Brendan Fraser has had a triumphant return to the screen, and during Sunday's 29th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, he took home the trophy for outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role.

Adding to the accolades he's received for his portrayal of Charlie in The Whale, Fraser accepted his statuette on stage by tearfully saying, “I’m smiling, I’m breathing, that’s half the job.” In his emotional speech, he also added, “I will treasure this but never more than what I used to keep in my wallet, which was my SAG card that I earned in 1991. It made me feel like I belonged.”

“I never would’ve believed that I would’ve been offered the role of my life in this character, Charlie, in The Whale. He’s someone who is on a raft of regrets but he’s in a sea of hope,” Fraser said. “I’ve been at that sea and I’ve rode that wave lately. It’s been powerful and good and I’ve also had that wave smash me right down to the ocean floor. All the actors out there who’ve gone through that, who are going through that, I know how you feel. But, believe me, if you just stay in there and you put one foot in front of the other, you’ll get to where you need to go. Have courage.”

This is Fraser's first individual SAG Award, but second overall. (He was also part of the cast of Crash, which won outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture in 2006.) Directed by Darren Aronofsky, The Whale also stars Hong Chau, who was nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role.

The actor came out victorious in a category that also included Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin), Austin Butler (Elvis), Bill Nighy (Living) and Adam Sandler (Hustle).

Head here to see the list of winners.