Michael Cera, Colman Domingo, Hannah Waddingham and Elba took part in the monologue tradition for the 30th annual SAG Awards
The 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards kicked off the evening with its traditional “I Am an Actor” opening segment, featuring a few stars reminiscing about their career journey.
Michael Cera, Colman Domingo, Hannah Waddingham and Idris Elba were tapped to appear in this year’s opener as the ceremony commemorated its 30th annual year — and Elba, 51, shared a hilarious anecdote featuring Robert De Niro.
For his segment, the Hijack star joked about getting “kicked out” of De Niro’s office years ago.
“When I was just starting out in this business, I was 19 years old. I scammed my way up to Robert De Niro’s office in Tribeca [where] auditions were taking place for A Bronx Tale. And they started that week even though I was very late and wasn’t even invited,” he quipped.
Elba continued, “I used my English charm to convince the security guard and the receptionist that I had an appointment. Now the woman sent me up into the elevator—you remember when the elevators had a little key and you went in and went up?”
“I psyched myself in the elevator, did my Robert De Niro impression I was like, ‘What are you going to do, when you in there what are you gonna do? Idris, come here.’ ”
The Luther star concluded, “Anyway, enough of that. And that’s when I ended up in A Bronx Tale. No, I’m lying now. I wasn’t in A Bronx Tale. I got kicked out of the office by Robert De Niro’s producing partner at the time, a gesture that I took to mean, kid, you’re going to go places. I’m Idris Elba, and I’m an actor.”
For her part, Ted Lasso star Waddingham recalled playing the Lady of the Lake in the West End production of Monty Python’s Spamalot.
“I had a 47 second quick change under the stage to come back up through the floor, holding the Holy Grail as you do getting ready to sing into the face of the legendary and very fabulous Jim Carrey,” she said.
“As I was rising up, I felt this kind of muscle spasm right here around the top of my dress, but when I gestured stretching out my arm, it stopped, so I didn’t think any more of it,” she continued.
“Following night, this is after a matinee and evening show, I went to take off my costume, but I’ve noticed all day there was a rather embarrassing acrid stench around me. I went to air the dress, and a mouse flew out of the dress, smacked against the wall and landed on the floor. So that’s one show with a live mouse in my dress, and two shows with it dead. Oh, the glamour!” she concluded.
Meanwhile, Cera recalled starting out as a child actor in his segment, and Domingo discussed all the diverse roles he’s played, from a pimp to a civil rights hero.
The “I Am an Actor” opening began at the first-ever SAG Awards in 1995. At the time, Angela Lansbury introduced the concept of the ceremony before proceeding to share a little bit about herself with audience members.
The tradition has continued with each ceremony, with stars like Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Keaton, Elle Fanning and Javier Bardem being among the segment’s participants. Jamie Lee Curtis, Quinta Brunson, Janelle James, Niecy Nash-Betts and Bob Odenkirk participated in last year’s opening.
See PEOPLE’s full coverage of the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards as they stream live on Netflix.
