Well, if you didn’t get the message after last night’s DGA result, SAG’s Best Ensemble award just underlined it for you — the Best Picture race is over. In the 16 years that the three Guilds have co-existed, only one film has taken the big prize from the DGA, PGA and SAG and not won the Best Picture Oscar — and “Apollo 13” was handicapped by its lack of a Best Director Oscar bid. No such obstacle in this case: “The King’s Speech” has it in the bag.
So, it seems, do a couple of other folks. It was a highly predictable night, as the de facto frontrunner prevailed in each of the four individual acting categories.
Colin Firth, of course, continued his march to the Oscar podium with another impeccably wry, self-deprecating speech — “I’d like to thank security for letting me into the building,” he quipped, earning the night’s biggest laugh. With his victory, “The King’s Speech” becomes the first film to take Best Ensemble and a lead acting gong since “Chicago” eight years ago; this time, however, it won’t lose the latter on February 27.
Meanwhile, Natalie Portman continued her smooth run in the Best Actress race. Some pundits, Kris included, have speculated that Annette Bening could yet be a spoiler on Oscar night, but I can’t see it myself: if a wave of sentimental affection for the older star is brewing, the peer-voted SAG Awards would have been the clear place for it to emerge. Portman continues to be the personification of charm at the podium, while her category is looking like the only viable place for Oscar voters to acknowledge the “Black Swan” phenomenon.
If a sweep mentality takes hold for “The King’s Speech,” I suppose one of the supporting categories could be vulnerable to an upset, but after tonight’s well-deserved twin wins for “The Fighter” co-stars Melissa Leo and Christian Bale — both repeating their Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice victories — there’s little reason to bet against them at the Oscars.
Both actors socked over their acceptance speeches, with Bale (shorn of the Jesus-like mane he sported at the Globes) continuing his genially goofy stage manner and sharing a sweet moment at the podium with the real-life Dicky Ekland. Leo provided the most emotional speech of the night, culminating in a rallying cry for unions.
No alarms and no surprises, then — but why should there be? It was clear from the reaction in the room (especially to the final category) that the winners are universally popular choices, spread across three of the most beloved films in the Best Picture race. “The Social Network” table, on the other hand, was a solemn-looking one: they know when they’re beaten.
No televised precursors until the BAFTAs, then, and I think we all know more or less how that’s going to go. Good night, all.
You can find the full list of film winners at The Circuit. And the TV awards, for those of you who are interested:
Best Actress in a TV Movie or Miniseries: Claire Danes, “Temple Grandin”
Best Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries: Al Pacino, “You Don’t Know Jack”
Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series: “Modern Family”
Best Actress in a Comedy Series: Betty White, “Hot in Cleveland”
Best Actor in a Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”
Best Ensemble in a Drama Series: “Boardwalk Empire”
Best Actress in a Drama Series: Julianna Margulies, “City Island”
Best Actor in a Drama Series: Steve Buscemi, “Boardwalk Empire”
Best Stunt Ensemble: “True Blood”
[Photo: Reuters]
Comments
233 responses to “‘The King’s Speech’ takes top honors at SAG Awards”
When you’ve got haters, you know you’re on top. Melissa <3333333333333.
well this makes the race between Steinfeld and Leo an interesting one. wonder how the BAFTAs will affect the Oscar race.
Since neither Steinfeld nor Leo can win the BAFTA, it won’t affect the Oscar race at all.
Huh, Ernest Borgnine is still alive.
On top of what? Helena Bonham Carter was easily the most electrifying actress of 2010, delivering three versatile and solid performances in three very different movies (Potter, Alice ans TKS). She’s getting the sympathy vote from her peers which is cute but on top? don’t get ahead of yourself. Even Amy Adams delivered a more emotionally controlled performance than Leo.
Steinfeld can surely win A BAFTA, just not the supporting one.
Airwolf! YES!
Yeah, I usually prefer subtlety, but that doesn’t mean it’s always better. That’s just delusional snobbery. I’m not even saying Leo is who I would give the win to overall this year, but it’s a great performance and I’d be ecstatic to see her win after she lost for her SUBTLE YET EFFECTIVE performance in Frozen River.
Speaking of delusions, I hope when you say “my money is on HBC”, you don’t actually mean for the win. I just hate it when people lose their cash in such obvious ways.
Graysmith: She’s not winning the lead BAFTA.
That was a lackluster tribute.
By the way, I abhor when they split the film categories up, but separate only one supporting category from the rest.
They should’ve done supporting actor before the Lifetime Achievement or before the Miniseries awards.
Delusional snobbery? that’s what they said about Tilda Swinton. This is the SAG awards, not the compensation awards. It’s not my fault Leo lost for Frozen River; she is simply not the best supporting actress this year.
@ Afrika: Yeah, over-the-top is always bad and must be condemned.*
* Unless it’s Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds. Or Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. Or Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood and Gangs of New York. Or Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone. Or Cate Blanchett in The Aviator…or a dozen other Oscar-nominated/winning performances that the internet proclaims are amazing timeless feats of acting. I don’t understand how Melissa Leo is suddenly attacked with accusations of “OMG SHE OVERACTED!!!” (especially, as Kris noted, she *underplayed* the real Alice Ward).
I wish they’d mute out the applause during the In Memoriam segment. Applause as a gauge of how famous/well-liked someone was is just disgusting.
I loved Swinton’s win–I called it and I rooted for it over Dee and Blanchett. (Would’ve been ecstatic for Ryan [my personal fave] or Ronan as well.)
Leo is the best of the nominees. Oh look, opinions stated bluntly.
“This is the SAG awards, not the compensation awards.”
