By Lisa Richwine and Danielle Broadway

February 23, 2025 – 11:45 PM PST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Papal thriller “Conclave” claimed the top prize on Sunday at Hollywood’s Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Timothee Chalamet’s portrayal of Bob Dylan made him the surprise best actor winner, at the last major honors ahead of next weekend’s Oscars.

The “Conclave” cast of Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini won best movie ensemble at the SAG Awards, a red-carpet ceremony that streamed live on Netflix (NFLX.O). The film tells the story of the secret maneuvering at the Vatican during the selection of a fictional pope.

Fiennes spoke on behalf of the cast about the need for supportive communities, in filmmaking and in life, as he accepted the SAG trophy on stage in downtown Los Angeles.

“We do recognize the supreme importance of (community) in our work and in the world,” Fiennes said. “That’s what we’re celebrating tonight.”

“Conclave” was feted as the real-life pope, 88-year-old Pope Francis, remained in critical condition with double pneumonia. Italian actress Rossellini wished him well during and after the ceremony.

“We are very, very worried for our pope,” she told reporters after the SAG event. “We love this pope.”

The “Conclave” win signaled the movie could take the prestigious best picture trophy at the Academy Awards on March 2. Members of the SAG-AFTRA actors union pick the SAG winners, and actors form the largest voting body for the Oscars.

But the race for best picture at the Oscars is unusually murky this year.

While “Conclave” also captured the top prize at the Britain’s BAFTA awards, the big trophies from Hollywood producers and directors went to “Anora,” a drama about a sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch.

Chalamet scored the SAG award for best movie actor for playing a young Dylan as he arrives in New York to try to make it in music in “A Complete Unknown.”

The outcome was an upset over Adrien Brody, who landed several acting trophies earlier in the season for playing an immigrant and architect in “The Brutalist.”

The 29-year-old Chalamet said he “poured everything I had” into his portrayal of Dylan.

“The truth is, I’m really in pursuit of greatness,” Chalamet said. “I want to be one of the greats.”

Demi Moore was honored as best movie actress for her role as a fading celebrity seeking a fountain of youth in “The Substance.” The actress recalled getting her SAG union card in 1978 at age 15.

“It changed my life because it gave me meaning, it gave me purpose and it gave me direction,” she said. “I was a kid on my own who had no blueprint for life.”

The supporting movie actor and actress trophies went to Kieran Culkin for “A Real Pain” and Zoe Saldana for “Emilia Perez.”

In television honors, the cast of FX’s “Shogun,” a tale of political machinations in imperial Japan, was named best ensemble in a drama. “Only Murders in the Building” won best ensemble in a comedy series for stars including Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin.

“Wait, we never win. This is so weird,” a surprised Gomez said. “Marty and Steve aren’t here because, you know, they don’t really care,” she added, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Actor and activist Jane Fonda was honored with a life achievement award and talked about the empathy that actors draw upon in their performances.

“Empathy is not weak or woke,” she said, “and by the way, woke just means you give a damn about other people.”

^{Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Michael Perry and Lincoln Feast}