Who Gave Best Speech at SAG Awards 2025? Check Out 'Woke' Declaration From 87-Year-Old Actor That Left Everyone Cheering

One speech at the SAG Awards 2025 stood out for its powerful message on activism, empathy, and unity. Let's see who gave the best speech at the SAG Awards 2025.

Written by Sakina Kaukawala , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Feb 24, 2025 | 12:00 PM IST | 6.6K

Jane Fonda (via Getty Images)

The 31st Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards took place on Sunday, celebrating the best performances in film and television. While many actors delivered memorable speeches, Jane Fonda’s passionate address stood out the most. She received the SAG Life Achievement Award and used her time on stage to advocate for activism, empathy, and unity.

Jane Fonda took the stage to accept her SAG Life Achievement Award and addressed the importance of activism as per CNN. She acknowledged her journey as a 'late bloomer' in Hollywood, saying, “It’s okay to be a late bloomer as long as you don’t miss the flower show.”

In her 31st SAG Awards speech, Fonda spoke about the power of actors in shaping conversations, stating, “We get to open people’s minds to new ideas, take them beyond what they understand of the world and help ‘em laugh when things are tough, like now.”

She also spoke about the importance of unions, calling herself “a big believer in unions” and adding, “This is really important right now when workers’ power is being attacked and community is being weakened.”

Fonda stated how acting requires deep empathy, even for controversial roles. She used Sebastian Stan’s portrayal of Donald Trump in The Apprentice as an example, saying, “While you may hate the behavior of your character, you have to understand and empathize with the traumatized person you’re playing, right?”

This became the best speech at the SAG Awards 2025 as she also addressed the criticism surrounding the term 'woke,' stating, “Make no mistake, empathy is not weak or woke. And, by the way, woke just means you give a damn about other people.”

Fonda spoke about current events and urged people to stand together during difficult times. She warned that many would be affected by the challenges ahead and stated the need for unity, even across political differences.

She encouraged everyone to approach others with empathy rather than judgment, listen with an open heart, and create a space where all could come together. In her view, building a strong and inclusive community was essential to facing the obstacles ahead.

Fonda ended her SAG Awards most inspiring speech on a hopeful note, assuring the audience that there will still be beauty and there will be an ocean of truth for everyone to swim in on the other side of today’s struggles.