Slumdog Millionaire beats Buttons, Streep beats Winslet, Penn bests Pitt and Rourke at Screen Actors Guild

By Jeffrey Jolson

Penn milks latest film for a SAG Award

HOLLYWOOD, CA (RushPRnews/Hollywood Today) 1/26/09 — “We want to thank the children” said the “Slumdog Millionaire” cast after winning best ensemble film at the Screen Actors Guild – effectively making them clear front-runners for the Oscars. It is not an easy movie to watch. Children are abused in the early part of the film before the protagonist wins a million dollars on a TV awards show – and then is beaten as they don’t think he must have cheated to win the money.
Yet the film raises Obama-like hopes and is the feel good movie of the year. The $14 million beat acclaimed Hollywood films such as Benjamin Buttons and The Wrestler.
Other surprises included Meryl Streep – no surprise to award show podiums – though Kate Winslet was the favorite going in.
And Sean Penn’s turn as slain gay activist Harvey Milk won for best actor, though Brad Pitt, Mickey Rourke were strong contenders. 30 Rock did well in the TV category as did the Adams miniseries

Heath Ledger won best supporting actor posthumously for his dark role in the Dark Knight, no surprise but kudos for an unforgettable performance.

And while Kate Winslet was beat by the immortal Streep in best actor, female, (yes they all refer to themselves as actors, never the slight slur “actress”) she did win in best female supporting actor for the holocaust drama The Reader.

15th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS® RECIPIENTS
THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

SEAN PENN Harvey Milk “MILK” Focus Features

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

MERYL STREEP Sister Aloysius Beauvier “DOUBT” Miramax Films

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

HEATH LEDGER Joker “THE DARK KNIGHT” Warner Bros. Pictures

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

KATE WINSLET Hanna Schmitz “THE READER” The Weinstein Company

Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Motion Picture

“SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE” Fox Searchlight Pictures

RUBINA ALI Youngest Latika
TANAY HEMANT CHHEDA Middle Jamal
ASHUTOSH LOBO GAJIWALA Middle Salim
AZHARUDDIN MOHAMMED ISMAIL Youngest Salim
ANIL KAPOOR Prem
IRRFAN KHAN Police Inspector
AYUSH MAHESH KHEDEKAR Youngest Jamal
TANVI GANESH LONKAR Middle Latika
MADHUR MITTAL Oldest Salim
DEV PATEL Older Jamal
FREIDA PINTO Older Latika

PRIMETIME TELEVISION
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

PAUL GIAMATTI John Adams “JOHN ADAMS” HBO

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

LAURA LINNEY Abigail Adams “JOHN ADAMS” HBO

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

HUGH LAURIE Gregory House “HOUSE” FOX

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

SALLY FIELD Nora Walker “BROTHERS & SISTERS” ABC

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

ALEC BALDWIN Jack Donaghy “30 ROCK” NBC

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

TINA FEY Liz Lemon “30 ROCK” NBC

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

“MAD MEN ” AMC

BRYAN BATT Salvatore Romano
ALISON BRIE Trudy Campbell
MICHAEL GLADIS Paul Kinsey
JON HAMM Don Draper
CHRISTINA HENDRICKS Joan Holloway
JANUARY JONES Betty Draper
VINCENT KARTHEISER Pete Campbell
MARK MOSES Herman “Duck” Phillips
ELISABETH MOSS Peggy Olson
JOHN SLATTERY Roger Sterling
RICH SOMMER Harry Crane
AARON STATON Ken Cosgrove

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

“30 ROCK” NBC

SCOTT ADSIT Pete Hornberger
ALEC BALDWIN Jack Donaghy
KATRINA BOWDEN Cerie
TINA FEY Liz Lemon
JUDAH FRIEDLANDER Frank Rossitano
JANE KRAKOWSKI Jenna Maroney
JACK McBRAYER Kenneth Parcell
TRACY MORGAN Tracy Jordan
MAULIK PANCHOLY Jonathan
KEITH POWELL Toofer

Earlier the stunt awards were led by Dark Knight. Stunt Performers from “The Dark Knight” and “Heroes” are Recipients of Screen Actors Guild’s Honors for Film and Television Stunt Ensembles

The stunt performers and coordinators from “The Dark Knight” and “Heroes” are recipients of this year’s Screen Actors Guild’s honors for Film and Television Stunt Ensembles, it was announced today from the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® red carpet by Screen Actors Guild President Alan Rosenberg and Screen Actors Guild Awards Committee Chair JoBeth Williams. The announcement was made at the top of the live SAG AwardsTM pre-show webcasts on TNT.TV and TBS.COM.

Screen Actors Guild Stunt Ensemble Honors commend work within the stunt community during 2008 and recognize stunt performers and coordinators. Nominees chosen by their respective SAG Awards® film and television nominating committees were announced on December 18, 2008. Recipients were chosen by the approximately 100,000 active members of the Screen Actors Guild nationwide. Balloting closed on Friday, Jan. 23, 2009 at noon PT. Results were sealed by the Guild’s official election teller until they were announced on the SAG Awards® red carpet by Rosenberg and Williams.