The Screen Actors Guild (SAG), currently embroiled in a civil war as well as a contract stalemate with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (AMPTP), took time out from its troubles to hand out its annual awards on 25 January in Los Angeles. Danny Boyle’s Golden Globe winning Slumdog Millionaire scooped the best film award and must surely be the favourite to win the Oscars next month. Slumdog Millionaire also won the cast performance award.
Forest Whitaker presented James Earl Jones with Screen Actors Guild’s highest honor, the 45th Annual Life Achievement Award.
Honoured with individual awards in the Motion Picture category were Heath Ledger (best supporting actor for The Dark Knight), Sean Penn (best actor for Milk), Meryl Streep (best actress for Doubt) and Kate Winslet (best supporting actress for The Reader).
Triumphing in the TV comedy awards were Alec Baldwin (best actor – 30 Rock), Tina Fey (best actress – 30 Rock). Winners in the TV drama awards were Sally Field (best actress – Brothers & Sisters) and Hugh Laurie (best actor – House M.D). Paul Giamatti and co-star Laura Linney both picked up awards acting awards in the TV movie/mini-series category for their production, John Adams.
Mad Men won the TV drama ensemble performance award with the TV comedy ensemble award going to 30 Rock.
The honorees were selected by the approximately 100,000 active members of the Screen Actors Guild nationwide.
