Instagram/Tom Hanks & Patrick Stewa Celebrity Discover the story behind the first SAG Awards in 1995, when actors finally gained their own platform to honor peer excellence in film and television. April 4, 2026 AceShowbiz - On February 25, 1995, NBC broadcast the first-ever ceremony of what would grow into an established annual tradition: the Screen Actors Guild Awards. The honorees, representing accomplishments in both film and television, were selected by the guild's membership, which then numbered 77,615.