bill bodkin looks at the Screen Actors Guild Awards
The Screen Actors Guild Awards were a very let’s-get-down-to-business style award show. There were some good one-liners (Tina Fey delivered the line of the night about Amy Poehler being pregnant with Lena Dunham) but overall this was a award show geek’s program. If you can’t stand award shows, then you missed nothing here.
However, if you’re obsessed with award shows, like Pop-Break is, there were some big shocks and some really interesting wrenches thrown into the Oscar works.
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
This award won’t have any impact on the Oscars as I truly feel Robert DeNiro is walking out on February 23rd with another statue. It’s odd that we focused in on TLJ’s grumpy face so much at The Globes (which became the impetus for a ton of memes) and he wasn’t even at the SAGs — the one award he actually did win.
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
So, did Anne Hathaway cut Taylor Swift a check in order to use her patented “shocked I won an award” face? Her gee golly, you really love me act is getting a little too saccharine at this point. The Oscar is all but hers at this point.
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
While one can be very jaded at his win as nothing more than a lifetime achievement for a show that’s going off the air…let’s face it, Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy was one of the funniest characters on television in decades, if not all-time.
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series: Tina Fey, 30 Rock
This is your lifetime achievement award…but not bitterness here. Fey is one of the most brilliant comedic actresses of our time and the award rightfully belongs to her. And for all those who worship at the altar of Amy Poehler, it’s only a matter of time before she’s lauded for her talent, just sadly not for Parks & Rec.
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series: The Cast of Modern Family
30 Rock can’t win everything. Modern Family has been the sitcom since jump street and while 30 Rock might be a critical darling and Big Bang Theory might the fans choice — Modern Family has been the delight of both the critics and fans alike. It’s a fantastic show, one that’ll be showered with awards for years to come.
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Mini-Series: Julianne Moore, Game Change
Julianne Moore gave one of the most definitive performances of the year as Sarah Palin. If this were a major motion picture release, the Oscar for Best Actress would be hers. Like we said during the Golden Globes — her performance was like watching a documentary, not a movie.
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Mini-Series: Kevin Costner, Hatfields & McCoys
Kevin Costner was a lock for this award. One has to hope that this coupled with his performance as Mr. Kent in Man of Steel, can spell a successful cinematic comeback for a man once dominated the movie world. His time as a leading man is up (for the most part), but he could have a nice, long career as a second-tier supporting actor, picking up plum, juicy roles instead of searching for the next starring role…or baseball movie.
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
A little bit of a shock. One would’ve thought Damian Lewis would’ve taken it for Homeland, since Homeland wins everything (and rightfully so). Cranston is such a good actor whether it’s as Walter White or any of the excellent supporting roles he’s been in on the big screen.
Outstanding by a Female Actor in a Drama Series: Claire Danes, Homeland
This wasn’t a shock. Danes is awesome as the woman on a verge of a mental break CIA-analyst. One can’t believe this is the same actress who was a punchline not even five years ago.
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in Drama Series: The Cast of Downton Abbey
Uh…what? Beating out Homeland, Breaking Bad and Mad Men? Wow, this was probably the biggest surprise of the night and one that many could argue was a bad call by the Screen Actors Guild.
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
A lot of people have locked up Jessica Chastain for Best Actress, but watch out Red because here comes Katniss. Silver Linings is going to be a major, major player come Oscar time. And who knew she earned her SAG card came from doing a promo for My Super Sweet 16?
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
The local contractor living in Daniel Day-Lewis’ town must be salivating at all the awards DDL is winning because the actor is going to need an extension on his estate to house all the statues he’s won playing one of our most famed presidents.
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: The Cast of Argo
You gotta believe. No seriously…how can you not believe that Argo can’t win it all come Oscar Sunday? It’s taken The Golden Globe, The Producers Guild and now Screen Actors Guild (amongst others) for Best Picture. And while it’s lack of a nod for Best Director at The Oscars works against it; man you gotta think that the Ben Affleck-helmed feature film can win it all.
