Seth Rogen was clearly keeping an eye on Hollywood news ahead of the 2026 Actor Awards.
The Studio star offered a few barbs at the Writers Guild of America West during SAG-AFTRA’s 2026 Actor Awards, formerly known as the SAG Awards, when he took the stage to accept the best comedy actor prize.
After the writers union’s West Coast division canceled its upcoming awards show, set for Sunday, March 8, due to an ongoing strike from its staff union, Rogen joked that SAG-AFTRA was “able to pay your own employees enough to keep the award show from being canceled.”
“Take notes, WGA,” he added.
His comments, which came in his first of multiple appearances onstage Sunday accepting various awards, were part of his acceptance speech for best actor in a comedy series for The Studio. He later accepted the best comedy ensemble win for the cast and for his late co-star Catherine O’Hara, who won best actress in a comedy series.
In his speech, Rogen confessed that he’d “always honestly kind of considered myself more of a writer who was able to write myself roles that I then kind of forced people to allow me to perform in, but this, actually, makes me feel like an actor for this evening, so I really appreciate it.”
Earlier Sunday, the WGA West announced it would be canceling next week’s festivities in a letter sent to presenters and participants at the ceremony.
“Currently, the non-supervisory staff of the WGAW, represented by the Pacific Northwest Staff Union (PNWSU), is on strike,” WGA West president Mulroney wrote in the letter. “While I respect the staff’s right to strike, I also believe that you deserve an uncomplicated celebration of your achievements. We would not ask you, your guests, talent and crew to cross a picket line to attend.”
The Writers Guild Staff Union (WGSU), which has been picketing in front of the union’s L.A. headquarters, has alleged that management committed unfair labor practices amid first contract negotiations and said earlier this week that management had threatened to scrap the awards, which the staff union framed as an attempt to “drive a wedge between union staff and WGA membership.”
The Los Angeles ceremony was set to take place at JW Marriott L.A. LIVE and be hosted by Atsuko Okatsuka. The ceremony would also have livestreamed on the Writers Guild Awards West’s YouTube channel.
Even though the L.A. ceremony was canceled, the Writers Guild of America East ceremony, set to take place in New York on Sunday, March 8, will move forward, as they remain separate unions, and the WGA East’s staff union is not on strike.
The New York Writers Guild Awards ceremony will be hosted by Roy Wood Jr.