Get real, honey. They are ALL compensation awards. Kate Winslet. Helen Mirren. Alan Arkin. Jeff Bridges. Sandra Bullock. Colin Firth, even, this year, most likely. None of these were the best performances of their year, nor were they their personal bests either. This is how it works half the time; I’m realistic about it. Sometimes we get great surprises, like Sean Penn pwning Mickey Rourke. But regardless, past performances are always a factor in who is determined to be “deserving”.
Awww, Bale got rid of Jesus-look.
And Bale’s still safe.
Wow! this has been quite a predictable evening. I am half asleep already.
Yeah, Bale! ☺
@Robert Hamer: ♥. I knew I always liked you, and with good reason. (Btw, personal gripe, but I hated Blanchett’s win. I actually love Blanchett, but I think all four of 2004’s acting wins are horrendous, with Blanchett at least being the best of them, ironically. But Blanchett is another instance of a reimbursement win, as well as a gimmicky win, because many felt she was robbed for Elizabeth, while my favorite nomination was Notes on a Scandal.)
Anyway, great point regarding Leo. She absolutely underplayed it with nuance, but had to imbue a toughness and, of course, the distinct heavy accent. If that’s “overacting”, then what is acting supposed to be but lazy line-reading?
Mark Whalberg: «It’s not the DGA’s, it’s not 5 hours»
HAHA, gotta love him!
christoph waltz? overacting? I’m not sure we watched the same movie. There’s a way to play dramatic performances without coming across as trying too hard. Amy Adams also played a firecracker but she showed an adult mastery of emotions. There’s good melodrama and then annoying melodrama. Leo was the latter (just like her acceptance speech) but hey! to each his own.
Amy Adams, also known as my future wife, looks amazing tonight :D
Sticking with the script.
Ok, Natalie Portman is a lock!
She’s so pretty, I love her dress.
Pitch-perfect speech from Portman. And absolutely deserved win.
Wow, some real upsets going on here!
It’s hard to predict ensemble at this point.
I finally got around to watching The King’s Speech today and I don’t see how it can win best ensemble with SAG, since the entire movie pretty much revolves around the performances by Rush and Firth, while the other nominees seem at least to spread the wealth amongst the actual ensemble. But since that award is largely seen as a “best picture” award rather than a strictly cast-related award, I guess it’s possible.
I do consider it a possible upset at the Oscars, but I’m still thinking that a win for TKS would be an upset. TSN is still the frontrunner in my mind.
And for those who want an Oscar win for HBC… I have to say, as much as I would kill to see her have an Oscar even for any of the least of her roles since she’s definitely one of my very favorite actors, I still feel pretty certain she gave the weakest performance of the nominees. I’m not convinced it was even a nomination-worth performance, although I can intellectualize the reasoning behind the nom.
I say the Oscar is Melissa’s to lose, Hailee’s to steal, and if the Academy goes for a “let’s give the award to an actress whom we’ve respected for some time” win, I’d say Amy Adams has the edge over Helena right now, with the meatier role, and coming off of a number of nominations in a few short years.
So far, a great list of winners! I could live with Amy Adams win too but happy for Melissa Leo. I wish there was a tie between those two :)))
Just saw another TV spot for “The Adjustment Bureau”…still looks like an episode of “Fringe”.
Disappointed that Portman won. Oh well. She’s definitely winning the Oscar.
Of course Colin Firth!!!! Well deserved win!
OMG, shocker!
That was quite the textbook speech by Portman.
Good thing Colin Firth won. God knows he hasn’t won enough awards for his performance.
Yup, she’s done.
THE KINGS SPEECH IS THE WINNER OF BEST PICTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, Oscar race is over! ☺ It was fun while it lasted!
GO THE KING’S SPEECH!!! YES!!! YES!!!!!!
Finally! some deserved awards
And you thought TSN winning ever critics award was boring
Singling out all the child actors. Very classy.
What a shock, oh my god! Guess what’s gonna win best picture now and soon be forgotten. Seriously what if this thing gets other guild awards like editing and music? Can anyone comfortably say it was the most deserving in those aspects.
And from one almost sure winner we jump to another… At least we had a week of hope… To bad, in my opinion, as much as i love the King’s Speech, it is Not, the best o the year… or the best of the 10…
The King’s Speech: Best picture
Best Actress: Natalie Portman
Best Actor: Colin Firth
Support Actor: Bale
Supporting Actress: Leo
I think they’re almost all lock. Seriously, what could come in between? Plus, they’ll probably all win BAFTA (but Leo, of course)
The clip they showed from “The King’s Speech”–the corny “because I have a voice” scene–only underscores how underserving that movie is.
Just one film has won DGA, PGA and SAG ensemble.
Apollo 13
I didn’t win best picture. But of course, it wasn’t nominated for director.
So yeah, it is over. But it’s still fun :D
Hopefully the other blogger WILL quit. Congrats, King’s Speech! Well deserved. Best movie of the year! And thank goodness neither Kidman nor Bening won actress. Hopefully, this will be the same line-up which wins Oscar night. Although Rush and Adams over Bale and Leo would be welcome.
Trivia: Barring some major surge for Hailee Steinfeld, we’re look at the first year ever where the major acting awards at the Globes, SAG, and Oscars all went to the same people (Firth, Portman, Bale, and Leo).
How do Bale and Leo win but “The Fighter” doesn’t win Best Ensemble? And did anyone else realize that “The King’s Speech” was the only film whose montage didn’t include any speaking? Ironic, and maybe intentional?
***… we’re look at the first year ever where the major acting awards at the Globes, SAG, and Oscars all went to the same people (Firth, Portman, Bale, and Leo).***
Did you just forget about last year???