LOS ANGELES – As the cast of “Conclave” descended steps leading to backstage at the Shrine Auditorium, they got a fresh round of applause from staff and crew at the Screen Actors Guild Awards to go with the big ovation they’d gotten moments earlier from the ballroom crowd.

The esteemed group of Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini and John Lithgow had enough collective gravitas on their own, but Harrison Ford, who had just presented them the best ensemble award, the night’s big prize, also walked among them.

He was among the generations of stars, including the night’s other big winners and nominees, to congratulate the elite performers from the papal potboiler as they made their way through the behind-the-scenes winners’ obligations at the SAG Awards, with an Associated Press reporter in tow.

A photographer asked the “Conclave” winners to stop and pose, and shouted “Get in there Mr. Ford!”

Ford, not wanting to horn in, walked backwards up the steps back on to the stage.

SAG staffers tried to lead the group to their next stop, but they had to wait. “I have to go get my purse!” Rossellini said, and returned to the ballroom. Lithgow went back in too to get his wife.

A whirlwind of stars congratulate ‘Conclave’ cast

A gleeful Jamie Lee Curtis descended on the two before they left and gave congrats and kisses to each.

Fiennes walked ahead alone for a moment, and happened on Ariana Grande, whose cast of “Wicked” had been up against “Conclave” for best ensemble.

‘Yay, congratulations!” she told Fiennes. “I was really happy for you guys I was screaming!”

She then introduced him to her date, Broadway’s “Spongebob SquarePants” actor Ethan Slater.

Next came a station, normally a bar, where the actual SAG statuettes are handed out. (The ones they accept on stage are just props.)

Jane Fonda, the night’s winner of the guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award, walked up.

“Are you guys just hanging out at the bar?” she said.

“I’m waiting for you, Jane Fonda!” Fiennes replied.

Fiennes pulled her aside and quietly praised the call-to-arms political speech she made during the show.

“You nailed it,” he said, adding that she expressed “what no one is saying.”

Rossellini reappeared, gave a big hug to Fonda, and introduced her to the fourth “Conclave” cast member in attendance, Sergio Castellitto, who played the vaping Cardinal Tedesco in the film.

“He was the conservative,” Rossellini said.

“I was the villain!” Castellitto added.

Enter newly-minted winner Timothée Chalamet

Timothée Chalamet, winner of best male actor for “A Complete Unknown,” then showed up to get his statue.

“Where’s Timothée?” Fiennes shouted.

“Hey Ralph, how’s it going, I was hoping I’d see you guys!” Chalamet said.

The wins for “Conclave” and Chalamet threw a wrench into expectations for the Oscars that are just a week away, with Chalamet, Fiennes and Rossellini all nominees. The presumed Oscar frontrunner, “Anora,” was shut out.

Lithgow returned to the group, and when Chalamet saw him he shouted, “Hey John, not bad eh?”

A photographer asked Lithgow to pose with his award, and he held up fingers to indicate this was his third.

“I don’t want to boast, but..,” he said with a shrug to the AP reporter.

A rush of photos and time to get familiar with their SAG statuette

The group moved along and signed show posters, then made their way to the area where winners pose for press photos.

Actors always say awards are heavy when they get them, but by all accounts the SAG statue truly is. Kieran Culkin made the heft the subject of half his acceptance speech for best supporting male actor.

While he waited for the photo session, the 62-year-old Fiennes did some presses with his award with each arm.

The 79-year-old Lithgow held his over his head with one arm as the photos were snapped.

His wife of more than 40 years, UCLA business professor Mary Yeager, found a bench nearby to sit down after the long night.

The group then stood for virtual questions from reporters at a news conference, and made their way into the official after-party, where they got their statuettes engraved.

Before leaving with Yeager, Lithgow posed with a group of firefighters who had taken on the recent Los Angeles wildfires and had been the evening’s special guests, getting a standing ovation when they were introduced before the show.

Inside the SAG Awards ballroom

The firefighters spent much of the night getting similar photos.

During the first break in the telecast, they headed straight past Ford and Jeff Goldblum, who were standing and chatting, to the table where Grande sat with the “Wicked” cast, perhaps looking to impress their children with the photos.

They later made their way to Ford, who wanted to talk with them for a while before taking a picture.

With only actors as nominees, the SAG Awards crowd has a high famous-to-not famous ratio, and behind the scenes it’s easy to see things like best female actor winner Demi Moore talking to best male actor nominee Adrien Brody as they walk toward the restrooms. Both are also up for Oscars.

The SAG Awards are also a union meeting, and this group, who went on a historic strike in 2023, were asked through fliers at place settings, a video that played during a break, and a pre-telecast plea from their leader to support their striking colleagues who work on video games.

Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, also spoke of the need for legislation putting strict limits on the use of artificial intelligence to create actors’ performances.

“As I look out at our guests I see some of the most deep-faked people in the world,” he said.