"Sinners" has scooped the top prize at the Screen Actors Guild gala in Los Angeles, tightening the race to the Oscars with two weeks to go before Hollywood's awards season finale.

Ryan Coogler's vampire fable about America's difficult racial history has stormed through awards season, garnering a record 16 Oscar nominations.

"We brought our hearts, we brought our souls, we brought our spirits to this endeavour," said Delroy Lindo, who plays blues musician player Delta Slim, as he accepted the SAG award, which has been rebranded as the Actor Awards, on behalf of the cast.

It was the first time "Sinners" seized a top prize at a pre-Oscars gala, which have so far been largely swept by "One Battle After Another", including at the Producers Guild Awards on Saturday.

Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle" is a political thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a pot-addled former revolutionary forced back into the game when his teenage daughter goes missing.

Voting for the Academy Awards does not close until Thursday, meaning Sunday's results could be influential.

For best leading male actor, Michael B Jordan pulled off a surprise win in a category that Timothee Chalamet ("Marty Supreme") has dominated all season.

"I'm so honoured and privileged to be nominated in categories with people and actors and humans that I love," he said. "This ride has been unbelievable."

For best leading female actor, there were no surprises when Jessie Buckley's name was announced, with the Irish actress, who plays the grief-stricken wife of William Shakespeare mourning their son in "Hamnet", having so far won nearly every prize on offer.

The race for the Oscar for best supporting performers became even cloudier after Sunday's gala.

Amy Madigan took home the statuette for best supporting actress for her role as the sinister aunt in horror flick "Weapons", following her success at the Critics Choice Awards.

The television side of the awards was dominated by Apple TV's Hollywood satire "The Studio" which won three statuettes, including a posthumous award for Catherine O'Hara, who died in January.

The evening also honoured veteran Harrison Ford with a life achievement award for memorable roles that have included Han Solo in the "Star Wars" franchise and Indiana Jones.

"I'm in a room of actors, many of whom are here because they've been nominated to receive a prize for their amazing work, while I'm here to receive a prize for being alive," the 83-year-old said to laughs. (AFP)



Edited by Tony Sabine