The 32nd Actors Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA returns to Netflix on Sunday, March 1. It marks a historic year for the annual award show: It’s the first time the event will take place since its name change from the SAG Awards late last year. “It’s still actors voting for actors, actors coming a nd enjoying being in the company of their colleagues,” SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin told the Southern California News Group. “It’s still an opportunity in the award season to make sure that the industry remembers how central we are to its success.” Jon Brockett, the Actor Awards showrunner executive producer, echoed that sentiment. “We really wanted to hone in on who we are and really crystallize who we are and the DNA of our show, which is about actors.” SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin shows off a finished solid bronze Actor statuette during the 32nd Actor Awards statuette pouring event presented by SAG-AFTRA on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Finished Actor statuettes are displayed during the 32nd Actor Awards statuette pouring event presented by SAG-AFTRA on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin breaks the mold on a solid bronze Actor statuette during the 32nd Actor Awards statuette pouring event presented by SAG-AFTRA on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Foundry worker Ricardo Godinez applies a blue-green patina to an Actor statuette during the 32nd Actor Awards statuette pouring event presented by SAG-AFTRA on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Show Caption1 of 4SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin shows off a finished solid bronze Actor statuette during the 32nd Actor Awards statuette pouring event presented by SAG-AFTRA on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Expand What makes the Actors Awards unique is that it’s the actors in SAG-AFTRA, which consists of over 160,000 members, voting for their peers. Which means the voters include not only the household names , but also the everyday performers who have worked in roles of all sizes, from a few lines to being the first name on the call sheet. “I think all of the membership feels a sense of pride when the Actor Awards are on, a sense of aspiration maybe,” said Astin. “I hope they know that the people are receiving those awards and seeing that receiving that recognition have had the same experience they’re having. And that’s what makes the evening so special for them, beyond getting to visit with their colleagues, is a sense of arrival.” Part of the reason for the name change comes down to the award itself, known as “the Actor.” And on Thursday, February 5, Astin and Brockett were joined by Joely Fisher and Daryl Anderson, members of the Actors Awards Committee, as well as Mark Bracco and Linda Gierahn, Silent House Executive Producers, which produces the award show, to visit the American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank to watch the awards for this year’s ceremony be made. “The Actor” statuette dates back to the award shows’ beginning in 1995. The mold was created from a sculpture by Edward Saenz. The idea to make the award resemble a piece of fine art was intentional, to differentiate it from the other trophy styles seen in Hollywood during awards season. The American Fine Arts Foundry has been involved in making the statue for as long as the award has been around. “My predecessor as owner of the company was the one that worked with the organization to find a sculptor to create the concept and develop it, and then we’ve been producing it ever since,” shared Brett Barney, president and CEO of American Fine Arts Foundry. “We’re located in Burbank, and we are so closely intertwined with the entertainment industry. It’s really a lot of fun to be behind the scenes making really cool stuff that ends up in front of the camera and honoring people’s best performances.” Foundry workers pour molten bronze metal into molds during the 32nd Actor Awards statuette pouring event presented by SAG-AFTRA on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Foundry workers pour molten bronze metal into molds during the 32nd Actor Awards statuette pouring event presented by SAG-AFTRA on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin shows off a solid bronze Actor statuette after breaking the mold on it during the 32nd Actor Awards statuette pouring event presented by SAG-AFTRA on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Foundry worker Ricardo Godinez applies a blue-green patina to an Actor statuette during the 32nd Actor Awards statuette pouring event presented by SAG-AFTRA on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Show Caption1 of 4Foundry workers pour molten bronze metal into molds during the 32nd Actor Awards statuette pouring event presented by SAG-AFTRA on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at American Fine Arts Foundry in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Expand The process to make the Actor takes about a month. It uses both a wax mold and a ceramic mold. It then takes a team of four in their protective gear to heat up the molten bronze and pour it into the molds. Once hardened, the artist chips away to reveal the statue. It’s a task that Astin got to participate in this year. After the excess has been welded off, known as chasing, it is carefully hand-painted with chemical patina finishing, which is what gives it that turquoise hue. This is what makes each award as unique as the actors who receive it. And with the ever-present conversations around AI and technology in creative spaces, protecting human-made art is a topic that’s important to Astin. “Human life on Earth is going to be experienced differently now, and each and every industry, including and as far as I’m concerned, especially ours, protecting human-centered work, human-centered creativity is not going to happen on its own,” said Astin. “It’s going to require an all-hands-on-deck approach, and the union’s here to protect the interests of our members and fight to accomplish protections for them in this space and in others.” The 2026 Actors Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA will take place on March 1 at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles, California. The show will be hosted by actress Kristen Bell and streamed on Netflix. Additionally, Harrison Ford will be honored with the prestigious SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award during the ceremony. 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