LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 29: The Screen Actors Guild statue on the red carpet at the 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on January 29, 2006 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images) - Getty Images
Laremy Legel, Jan 25, 2009
Believe it or not, the Screen Actors Guild Awards are more important than the Golden Globes. Which makes them 100x more important than the People's Choice Awards. Why? I'm glad you asked. There are three reasons why, as movie fans, we've got to pay attention to what goes down in Los Angeles tonight:
1. The Golden Globes take place right when the first round of Oscar voting is due.
Thus, they have limited impact and you can get a false read off of them.
2. The Academy has plenty of SAG members.
Sure, The Screen Actors Guild has 120,000 dues-paying members. But if you're a working actor who is also a member of The Academy there's a pretty solid shot you're in SAG too. Thus, we'll get a great read on the Academy actor categories this evening.
And most importantly ...
3. This is the last input the Oscar voters get.
The Academy Award nominations are in, and ballots are due on February 19. This is a chance for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to gain some momentum against Slumdog Millionaire. Same deal for Sean Penn vs. Mickey Rourke.
So then, I'll be handling live blogging duties for the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. If you'd like to catch up with previous live blogs you can do so here, here, and here. The fun starts around 8pm (PST).
7:56pm: Playing The Da Vinci Code right before The SAG Awards is just mean-spirited.
7:59pm: Tom Roberts is live from the red carpet!! Who is he? No idea!!
8:01pm: Kevin Bacon is here! William Shatner! Anne Hathaway! Jon Hamm! Rosario Dawson! Okay, I started this bit as a slam, but they truly do have a ton of talent there. Nothing like going for a joke and having to end earnestly and ashamed.
8:02pm: Oh, it's my favorite part, the "I'm an actor" opening. Completely sanctimonious, over the top, arrogant, self-aggrandizing, and silly. Also, for the record, I'm Laremy Legel. And I'm a writer.
8:03pm: They've tried to make it funnier this year. But nothing can salvage "I'm an actor." They should scrap the whole bit for a montage ... of acting. Brilliant, I know.
8:06pm: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series goes to Tina Fey for 30 Rock.
8:08pm: Tina Fey just brought up the lack of internet residuals for actors. Bonus points for logic, but a slight deduction for tact.
8:13pm: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series goes to Alec Baldwin. The 30 Rock romp continues. It started with the Hollywood Foreign Press as a whisper. But it's growing. Hopefully, one day soon, the general public will catch on.
8:16pm: Time magazine is wrong about Benjamin Button. Pete Travers too. And Elle magazine. They are all trying to sell you that it's genius, but the movie is just okay. This review of movie advertising quotes has been brought to you by Film.com -- the name you can trust.
8:20pm: Evan Rachel Wood wins my best dressed award. Someone notify Natalie over in fashion. She'll want to make a note.
8:21pm: Montage time! Even Rocky had a montage.
8:25pm: The Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series goes to 30 Rock. I still don't even understand how Desperate Housewives was nominated. Are they even going for comedy with that one?
8:26pm: 30 Rock is now 3 for 3. They can't be stopped. They will take your awards, drink your beer, and then borrow money and not pay it back. Every other comedy ensemble better watch out, 30 Rock is on the prowl!
8:28pm: I like that the clip from Frost/Nixon was the one that was completely made up. Ladies and Gents, a Hollywood biopic! That's right folks, the drunken phone conversation between Frost and Nixon was all movie magic. Never happened. The best scene in the movie is all fiction. So can we take away that Best Picture nomination yet or what?
8:31pm: Whoa, Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role goes to Kate Winslet for The Reader. No one tell The Academy. They are pretty sure she was the lead in that movie. Hey, what happens if Kate Winslet goes on 30 Rock? Does the world implode from all that critical goodness?
8:33pm: I'm a little bummed because Viola Davis needed that win. But as Kate wasn't nominated in the supporting category perhaps Viola's consolation will be the Oscar. She deserves it.
8:39pm: When will Dexter win something? It's the best show on television. Also, I didn't even know Boston Legal was still on the air. Anyway, Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series goes to Hugh Laurie for House. He's charming as per normal.
