Actors with the most SAG awards
Awards season is quickly approaching and that means entertainment fans get another SAG Award broadcast. Since 1995, the SAG Awards have been presented by the Screen Actors Guild, and every year they honor the best acting performances of TV and movies.
What makes the SAG Awards unique is that there are no Best Picture or Best Writing categories—it's purely focused on the acting abilities of Hollywood's best. There are 13 categories, including Best Ensemble Cast, with all the winners determined by votes from fellow actors.
Over the years, there have been many SAG winners, and a few of them have swept up the prizes at the awards year after year. These are the most decorated male SAG Award recipients in history, with data updated Dec. 20, 2018. Stacker ranked the actors by their SAG wins, with ties broken by SAG nominations.
Read on to find out the actors with the most SAG Awards.
#39. Michael J. Harney (tie)
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 4
TV wins: 3
Movie wins: 0
Michael J. Harney has been an active actor since 1993, but it wasn't until his role in “Orange Is the New Black” that he was recognized for his talents. He is the winner of three Television SAG statuettes. The hit Netflix show, in which Harney plays Officer Sam Healey, was awarded the SAG for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble, in 2015, 2016, and 2017.
#39. Mark Moses (tie)
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 4
TV wins: 3
Movie wins: 0
Tied with Michael Harney for three Television wins is Mark Moses. Like Harney, Mark Moses won in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble category for two different series. Moses was part of the “Desperate Housewives” cast as Paul Young when the cast won the award in 2005 and 2006. Moses won again when his series “Mad Men” won the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble, in 2008.
#39. Nick Sandow (tie)
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 4
TV wins: 3
Movie wins: 0
The threes club continues with Nick Sandow. Just as Harney, Nick Sandow won his three TV SAG awards when the “Orange Is The New Black” cast won in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Sandow plays Joe Caputo, the warden of the prison.
#39. Jerry Seinfeld (tie)
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 4
TV wins: 3
Movie wins: 0
It might be hard to believe, but the beloved Jerry Seinfeld has only won three SAG Awards for his hit TV show “Seinfeld.” “Seinfeld” won for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in 1995, 1997, and 1998, with 1998 being the last season the show aired.
#32. Hugh Bonneville (tie)
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 5
TV wins: 3
Movie wins: 0
English actor Hugh Bonneville is another three-time SAG Award winner, best known to many for his role as Lord Grantham in the hit drama "Downton Abbey." The series won for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2013, 2015, and 2016.
#32. Brendan Coyle (tie)
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 5
TV wins: 3
Movie wins: 0
Just as Hugh Bonneville, Brendan Coyle has also won three SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for “Downton Abbey” in 2013, 2015, and 2016. He is best known for his role in the hit series as Mr. Bates.
#32. Daniel Day-Lewis (tie)
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 5
TV wins: 0
Movie wins: 3
As the first movie winner on the list, Daniel Day-Lewis has won three SAG Awards throughout his career, all in the Outstanding Actor category. The first time he won was in 2003 for his role in “Gangs of New York.” The next award Day-Lewis won was Outstanding Performance by an Actor for his role in “There Will Be Blood” in 2008, which he dedicated to Heath Ledger. The last time Day-Lewis was awarded Outstanding Performance by an Actor was in 2013 for his role in “Lincoln.”
#32. Colin Firth (tie)
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 5
TV wins: 0
Movie wins: 3
Brit Colin Firth made his way onto the list with three movie wins, two for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble and one for Outstanding Performance by an Actor. His first win was shared with the cast of “Shakespeare in Love” in 1999. The most recent wins come from the 2011 film “The King's Speech,” in which Firth won Best Actor in a Motion Picture and Best Ensemble.
#32. Rob James-Collier (tie)
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 5
TV wins: 3
Movie wins: 0
Another “Downton Abbey” winner appears on the list and that's Rob James-Collier, who plays Thomas Barrow. Just as his other castmates, Collier took his awards home in 2013, 2015, and 2016 for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
#32. David Robb (tie)
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 5
TV wins: 3
Movie wins: 0
The Scottish actor David Robb is another "Downton Abbey" alum who scooped up his first three SAG Awards in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble category in 2013, 2015, and 2016.
#32. Gary Sinise (tie)
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 5
TV wins: 2
Movie wins: 1
Gary Sinise is perhaps best known for his role as Lieutenant Dan from “Forrest Gump,” but his SAG Awards come from other roles. Sinise has won SAG Awards for two television shows and one film. He won in 1996, the second SAG Award ceremony ever, for two different roles. He won Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a TV Series for “Truman” and the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble for “Apollo 13.” In 1998, Sinise won the Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a TV Series award again for his role in “George Wallace.”
#31. Shea Whigham
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 6
TV wins: 2
Movie wins: 1
Shea Whigham is a HBO legend, and two of his SAG Awards come from his time on the hit HBO drama “Boardwalk Empire.” The show won Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2011 and 2012. Whigham's third SAG Award came from another Ensemble Cast award, this time for his role in “American Hustle” in 2014.
