role category for her work in Lee Isaac Chung’s Minari.
The 73-year-old actor, Youn Yuh-jung beat the likes of Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm), Glenn Close (Hillbilly Elegy), Olivia Colman (The Father) and Helena Zengel (News of the World). With her first-time SAG nomination and win, Youn etched history on Sunday night as she became the first Korean actress to win in this category.
A surprised Youn was shocked with her win as she candidly said, “I don’t know how to describe my feelings. I’m being recognized by Westerners.” She also admitted that her English isn’t great but went on to receive a big thumbs up from her fellow nominees. While thanking her team, co-stars and fellow nominnees as well as the SAG-AFTRA for the honor, Youn said, “I’m very pleased and happy.”
The most pure reaction from #YuhJungYoun #sagawards @MinariMovie pic.twitter.com/r1qANEuv1E
— SAG Awards® (@SAGawards) April 5, 2021
In Lee Isaac Chung’s Minari, Youn plays the character of Soonja, an unconventional grandmother, who is visiting her family in Arkansas from Korea. The SAG nominees were a racially diverse group with top acting honours being won by people of colour like Viola Davis, Daniel Kaluuya and the late Chadwick Boseman.