8:43pm: John Krasinski and Amy Poehler do a nice skit before awarding the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series actor to Sally Field. Feels like "career" win to me. She's been nominated six times, this is her first win. I remember her from The Flying Nun. Classic show. She didn't win anything for that fine work. What's that? I'm getting the "finish up" sign from the booth. Don't play me off!
8:47pm: I'm doing the math here ... are there are ten awards left in the next 72 minutes? That's not even counting the James Earl Jones deal. I don't see it happening. Bet on the "over" if you can.
8:50pm: Kyra Sedgwick's "southern" accent cracks me up every time. Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series goes to Mad Men. I'll take it, if only because it proves that a few SAG members watch cable. Upon them I'll build my army.
8:54pm: Speaking of my army, Nora Ashkar has checked in on the comments section. I've never told her this, but I'm a big fan of her work too. See? This live blog is bringing people together.
And no, it's not because I'm withholding praise. It's because I'm in Seattle and she's in NYC. Impressive, right? The sun never sets on the Film.com empire. And don't even get me started on Film.com UK or Film.com Turks & Caicos. That last one is a dream assignment.
9:01pm: The president of SAG looks a little bit like he drinks blood.
9:02pm: He also just said there was nothing as inspiring as an actor commanding the screen. Really? Nothing? How about childbirth? Or the space shuttle launching? Or The Civil Rights Movement? Or me eating an entire large pizza? And those are just off the top of my head!
9:04pm: Wait, James Earl Jones didn't speak for a dozen years?? Can that be for real? Where was TMZ on that one? That blows my mind. In all seriousness, I'm going to give it up for a second for James Earl. The man is legitimately great. The 2009 SAG Awards Live Blog salutes him!
9:11pm: James Earl Jones gets up on stage and laughs. It's the coolest laugh ever. He also keeps his speech short and gives love to Paul Newman. See? I told you the guy is top-notch.
9:18pm: The Actor for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries goes to Laura Linney for John Adams. I watched that one, so I fully approve. What I don't approve of is Ernest Borgnine's comedy. Yikes. I also like that SAG provides a place to put the award. Somehow The Golden Globes hasn't been able to pull that particular trick off.
9:24pm: I'm cheering for Doubt if Slumdog falters.
9:25pm: C'mon guys, when you throw around terms like "light of creation" while describing acting it makes my job too easy. Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries goes to Paul Giamatti for John Adams. He didn't show, so Marisa Tomei accepts for him and then books it with his Actor. No way he's getting that thing back anytime soon.
9:32pm: If you're wondering at home, the reason Heath Ledger didn't make the "In Memoriam" portion of The SAG Awards is because he was featured in the 2008 edition. They don't go by calender year, they go by SAG Awards year. Still seems strange though.
9:35pm: I think we've only got movie awards left, unless they bust out the "Stunt Ensemble" one on us.
9:38pm: Of course Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role goes to Heath Ledger. Gary Oldman accepts on his behalf. The question is who accepts The Oscar?
9:42pm: Only three awards left. Looks like they might wrap this up in two hours after all. Good on 'em. I accidentally counted the stunt awards as ones that hadn't been handed out, but clearly they are technical awards that aren't given out live. Most likely they'll just mail them to the poor stunt doubles, C.O.D.
9:49pm: The Actor for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role goes to Meryl Streep for Doubt. I'll take it! She was really great in that film, I'm even ready to forgive her for Mamma Mia!. Time, wounds, healing. Solid.
9:53pm: Okay, Rourke vs. Penn time. I'm betting on Rourke.
9:54pm: Uh, no bra for Katie Holmes this evening. Make sure that gets noted on the fashion recap, ladies.
9:57pm: The Actor for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role goes to Sean Penn for Milk. That's a slight upset. Is he the favorite for The Oscar? I will say yes, as of this second. But I reserve the right to change my mind, because it's really close between Rourke and Penn.
10:02pm: The final award of the evening goes is Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture and it goes to Slumdog Millionaire. Huge win, and it puts Button in a tough spot come late February. I'd say Best Picture is now officially in the bag. Couldn't happen to nicer people. Dev, Danny, Freida, and Raj, congrats. You earned it.
10:03pm: So that's it. Hope you enjoyed it. Let's get together again real soon, y'here?
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