As millions of people took a stand against Donald Trump's Muslim ban by taking to the streets in protest, venting on social media or adding their adding to petitions, Sunday's Screen Actor's Guild award provided the perfect platform for some of Hollywood's biggest names.

Accepting the Best Picture award on behalf of the cast of Hidden Figures, Taraji P Henson delivered a rousing speech about the significance of unity in the film, which tells the true story of three black women who played pivotal roles in Nasa's 1961 space race.

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"This film is about unity," the actress said. "The shoulders of the women that we stand on are three American heroes: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson," she told the star-studded crowd.

"Without them, we would not know how to reach the stars."

"These women did not complain about the problems, the circumstances, the issues," she continued. "They focused on solutions. Therefore, these brave women helped put men into space."

Henson went on to add much could be achieved if the world learnt to put their differences aside. "This story is about what happens when we put our differences aside, and we come together as a human race. We win. Love wins every time... They are hidden figures no more!"

Trump signed an Executive Order preventing entry to the US indefinitely for refugees from at least seven Muslim countries from entering the US: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

The ban, which has been widely condemned as "racist", particularly struck home with Moonlight actor Mahershala Ali, who was raised Christian and later converted to Islam. He used his SAG Supporting Actor speech to discuss the persecution of those from Muslim-majority countries.

The 42-year-old star, who plays drug dealer Barry Jenkins in the movie, said: "When we get caught up in the minutiae, the details that make us all different, I think there's two ways of seeing that; there's an opportunity to see the texture of that person, the characteristics that make them unique. And then there's the opportunity to go to war about it. And to say, 'that's person's different from me, and I don't like you. So let's battle.'"