Has Any Cast Been More Excited to Win a SAG Award Than Hidden Figures? (No They Have Not)

At long last!

By Seija Rankin Jan 30, 2017 3:52 AMTags
Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Taraji P. HensonKevin Winter/Getty Images

We'll excuse you if you need to catch your breath, because man was that an emotional roller coaster ride.

Of course, it was the best kind of ride: One that ends on the highest note possible. 

In the final award of the 2017 SAG Awards, the cast of Hidden Figures won for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. And after the horror of the Golden Globes and that Hidden Fences nonsense, it was about dang time. While the entire viewing audience collectively cheered as the movie's title was called, perhaps no one was more jazzed than the cast members themselves. And, dare we say, no one will ever be that jazzed again. 

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After careful evaluation, we have come to the conclusion that Taraji P. HensonJanelle Monáe and Octavia Spencer were simply going through the five stages of Winning A Very Important Award for a Very Important Movie at a Very Important Time. It's similar to the five stages of grief, but without, you know, grief. 

First, the cast experienced disbelief. They simply could not comprehend that they just beat out the teams from Moonlight and Manchester by the Sea and Captain Fantastic and Fences. They simply could not keep their jaws from dropping to the ground. 

Then they entered the blackout stage, in which you are so excited for what has just transpired (and what is about to transpire) that you lose all control of your limbs and facial expressions and couldn't even begin to recount what exactly just happened, even if somebody offered you $1 million to do so. See Taraji P. Henson as she graces the stage with her presence, below. 

Next is the Oh-Crap-We-Have-to-Stand-Up-in-Front-of-All-These-People-Now-Don't-We stage. It is typically characterized by feelings of mild panic, a realization that all eyes are on oneself, and this face, that the lovely Octavia Spencer is making. 

Kevin Winter/Getty Images
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The good news is that the Oh Crap phase is immediately followed by the Getting Down to Business stage. It can help to have a mantra ready, in order to channel your nerves into actions. "Steady yourself, heart. Talk to me, God." 

And, lastly, the final stage is Letting It All Out. This is where every other emotion that hasn't had its time in the sun gets to shine. Joy! Sadness! Pride! Hope! Those going through this stage will cry, they will cheer, they will nod so emphatically you worry about a neck injury, they will scream at the top of their lungs a catch phrase so inspiring that it earns a standing ovation and a place in the GIF hall of fame.