SAG Awards: Why Demi Moore Took a Long Pause in Her Acceptance Speech

SAG Awards 2025: Shocking Wins, Iconic Reunions & More Must See Moments!

Demi Moore’s award season has been full throttle. 

The Substance star took home the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role award for her performance in the horror film at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Feb. 23. (For all the stars who won big at the 2025 SAG awards, click here.)

Recounting how she earned her SAG card, Demi—clad in a black Bottega Veneta gown—began onstage at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium, “It was in 1978. I was 15, almost 16, and it changed my life because it gave me meaning.”

“It gave me purpose and it gave me direction,” she continued, “because I was a kid, on my own, who had no blueprint for life—and I certainly knew nothing about acting.”

The actress—who beat out fellow nominees Mikey Madison (Anora), Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez), Pamela Anderson (The Last Showgirl) and Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) in her category—went on to emphasize the importance of believing in yourself.

“There’s this idea that what we believe is so much more powerful than what we think,” she shared. “But the reality is, when I believe it, I will see it—and I am so grateful for this.”

Sharing that she once was a “little girl who didn’t believe in herself,” Demi was visibly emotional as she looked down at her award. In fact, she took a long, reflective pause before resuming her speech.

“The words are kind of beyond me,” she explained to the crowd, “so I’m just going to have to just say thank you.”

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Heading into the big night in television and film, which was hosted by Kristen Bell for the second year in a row, Outstanding Performance by a Lead Female Actor wasn’t the only category to be stacked with impressive nominees. 

After all, Adrien Brody (The Brutalist), Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Daniel Craig (Queer), Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) and Ralph Fiennes (Conclave) all faced off for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Lead Role. Meanwhile, the casts of A Complete Unknown, Anora, Conclave, Emilia Pérez and Wicked earned nods for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.  

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But seeing stars get their hands on the iconic “The Actor” trophies isn’t the only draw of the SAG awards. For Kristen, the ceremony is also an opportunity to put a smile on millions of people’s faces. 

“Especially having it airing it on Netflix and making it seem global, it allows people to have a night of just fun, normal, goofy jokes,” she told People in an interview published Feb. 18, “and see all of the stars of television and film that they love.” 

For all the stars who showed out for the 2025 SAG Awards, keep reading. 

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Ariana Grande

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Timothee Chalamet

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Selena Gomez

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Cynthia Erivo 

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Leighton Meester

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Adam Brody

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Zoe Saldaña 

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Keke Palmer 

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Kieran Culkin

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Millie Bobby Brown

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Demi Moore

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Colman Domingo

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Kristen Bell 

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Jeremy Allen White

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Mikey Madison

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Kerry Washington

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Jeremy Strong 

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Jamie Lee Curtis 

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Michelle Yeoh

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Daniel Craig 

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Pamela Anderson

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Jane Fonda 

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Ralph Fiennes 

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Quinta Brunson

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Anna Sawai

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Elle Fanning

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Colin Farrell

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Nicola Coughlan

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Ebon Moss-Bachrach

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Lily Gladstone

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