The historical drama "Oppenheimer," which portrays the race to build the first atomic bomb, continued to dominate Hollywood's award season by winning the top honors at the 30th Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards on Saturday. The celebratory night comes after the union went on monthslong strike last year.

The Christopher Nolan movie won the top award for outstanding movie cast, handed out by members of the SAG-AFTRA actors union. Cillian Murphy, the actor who played scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, was named the best movie actor while his co-star Robert Downey Junior won the best supporting actor prize.

"Why me? Why now? Why do things seem to be going my way?" said Downey Jr. "Unlike my fellow nominees, I will never grow tired from the sound of my own voice." 

The wins, in addition to those at the Golden Globes and BAFTA, contribute to the mega-hit movie's chances at next month's Oscars.

The SAG awards are considered an indicator of the Academy Awards since actors form the largest group of voters for the Oscars next month.  In the past two years, all five of the top SAG prizes have corresponded with the eventual Oscar winners. However, it is not a given. 

Saturday's ceremony comes after SAG-AFTRA staged a four-month strike against Hollywood studios to demand better pay and job security, leading to several projects being canned or delayed.

"It is especially meaningful to be here with us all together again, for this occasion, after going though a very difficult time with the strike," actor Idris Elba said in opening remarks.

Other wins

Lily Gladstone, star of the historical drama "Killers of the Flower Moon," won the best female actor award of the evening while Da'Vine Joy Randolph won supporting actress for playing a grieving mother in "The Holdovers."

On the television front,  Ali Wong won best female actor in a limited series for the Netflix series "Beef." Her co-star Steven Yeun also won the best male actor in a limited series.

Kitchen drama "The Bear" continued its awards run, winning best comedy series, and awards for Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri. 

mk/sms (Reuters, AP)