#29. Allen Leech (tie)
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 7
TV wins: 3
Movie wins: 0
Allen Leech has won three Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series SAG Awards, for his role in “Downton Abbey” portraying Tom Branson. The cast won in 2013, 2015, and 2016.
#29. Michael Richards (tie)
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 7
TV wins: 3
Movie wins: 0
Michael Richards, who plays Kramer from “Seinfeld,” joins his co-star Jerry Seinfeld, as a three-time SAG Winner for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series” in 1995, 1997, and 1998.
#28. Rainn Wilson
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 8
TV wins: 3
Movie wins: 0
While Rainn Wilson is best known for his performance in "The Office," he first won a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama TV Series for "Six Feet Under" in 2004. His next two TV wins came for "The Office" in 2007 and 2008, both in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.
#26. John Lithgow (tie)
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 9
TV wins: 3
Movie wins: 0
John Lithgow has had quite the career in both movies and TV, but he earned all of his SAG Awards from hit television shows. The first two came in 1997 and 1998 for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Comedy Series for “Third Rock From the Sun.” His most recent win came in 2017 for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Drama Series, awarded to him because of his outstanding performance in Netflix's hit show, “The Crown.”
#26. John Slattery (tie)
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 9
TV wins: 2
Movie wins: 1
“Mad Men” star John Slattery won his first two SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2009 and 2010 for the drama series. In 2017, Slattery took home another Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble award for his role in the groundbreaking film “Spotlight.”
#25. Dennis Franz
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 14
TV wins: 3
Movie wins: 0
Dennis Franz first made a name for himself in the drama “NYPD Blue.” His role as Detective Andy Sipowicz earned him three SAG Awards, the first two during the inaugural award ceremony. In 1995, Franz won the Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Drama Series and Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Cast for “NYPD Blue;” he won again for Outstanding Actor in 1997.
#24. Michael C. Hall
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 15
TV wins: 3
Movie wins: 0
Michael C. Hall is best known for his roles in “Six Feet Under” and “Dexter,” both of which won him SAG Awards. In 2003, Hall won his first SAG for Best Performance of an Ensemble Cast in “Six Feet Under;” he was awarded the same statuette in 2004. It wasn't until 2010 that he won Best Actor for his role in "Dexter."
#23. Steve Carell
Overall wins: 3
Total nominations: 16
TV wins: 2
Movie wins: 1
Beloved comedic actor Steve Carell has also won three SAG Awards, two for television and one for a movie role. In 2007, Carrell took home two of those awards, one for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Cast in a Comedy Series for "The Office" and the second for Best Performance of an Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture for "Little Miss Sunshine." In 2008, Carrell won again with the cast of "The Office" in Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Cast in a Comedy Series.
#22. Jim Carter
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 6
TV wins: 4
Movie wins: 1
Jim Carter's first win came from his role in “Shakespeare in Love” for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture in 1999. His next three awards were Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Cast in a Drama Series for “Downton Abbey.”
#18. Paul Giamatti (tie)
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 7
TV wins: 2
Movie wins: 2
With an even split down the middle, Paul Giamatti has won four SAG Awards, two for TV, and two for movies. In 2005, he won Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Motion Picture for “Sideways.” His second win for a movie came in 2006, this time for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for “Cinderella Man.” Giamatti took home another award in 2009 for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries for “John Adams.” He won the same award in 2012 for his role in “Too Big to Fail.”
#18. Eriq La Salle (tie)
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 7
TV wins: 4
Movie wins: 0
Eriq La Salle won four awards in four years. He took home the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for “ER” in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999.
#18. Rico Rodriguez (tie)
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 7
TV wins: 4
Movie wins: 0
Rico Rodriguez is only 20 years old, but he's already a four-time SAG Award winner, all for his performance in ABC's hit comedy series “Modern Family.” The cast won for the first time in 2011 for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. The cast won again in 2012, 2013, and 2014.
#18. Noah Wyle (tie)
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 7
TV wins: 4
Movie wins: 0
Just as fellow castmate, Eriq La Salle, Noah Wyle was on "ER" during the series SAG Award run for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Cast in a Drama Series in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999.
#16. Jesse Tyler Ferguson (tie)
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 8
TV wins: 4
Movie wins: 0
Jesse Tyler Ferguson has been nominated for eight SAG Awards, and he has won half of them. His show “Modern Family” won consecutively for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.
#16. Nolan Gould (tie)
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 8
TV wins: 4
Movie wins: 0
Along with his other “Modern Family” co-stars, Nolan Gould also won the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, for the 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 ceremonies.
#13. Jason Alexander (tie)
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 9
TV wins: 4
Movie wins: 0
Jason Alexander has been on TV for years, and the Screen Actors Guild recognized his talent. Alexander won with his “Seinfeld” co-stars for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 1995, 1997, and 1998. In 1995, he also took home the award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as George in “Seinfeld.”
#13. Ed O'Neill (tie)
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 9
TV wins: 4
Movie wins: 0
Ed O'Neill is a TV dad legend, and that shows through his four SAG Awards for “Modern Family.” The cast won Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series four years in a row: 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.
