SAG Awards 2022: Brian Cox makes a moving speech on Ukraine-Russia conflict

As hit show cast ‘Succession’ took to the stage at Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony 2022, award-winning actor Brian Cox who leads the show made a mention of the ongoing situation in Ukraine. Brian Cox made an emotional reference to the Ukraine-Russia conflict that has shocked the entire world.

While accepting the award for best drama ensemble on behalf of HBO’s ‘Succession’, Brian Cox called attention to the way Russia’s actions affect actors and artists in particular.

Brian Cox said, “One other thing I would like to add which I think is important to me and I hope important to you as actors and performers and writers and directors, [is] what’s going on in Ukraine. It’s truly, truly awful. It’s particularly awful in terms of [how] it’s affecting people particularly in our profession. The President of Ukraine [Volodymyr Zelensky] was a comic. He was a wonderful comic performer. And we should respect that. To come to the presidency was amazing.”

“But the thing that really distressed me is what’s happening in Russia, to my fellow actors and actresses and performers and writers and critics. They are told, under pain of high treason, they cannot say a word about Ukraine. I think that is awful. I think we should all stand together also for those people. The people in Russia who don’t like what’s going on, and particularly the artists. I think we should join and celebrate them and hope that they can make a shift. Because I believe they can,” he added.

Apart from Brian Cox, Michael Keaton, who won best actor in a television movie or limited series for ‘Dopesick’, also mentioned the President’s history as a performer. “We have a fellow actor in Zelensky, who deserves some credit for fighting the fight,” he said.