Michael J. Fox made a cheeky joke while introducing his son Sam to the audience in a speech at the Actor Awards, formerly the SAG Awards.

The ceremony traditionally opens with monologues from several of the assembled stars, who tell stories about their time in their profession and then close by stating their names and saying: ‘I am an actor.’ 

Fox, 64 – who has received wide admiration for his dignified battle with Parkinson’s disease and advocacy for its sufferers – got such a massive round of applause when the camera alighted on him that he had to pause the start of his speech.

He proceeded to tell a story about how his acting career resulted in his introduction to his wife and Family Ties co-star Tracy Pollan, with whom he has four children.

The Back to the Future legend then pointed to his son Sam, 36, who was seated next to him, and quipped: ‘By the way, he’s not an actor, he’s just my date.’

He added a heartwarming extra few words to the traditional closer of the monologue, saying: ‘I’m Michael J. Fox and a dad, and I’m an actor.’

Michael J. Fox made a cheeky joke while introducing his son Sam to the audience in a speech at the Actor Awards, formerly the SAG Awards

The ceremony traditionally opens with monologues from several of the assembled stars, who tell stories about their time in their profession

Fox began his speech: ‘Before I left school….,’ then had to trail off briefly in order to let his thunderous ovation die down before continuing.

‘Before I left school and moved from Canada to LA to try and make it as an actor, a teacher of mine told me: “Fox, you’re not gonna be cute forever.” I didn’t know what to say to that so I said: “Maybe just long enough, sir,”‘ he said to a laugh.

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‘After a few years of dumpster diving in LA I ended up on Family Ties, where I received the biggest gift of my career – I met my wife, the actor Tracy Pollan, who played my girlfriend Ellen,’ Fox continued.

‘And she gave me four gifts, our kids Schuyler, Aquinnah, Esme and Sam. Sometimes I like to remind them, if it weren’t for acting they wouldn’t be here.’

At Sunday’s fete, Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothee Chalamet are facing off in a hotly anticipated contest for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, for their respective roles in One Battle After Another and Marty Supreme.

The category also features Michael B. Jordan for a dual role in Sinners, Ethan Hawke for the Broadway biopic Blue Moon and Jesse Plemons for the thriller Bugonia.

Meanwhile Hamnet star Jessie Buckley and If I Had Legs I’d Kick You actress Rose Byrne are facing off for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, alongside Bugonia’s Emma Stone and Song Sung Blue’s Kate Hudson.

One Battle After Another has two of its cast vying to be named best supporting actor – Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn – amid a field otherwise populated by Jacob Elordi for Frankenstein, Paul Mescal for Hamnet and Miles Caton for Sinners.

He added a heartwarming extra few words to the traditional closer of the monologue, saying: ‘I’m Michael J. Fox and a dad, and I’m an actor’

As for female supporting performances, Ariana Grande has earned a nod for Wicked: For Good, as have Odessa A’Zion for Marty Supreme, Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another, Wunmi Mosaku for Sinners and Amy Madigan for Sinners.

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture is a contest between Hamnet, Frankenstein, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another and Sinners.  

Meanwhile Seth Rogen’s new show The Studio is in the running for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series with Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks and Only Murders in the Building.

Among the sitcom performances nominated that night are Rogen and the recently departed Catherine O’Hara for The Studio, Martin Short for Only Murders in the Building, Jenna Ortega for Wednesday and Jean Smart for Hacks.

Bell’s current co-star Adam Brody is nominated for Nobody Wants This, while her former The Good Place co-star Ted Danson for A Man on the Inside

The ensemble in a drama series category is a formidable race including The White Lotus, The Pitt, Severance, The Diplomat and Landman.

Noah Wyle is nominated for his comeback turn on The Pitt, as are Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood for The White Lotus, Keri Russell for The Diplomat, Gary Oldman for Slow Horses and Billy Crudup for The Morning Show.

The revered miniseries Adolescence has earned recognition in the limited series and TV movie categories, with nominations for actresses Erin Doherty and Christine Tremarco and actors Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper.

Other nominees in those categories include Michelle Williams in Dying for Sex, Sarah Snook in All Her Fault, Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys for The Beast in Me, Jason Bateman in Black Rabbit and Charlie Hunnam for Monster: The Ed Gein Story.

Sunday evening’s SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award is being presented to Harrison Ford, 83, after more than a half-century of stardom.

Actor Awards 2026 nominees 

FILM 

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE

Frankenstein (Netflix)

Hamnet (Focus Features)

Marty Supreme (A24)

One Battle After Another (Warner Bros)

Sinners (Warner Bros)

The cast of Leonardo DiCaprio flick One Battle After Another is up for the biggest prize of the night

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Jessie Buckley – Hamnet

Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I¿d Kick You

Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue

Chase Infinity – One Battle After Another

Emma Stone – Bugonia

Jessie Buckley is up for Best Female Actor in a Leading Role for Hamnet

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme

Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another

Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon

Michael B. Jordan – Sinners

Jesse Plemons – Bugonia

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Miles Caton – Sinners

Benicio Del Toro – One Battle After Another

Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein

Paul Mescal – Hamnet

Sean Penn – One Battle After Another

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Odessa A¿zion – Marty Supreme

Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good

Amy Madigan – Weapons

Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners

Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another

Amy Madigan was recognized for her work in Weapons

OUTSTANDING STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

F1 (Apple Original Films)

Frankenstein (Netflix)

Mission: Impossible ¿ The Final Reckoning (Paramount)

One Battle After Another (Warner Bros)

Sinners (Warner Bros)

TELEVISION 

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES

The Diplomat (Netflix)

Landman (Paramount+)

The Pitt (HBO Max)

Severance (Apple TV)

The White Lotus (HBO)

The Pitt hopes to continue their successful awards season run

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Sterling K. Brown – Paradise

Billy Crudup – The Morning Show

Walton Goggins – The White Lotus

Gary Oldman – Slow Horses

Noah Wyle – The Pitt

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Britt Lower – Severance

Parker Posey – The White Lotus

Keri Russell – The Diplomat

Rhea Seehorn – Pluribus

Aimee Lou Wood – The White Lotus

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES

Abbott Elementary (ABC)

The Bear (FX/Hulu)

Hacks (HBO Max)

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

The Studio (Apple TV)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Ike Barinholtz – The Studio

Adam Brody – Nobody Wants This

Ted Danson – Inside Man

Seth Rogen – The Studio

Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Kathryn Hahn – The Studio

Catherine O¿Hara – The Studio

Jenna Ortega – Wednesday

Jean Smart – Hacks

Kristen Wiig – Palm Royale

Jean Smart was recognized for her work in Hacks once again

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES

Jason Bateman – Black Rabbit

Owen Cooper – Adolescence

Stephen Graham – Adolescence

Charlie Hunnam – Monster: The Ed Gein Story

Matthew Rhys – The Beast In Me

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES

Claire Danes – The Beast In Me

Erin Doherty – Adolescence

Sarah Snook – All Her Fault

Christine Tremarco – Adolescence

Michelle Williams – Dying For Sex

OUTSTANDING STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A TELEVISION SERIES

Andor (Disney+)

Landman (Paramount+)

The Last of Us (HBO)

Squid Game (Netflix)

Stranger Things (Netflix)