'Slumdog,' 'Rock,' Heath Score at SAGs
PopEater / Wire Services
(Jan. 26) -- Much like the Golden Globes just a few weeks ago, 'Slumdog Millionaire' and '30 Rock' were the kings of their categories at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday night, with each bringing in top honors from their peers. In another notable award, the late Heath Ledger won the best supporting actor award for his turn as The Joker in 'The Dark Knight.'
'Slumdog' took home the award for best cast of a motion picture, the SAG equivalent of best picture. On the television side, "30 Rock" swept with wins for comedyseries cast, Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey. TV drama honors went to thecast of "Mad Men," Hugh Laurie ("House") and Sally Field("Brothers & Sisters").
Skip over this contentKate Winslet Snapshots
Kate Winslet attends the European Premiere of Revolutionary Road at the Odeon Leicester Square. on January 18, 2009 in London, England.
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Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet attend the European Premiere of Revolutionary Road at the Odeon Leicester Square. on January 18, 2009 in London, England.
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Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet attends the European Premiere of Revolutionary Road at the Odeon Leicester Square. on January 18, 2009 in London, England.
Danny Martindale/FilmMagic.com
Kate Winslet attends the European Premiere of Revolutionary Road at the Odeon Leicester Square. on January 18, 2009 in London, England.
Danny Martindale/FilmMagic.com
Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet attend the UK premiere of
Mike Marsland/WireImage.com
Kate Winslet attends the UK premiere of
Mike Marsland/WireImage.com
Kate Winslet attends the UK premiere of
Mike Marsland/WireImage.com
Kate Winslet attends the UK premiere of
Mike Marsland/WireImage.com
Kate Winslet attends the UK Premiere of Revolutionary Road at Odeon Leicester Square on January 18 2008 in London, England.
Mike Marsland/WireImage.com
Kate Winslet attends the UK premiere of
Eamonn McCormack/WireImage.com
"Slumdog," the story of a teenage orphan from the slums ofMumbai who becomes the biggest winner ever on India's version of"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," has been both a critical andcommercial hit. Its victory drew enthusiastic applause from thestar-studded crowd at the Shrine Auditorium Sunday night, and it'slooking like more of a front-runner than ever as it heads into theAcademy Awards Feb. 22 with 10 nominations, including best picture.
Anil Kapoor, who played the movie's smarmy game show host, spokeon behalf of the "Slumdog" cast and dedicated the honor to thefilm's many young actors.
"They deserve this award. They set our performances," he said."It's the children who've done it, not us."
Sean Penn won the lead-actor award for his mesmerizing portrayalof slain gay-rights leader Harvey Milk in "Milk." The notoriouslyoutspoken star opened his acceptance speech by saying: "Thank youand good evening, comrades," sparking laughter. "That was for(Bill) O'Reilly".
"As actors, we don't play gay, straight. We don't play any ofthese kinds of people. We play human beings, and this movie issomething that we're, all of us involved, are so proud of," hesaid. "This is a story about equal rights for all human beings."
The lead-female actor award - SAG's version of best actress -went to Meryl Streep for her scenery-chewing turn as a judgmentalnun in "Doubt." Streep joked as she took the stage that shedidn't even buy a dress for the occasion, stepping away from thepodium to reveal a plunging black blouse and pants.
"Can I just say there is no such thing as the best actress, youknow? There is no such thing as the `greatest living actress.' I amin a position where I have secret information, that I know this tobe true," said the Academy Awards record-holder with 15 actingnominations, including one for "Doubt." "I am so in awe of thework of the women this year - nominated, not nominated - so proudof us girls. And everybody wins when we get parts like this."
As expected, Heath Ledger posthumously won the supporting-actoraward for his unpredictable turn as the Joker in "The DarkKnight." Ledger, who died a year ago of an accidental drugoverdose, drew a standing ovation from his fellow actors. He'salready won a Golden Globe for his inspired performance andcontinues to look unbeatable at the Oscars.
"I'm quite emotional," Ledger's "Dark Knight" co-star GaryOldman began, speaking in his place. "It is a great honor to beasked to accept this on behalf of Heath. He was an extraordinaryyoung man with an extraordinary talent, and it's wonderful that youhave acknowledged that and honored that talent tonight."
And Kate Winslet continues to rack up the honors for hersupporting performance as a former Nazi concentration camp guard in"The Reader." She already has a Golden Globe for the part and isup for lead-actress at the Academy Awards.
Backstage, Winslet said playing Hanna Schmitz was the mostchallenging role of her career, one that still makes her"breathless and jangly" to discuss.
"When I was asked to play Hanna, I couldn't find anything in myown life that I could compare to. I couldn't relate to her at all.I was so frightened - I've never had that before, where I literallyhad nothing," she said. "I didn't like her all the time and itwas hard coming to a place where I understood her at least. Did Isympathize with her? No. But I had to have an understanding ofher."
Skip over this content Meanwhile, among television winners, "30 Rock" continues itsawards-show dominance. Fey, creator and star of the series setbehind the scenes at a sketch-comedy show, lobbed a wisecrack atHollywood producers, who have fought the trade guilds over actors',writers' and others' share of potential profits from Webprogramming.
Joking that one day, her young daughter would be old enough towatch reruns of "30 Rock" on the Internet, Fey said: "She'lllook up at me and say, `What do you mean, you don't get residualsfor this?"'
And "Mad Men" continues its unlikely success streak with thedrama ensemble prize. The story of '60s advertising executiveswhich airs on the cable channel AMC, also won best drama series atthe Golden Globes and the Emmys.
Speaking on behalf of the cast, star Jon Hamm thanked "ourdozens of viewers," before acknowledging show creator MatthewWeiner.
Backstage, when asked what it's like to win such an award whenthe Screen Actors Guild might go on strike, Hamm replied: "It's adifficult time for the union and a difficult time for unions ingeneral... I hope with the new administration's more softenedapproach to labor there might be some more positive feedback on ourend of things, but it's impossible to know...
"It's still feels good to win," he added.
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2009-01-25 20:42:50
