Washington [US], March 4 (ANI): This year's Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards are going to a bit different as the ceremony has undergone major changes owing to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Unlike the recent Golden Globes 2021 hybrid format, which featured some in-person and virtual appearances, the SAG Awards 2021 will be completely virtual and pre-taped.

As per Variety, the award show, airing on April 4, will also only run for one hour. The SAG Awards will not have a host, a red carpet, or even a set.

The ceremony will include the presentation of 13 awards and feature comedy bits as well as the traditional 'I Am An Actor' segments from nominees and other presenters. The event will also include an 'In Memoriam' segment.

Among performers who have already signed on to participate are Sterling K. Brown, Lily Collins, Daveed Diggs, Ted Danson, and Mary Steenburgen.

"We're looking at trying to do a unique award ceremony in an hour and leave people saying, which they very rarely do with an awards show, 'Man, I wish we had more,'" co-executive producer Todd Milliner told Variety.

The awards will be handed out in the days ahead of the air date in Zoom rooms for each category, where the nominees will gather and the winner will be announced. The winner will then get the chance to make an acceptance speech. This means spoilers are possible, but co-executive producer Kathy Connell hopes that won't happen.

"We hope they respect the show enough and everybody does, and their fellow actors, that they don't want to disappoint the audience at home by letting any surprises go," Connell said of nominees who will know outcomes ahead of the show's airdate.

Apart from Milliner and Connell, 'Will and Grace' actor Sean Hayes is also a part of the team of executive producers.

The much-awaited nominations for the 27th Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards were announced last month, with 'Ma Rainey` Black Bottom,' Da 5 Bloods', 'Minari,' 'One Night in Miami' and 'The Trial of the Chicago 7' featuring prominently in the nomination list.

Late actor Chadwick Boseman received two posthumous nominations from the SAG Awards.

Originally, the award show was scheduled for January 24, before the pandemic forced a move to March 14. But when the Grammys shifted to that date, the SAG Awards moved again, to April 4. (ANI)