It was a politically charged evening last night at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Already, this year’s awards season has been characterised by numerous speeches against US President Donald Trump, and last night numerous actors spoke out against his controversial ban on Muslims from seven select countries.

Ashton Kutcher kick started the event with an impassioned opening speech: “Hello fellow SAG actor members and everyone at home, and everyone in airports around the world that belong in my America.”

He continued: “You are a part of the fabric of who we are and we love you and we welcome you.”

 

More similarly themed speeches followed. Kerry Washington, for example, said: “A lot of people are saying right now that actors shouldn’t express they opinions when it comes to politics. But the truth is activists are activists, no matter what because we embody the work of all people.”

 

Lily Tomlin was awarded the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award on the night. She also spoke about Trump, even comparing his tactics to those of the Nazis:

 

Earlier in the night, Dev Patel, who was nominated for Lion, said: “I just flew in from India a day ago. When I heard the news it was utterly devastating.

“The first thing that came into my head was the children who arrive on these shores with hope in their hearts… It's horrible. It's divisive… I hope something changes and something can be done because it really is terrible.”

 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus spoke out against President Donald Trump’s controversial immigrant ban during her acceptance speech at the awards ceremony, saying: “I want you all to know that I am the daughter of an immigrant”, going on to say the ban is “un-American.”

 

Not everyone present used the power of speech to express their protestation. Actor Simon Helberg from The Big Bang Theory and wife Jocelyn Towne used the red carpet to signal their feelings on Trump's travel ban: