The live event, which honours fan favourites on the big and small screens, was cancelled at the last minute due to the major industry strike.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) began the strike last week, with 11,500 members stopping work after their contract expired. The union is seeking higher minimum pay, more writers per show, and less exclusivity on single projects, among other demands, which they say have been diminished during the content boom of the streaming era.

Stars including Jennifer Coolidge, Pedro Pascal, and Joseph Quinn voiced their support for those on strike in pre-recorded acceptance speeches during the show. Coolidge, who won the comedic genius award for her work on White Lotus, said she stood “side by side” with those on strike as they were “fighting for the rights of artists everywhere.” She added, “almost all great comedy starts with great writers.”

Pascal, who won Best Hero and Best Duo alongside Bella Ramsey for their work on The Mandalorian, acknowledged those “fighting very hard” for fair wages. The Last of Us, written by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, won Best Show, and Pascal cradled three golden popcorn trophies as he spoke, saying, “We are all … standing in solidarity with the WGA that is fighting very hard for fair wages. We thank you, we love you.”

Quinn, who won the breakthrough performance award, also paid tribute to the striking writers. The WGA had planned to picket the event on Sunday in Santa Monica, California before the live show and red carpet event were cancelled.

The WGA strike is the first in 15 years and has brought a halt to production on several major television shows and films, including The Morning Show, The Handmaid’s Tale, and the upcoming Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The union is continuing to negotiate with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), with talks expected to resume in the coming days.