SAG awards: Dame Helen Mirren attributes success to mantra of ‘don’t be an ass’

Dame Helen Mirren attributed her career success to her mantra of “be on time and don’t be an ass” as she accepted the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) lifetime achievement award.

In a humorous speech the Oscar-winning actress said she liked to “think inside the box” as she dedicated the accolade to her fellow actors.

The 28th annual ceremony, which returned in person after being held as a shortened virtual ceremony in 2021, took place overnight on Sunday in Santa Monica, Los Angeles.

British talent largely lost out to US counterparts despite being nominated across a wide range of categories.

Dame Helen took to the stage to receive the prestigious accolade after an introduction from Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett, who described her as “acting royalty”.

“Lifetime achievement, that sounds so grand. I suppose I’m alive so by that measure I’m eligible,” she joked.

“But honestly any achievement that I’ve succeeded in is a result of my mantra which is basically ‘be on time and don’t be an ass’.

“Thank you SAG, I hate to say the word sag at my age, it’s always S A G for me.

“I’m simultaneously enormously proud but I’m riven with the understanding that I absolutely do not deserve this.”

With 13 SAG Awards nominations and five wins, Dame Helen is the most decorated SAG lifetime achievement recipient.

Elsewhere Apple TV’s film CODA triumphed, winning outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture.

The film stars English actress Emilia Jones and tells the story of Ruby, the child of deaf adults (CODA).

The film features an ensemble cast of deaf actors, including Troy Kotsur, Marlee Matlin and Daniel Durant.

In an acceptance speech given in American Sign Language (ASL) Matlin said: “We deaf actors have come a long way.

“This validates the fact that deaf actors can work just like anyone else. We look forward to more opportunities for deaf actors.”

Kotsur won the first prize of the evening male actor in a supporting role and in his own speech, also given in ASL, thanked Apple TV+ for their “authentic” casting of the film.