'Hidden Figures' shocks Screen Actors Guild Awards

The cast of "Hidden Figures" rocketed to the Screen Actors Guild top award at a fiery, protest-laden ceremony that was dominated by defiance over President Trump's sweeping immigration ban.

An uplifting drama about African-American mathematicians who aided NASA's 1960s space race, "Hidden Figures" was the surprise best-ensemble winner Sunday night at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium.

With the Oscar front-runner "La La Land" not nominated in the category, most expected a contest between "Moonlight" or "Manchester by the Sea."

"This story is about unity," said Taraji P. Henson, who stars alongside Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae in "Hidden Figures." "This story is about what happens when we put our differences aside, and we come together as a human race. We win. Love wins. Every time."

From the first remarks by presenter Ashton Kutcher, the ceremony was peppered with speeches that argued passionately for inclusion. In a well-dressed version of the demonstrations sparked nationwide over the weekend, most award winners spoke in some way -- through personal anecdote or a call to arms -- against Trump's halting of immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim nations.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who added another honor for her performance on the political satire "Veep," said she was the daughter of an immigrant who fled religious persecution in Nazi- occupied France.

"Because I love this country, I am horrified by its blemishes," Louis-Dreyfus said. "And this immigrant ban is a blemish, and it is un-American."

Perhaps the most moving speech came from Mahershala Ali, who won best supporting actor for his acclaimed performance in Barry Jenkins' coming-of-age portrait, "Moonlight." Ali said he saw lessons for today in "Moonlight," in which he plays a character who makes a difference in a shy, gay Miami boy's hard life.

"We see what happens when you persecute people," Ali said. "They fold into themselves."

Ali said his relationship with his mother exemplified tolerance. The son of an ordained minister, Ali converted to Islam 17 years ago.