Post by Flying Horse on Jan 30, 2012 1:20:29 GMT -5
'The Help' earns top honor at 18th annual SAG Awards.
SAG's film awards, like the Golden Globes, are closely watched for their impact on Oscars because actors make up the biggest voting group at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences which picks winners. SAG is the only industry awards that solely recognize performers. The Academy Awards take place in Los Angeles on February 26.
The Screen Actors Guild picked the actors in drama The Help as the top ensemble cast of 2011 and gave it two other awards for best lead actress (Viola Davis) and supporting actress (Octavia Spencer), in a surprise over heavily favored silent movie romance The Artist, which won one award - best actor for French ctor Jean Dujardin for his role as a fading actor at the end of the silent film era.
Others winning SAG film honors included Christopher Plummer with the first film honor for supporting actor. Plummer, 82, who plays an elderly man who reveals his homosexuality, much to the chagrin of his family, thanked his fellow actors from the stage, calling them a wacky but wonderful bunch of artists.
Like the Golden Globes, SAG members also pick winners in TV awards, and Broadwalk Empire was named best drama series for the 2nd straight year. Modern Family was picked top comedy, also for the 2nd year. It was also the second consecutive time for the Broadwalk Empire star Steve Buscemi to win the SAG best actor in a TV drama award his role of Enoch "Nucky" Thompson. Jessica Lange won the SAG trophy for best actress in a TV drama series for her work in the FX's American Horror Story. It is her first SAG honor.
Alec Baldwin was named best actor in a TV comedy for the sixth year for his role as a TV executive on 30 Rock, and Betty White, who turned 90-year-old earlier this month, took the comedy actress trophy for a second time in Hot in Cleveland. In other TV awards, Kate Winslet was named best actress in a small-screen movie or miniseries for Mildred Pierce, and Paul Giamatti won the trophy for actor in a movie or mini-series for his portrayal of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in Too Big to Fail.
SAG President Ken Howard also used the event to announce the actor union's board approved a proposal to merge with AFTRA, another acting union, pending approval of their memberships.
SAG's film awards, like the Golden Globes, are closely watched for their impact on Oscars because actors make up the biggest voting group at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences which picks winners. SAG is the only industry awards that solely recognize performers. The Academy Awards take place in Los Angeles on February 26.
The Screen Actors Guild picked the actors in drama The Help as the top ensemble cast of 2011 and gave it two other awards for best lead actress (Viola Davis) and supporting actress (Octavia Spencer), in a surprise over heavily favored silent movie romance The Artist, which won one award - best actor for French ctor Jean Dujardin for his role as a fading actor at the end of the silent film era.
Others winning SAG film honors included Christopher Plummer with the first film honor for supporting actor. Plummer, 82, who plays an elderly man who reveals his homosexuality, much to the chagrin of his family, thanked his fellow actors from the stage, calling them a wacky but wonderful bunch of artists.
Like the Golden Globes, SAG members also pick winners in TV awards, and Broadwalk Empire was named best drama series for the 2nd straight year. Modern Family was picked top comedy, also for the 2nd year. It was also the second consecutive time for the Broadwalk Empire star Steve Buscemi to win the SAG best actor in a TV drama award his role of Enoch "Nucky" Thompson. Jessica Lange won the SAG trophy for best actress in a TV drama series for her work in the FX's American Horror Story. It is her first SAG honor.
Alec Baldwin was named best actor in a TV comedy for the sixth year for his role as a TV executive on 30 Rock, and Betty White, who turned 90-year-old earlier this month, took the comedy actress trophy for a second time in Hot in Cleveland. In other TV awards, Kate Winslet was named best actress in a small-screen movie or miniseries for Mildred Pierce, and Paul Giamatti won the trophy for actor in a movie or mini-series for his portrayal of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in Too Big to Fail.
SAG President Ken Howard also used the event to announce the actor union's board approved a proposal to merge with AFTRA, another acting union, pending approval of their memberships.