For the SAG Awards producers, the seating chart is half the fun. How else would we have gotten that epic GIF ofTitanicstarsLeonardo DiCaprioandKate Winslethugging if they weren’t seated next to each other when DiCaprio won best actor at the 2016 show?
“It really is a living, breathing puzzle,” producer Dana Kenerson tells PEOPLE. “That’s part of what makes it fun and part of what makes it different each year. It’s a painting, and it’s funny on show day to see that painting come to life. It’s fun to see how it takes a shape and a life of its own.”
As for what’s in store this year, Kenerson, along with director of awards Jen Coyne-Hoerle and supervising producer Jon Brockett, gave PEOPLE an exclusive sneak peek of the seating chart, which is a bit different than in years past since they opted for round tables instead of the usual rectangular ones this time around.
“This year feels brand new because we’ve switched from our long rectangular tables of the past to rounds, which actually makes it a little easier math-wise to flip flop and play and switch positions,” Coyne-Hoerle says. “All of our tables used to be different sizes so it was more precise like, we have 18 that can fit here, we have 24 that can fit here. So it actually made things a little easier this year.”
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This year, though, Coyne-Hoerle says they’ve had to take into account more crossover between nominees and projects than they’ve ever had to before.
“Scarlett Johansson, for example, is individually nominated in support forJojo Rabbit, she’s part of the cast forJojo, but she’s also nominated forMarriage Story, so we’re trying to getJojonearMarriage Story,” she says. “But then you also have Alfie Allen who’s inJojoand also inGame of Thrones.He wants to sit inGame of Thronesand be close toJojo, and then you haveSam Rockwellwho’s sitting withJojobut wants to be close to [Fosse/Verdoncostar]Michelle Williams.”
“Nicole Kidmanis sitting withBig Little Liesbut we want her close toBombshell, obviously,” she continues. “Then we also sometimes have to take into account that there’s some famous dates in the mix. LikeKeith Urbanwith Nicole Kidman orCatherine Zeta-JoneswithMichael Douglasor Naomi Watts with Billy Crudup or Joe Jonas withSophie Turner.”
SAG Awards seating chart.SAG-AFTRA
“We’re thinking, ‘Who are we seeing from the stage? When we’re getting an individual shot of this person, who might weseebehind them?'” she says. “Once we’ve kind of gotten the nuts and bolts and numbers down, then we can play a little more with the surprises of who you might see behindJennifer Anistonand things like that.”
While Aniston is seated a few tables behind exBrad Pitt(who is seated withOnce Upon a Time…in Hollywoodcostar DiCaprio), Kenerson admits he “has some secret hopes” of a run-in between the two (like the rest of the world).
Then seated close to theBombshelltable is one of the film’s stars Kidman, who is instead seated at theBig Little Liestable alongsideReese WitherspoonandMeryl Streep.
A few tables over, at table 31, there will be anIn Living Colorreunion betweenJamie FoxxandJennifer Lopez, who both appeared on the ’90s sketch show. Seated amongst them isRocketmanactor, Taron Egerton.
“We just thought it was fun if that stays,” Kenerson says. “To see [artists like]Jennifer Lopezin the mix in the room is also a different element to see other actors interacting with them. I think it adds another fun flavor to the mix.”
The reunions don’t stop there sinceBlack PantherstarsLupita Nyong’oandSterling K. Brownare also seated together at table 3 alongsideChristian Bale.
At the end of the day, the three want the nominees to just enjoy themselves.
“We want this to be as fun as possible and also full of some nice reunions that might be a wonderful surprise for people,” Coyne-Hoerle says. “It’s a lot of mixing and mingling because you never know who is a fan ofGame of Thronesor who’s aSchitt’s Creekfan or something like that. It’s fun to mix everybody together and ultimately it’s a showcase of all of our union members.”
Kenerson adds, “Sometimes we say it’s similar to a singles table at a wedding. People also meet. Sometimes they may have met before, sometimes they’re meeting that day. We are trying to make it a fun mix. Maybe they do have a history, they were in acting class together years ago.”
The 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will air live Sunday starting at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and TBS.
source: people.com
