Big SAG Wins For "No Country," "Sopranos"
"No Country for Old Men" solidified its Academy Awards prospects as Javier Bardem won as supporting-actor and the film was honored for overall cast at Sunday's Screen Actors Guild Awards, which may stand as the highlight of Hollywood's film-honors season if the writers strike undermines the Oscars.
Past Oscar winners Daniel Day-Lewis of "There Will Be Blood" and Julie Christie of "Away From Her" won the lead-acting honors, also giving them a boost to win the same trophies at the Oscars.
Day-Lewis dedicated his win to Heath Ledger, found dead in his Manhattan loft last week.
"In 'Brokeback Mountain,' he was unique, he was perfect," said Day-Lewis, already an Oscar winner for "My Left Foot." "That scene in the trailer at the end of the film is as moving as anything I think I've ever seen."
Complete List of SAG Winners & Nominees
Backstage With The Winners
The SAG show itself was generally free of labor talk, with only Christie addressing the matter openly among the winners.
"It's lovely to receive an award from your own union," Christie said "especially at a time when we're being so forcefully reminded how important unions are."
14th Annual SAG Awards Red Carpet
Bardem had kind words for Joel and Ethan Coen, who directed "No Country" and adapted the screenplay from Cormac McCarthy's novel.
"Thank you, guys, for hiring me, and thank you for taking the hard work of choosing the good takes instead of the ones where I really sucked," said Bardem, who won for his chilling role as a relentless killer tracking a fortune in missing drug money.
The awards honors acting performances in film and television, and is one of the few to include categories for ensemble acting and stunt work.
Photos: On Stage At The SAG Awards
"The Sopranos" swept the television drama category, with lead-acting trophies going to stars Edie Falco and James Gandolfini, and the entire cast winning outstanding performance. The HBO show's controversial final episode aired in June after ten years.
Ruby Dee won supporting actress for "American Gangster." She shared fond thoughts of her late husband and frequent acting partner, Ossie Davis, who died in 2005.
"I accept it also for my husband Ossie," the 83-year-old Dee said, "because he's working on things up there."
Photos: SAG Jewels & Gowns
"This is our last of 'The Sopranos,'" said Gandolfini, accepting his award for outstanding male actor in a drama series. "Our last official act as 'The Sopranos' together.""30 Rock" stars Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin each won outstanding acting in a comedy series honors. .
"If you've seen me on the show with Alec Baldwin, you know it's sort of like watching Fred Astaire dance with a hat rack," Fey said, accepting her award. "And after a while, you're like 'that hat rack is pretty good, too.' You've given an award to the hat rack, and I thank you."
Photos: Fashion Police
The cast of "The Office" won for outstanding ensemble in a comedy series.
"The Bourne Ultimatum" and "24" won the Screen Actors Guild's first-ever prizes for best stunt ensemble Sunday as Hollywood held what could be its fanciest party if the writers strike undermine the Academy Awards.
The prizes were announced before the big ceremony saluting actors began.
Normally a small cousin to the Golden Globes and Oscars, the SAG Awards could end up being the biggest celebration of Hollywood's film-honors season this time.
Not so for the SAG honors. The actors union has been steadfast in support of striking writers, who in turn gave their blessing to the SAG ceremony.
Instead of the debacle for the Globes, which were curtailed to a star-free news conference after actors and filmmakers made it clear they would not cross writers' picket lines, the SAG ceremony came off with a full complement of Hollywood A-listers.
Backstage monitors went out, leaving those behind the scenes unaware of what was happening onstage. That left show personnel to shout out the winners of each category since microphones weren't working.
It was the sixth time the power went down during the evening.
Meanwhile, the on-air show continued uninterrupted during a stormy evening that saw the red carpet outside the Shine Auditorium tented in plastic.
That makeshift tent came in handy when it rained off and on as the stars made their way inside.
As with the Golden Globes, the Writers Guild has made it clear that its members would not be allowed to work on the Oscars. While stars generally have said they would skip the show rather than cross picket lines, Oscar organizers insist their telecast will take place as scheduled.
Amy Ryan, a SAG and Oscar supporting-actress nominee for "Gone Baby Gone," said at the Directors Guild awards Saturday that she would not cross a picket line to attend the Oscars.
"I hope it ends but, more, I hope the writers get their due," Ryan said. "I think that, at the end of the day, is more important than a party. But I really hope it works out because I'd like to go to the party."
Airing live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on TNT and TBS, the SAG ceremony included a life-achievement honor for Charles Durning. A retrospective of the actor's career was introduced by his on-screen son on F/X's "Rescue Me," Denis Leary, and his award was introduced by Burt Reynolds who said, "my father passed away a few years ago and I never had an older brother, but Charlie has been both for me."
Accepting his award, Durning said, "There's nothing more gratifying than having an achievement award from one's peers. ... When someone asked the great character actor Sir Ralph Richardson how he did what he did at age 83, he replied, 'I don't know, I'm just getting the hang of it.' And that's how I feel. I'm just getting the hang of it."