#13. Geoffrey Rush (tie)
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 9
TV wins: 1
Movie wins: 3
With three SAG Awards for movies and one for TV, Geoffrey Rush is no stranger to the Actor statuette. In 1999, Rush won his first two awards; one for Outstanding Performance by an Actor for his role in "Shine" and the second for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for "Shakespeare in Love." The third win came in 2005 when Geoffrey won in the category of Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries for "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers." Rush was a cast member in "The King's Speech," also winning Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in 2011.
#10. Steve Buscemi (tie)
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 11
TV wins: 4
Movie wins: 0
Steve Buscemi is an icon in his own right, and that talent was awarded by SAG with four wins and 11 nominations. His first two wins were for his role in “Boardwalk Empire” in 2011; he won Outstanding Performance by an Actor and Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. He won the same two awards, for the same role, the following year in 2012.
#10. Kevin Spacey (tie)
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 11
TV wins: 2
Movie wins: 2
Just as Buscemi, Kevin Spacey has had 11 nominations and four wins for the Screen Actors Guild. 2000 was when Spacey won his first two awards, both for the film “American Beauty.” He won Outstanding Performance by an Actor and Outstanding Performance by a Cast. He won again in 2015 and 2016 in the Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Drama Series category for his role as Frank Underwood in the hit Netflix drama “House of Cards,” before he was fired by the network following sexual abuse allegations.
#10. Eric Stonestreet (tie)
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 11
TV wins: 4
Movie wins: 0
With his comedic talent and timing, it's no surprise that “Modern Family” star Eric Stonestreet has been nominated for 11 SAG Awards. He was able to scoop up four for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.
#9. William H. Macy
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 12
TV wins: 4
Movie wins: 0
William H. Macy has won four of his 12 nominations in the SAG Awards. His first was in 2003 when he won for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries for “Door to Door.” The next three awards were for his leading role as Frank Gallagher in “Shameless”—all for the Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Comedy Series in 2015, 2017, and 2018.
#6. George Clooney (tie)
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 13
TV wins: 4
Movie wins: 0
Movie star, director, and activist George Clooney acted alongside his co-stars in the hit '90s drama "ER." For that, he was awarded the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Drama Series in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999.
#6. Sean Hayes (tie)
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 13
TV wins: 4
Movie wins: 0
Sean Hayes, a.k.a Jack MacFarland, has won four SAG Awards, all for his role in NBC's hit comedy series “Will & Grace.” He first won in 2001 with the rest of his cast for Outstanding Performance in a Comedy Series. The next three awards came in 2002, 2003, and 2006, but this time he took the award solo: Hayes won for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Comedy Series.
#6. Martin Sheen (tie)
Overall wins: 4
Total nominations: 13
TV wins: 4
Movie wins: 0
Martin Sheen won his four awards in just two years—2001 and 2002—all thanks to his role as President Bartlet in the hit series “The West Wing.” Both years he won the award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Drama Series, and the entire cast won the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
#5. Bryan Cranston
Overall wins: 5
Total nominations: 12
TV wins: 4
Movie wins: 1
Bryan Cranston is one of only a few five-time award winners. He won his first two awards in 2013, for TV and a film. He won Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Drama Series for “Breaking Bad,” as well as Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Motion Picture for “Argo.” In 2014, “Breaking Bad” won him another award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor as well as Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Cranston's most recent win came in 2017 when he won Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series for “All the Way.”
#4. Ty Burrell
Overall wins: 5
Total nominations: 15
TV wins: 5
Movie wins: 0
Another “Modern Family” star makes the list, this time with five wins. Ty Burrell took home the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series when the show won in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. Burrell also won the Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Comedy Series in 2014.
#3. James Gandolfini
Overall wins: 5
Total nominations: 16
TV wins: 5
Movie wins: 0
The late James Gandolfini has had a total of 16 nominations and five SAG Award wins. All of his wins came from his leading role as Tony Soprano in HBO's "The Sopranos." The first win was in 2000 for both Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series as well as the Outstanding Actor award. In 2003, Gandolfini won the Outstanding Performance by an Actor award again. For their final season, the cast of "The Sopranos" once again won the Outstanding Performance Ensemble award in 2008 and Gandolfini was awarded the Outstanding Actor award for a third time.
#2. Anthony Edwards
Overall wins: 6
Total nominations: 12
TV wins: 6
Movie wins: 0
Anthony Edwards has been nominated 12 times for a SAG Award and has won six times. All of his awards come from his time as Dr. Mark Greene on “ER.” Aside from the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series wins in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999, Edwards won Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Drama Series in 1996 and 1998.
#1. Alec Baldwin
Overall wins: 8
Total nominations: 20
TV wins: 8
Movie wins: 0
The actor with the most SAG Award wins is Alec Baldwin. He has been nominated 20 times in his acting career and has won eight of them. His first win came in 2007 in the category of Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in “30 Rock.” He went on to win the same award in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. To round out his eight wins, “30 Rock” won Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2009.
