No strike woes for SAG awards
LOS ANGELES -- "No Country for Old Men" solidified its Academy Awards prospects as Javier Bardem won as supporting-actor and the film was honored for overall cast at Sunday's Screen Actors Guild Awards, which may stand as the highlight of Hollywood's film-honors season if the writers strike undermines the Oscars.
Past Oscar winners Daniel Day-Lewis of "There Will Be Blood" and Julie Christie of "Away From Her" won the lead-acting honors, also giving them a boost to win the same trophies at the Oscars.
Day-Lewis dedicated his win to Heath Ledger, found dead in his Manhattan loft last week.
"In 'Brokeback Mountain,' he was unique, he was perfect," said Day-Lewis, already an Oscar winner for "My Left Foot." "That scene in the trailer at the end of the film is as moving as anything I think I've ever seen."
More Coverage Video SAG Awards Go on Despite Writers' Strike
The SAG show itself was generally free of labor talk, with only Christie addressing the matter openly among the winners.
"It's lovely to receive an award from your own union," Christie said "especially at a time when we're being so forcefully reminded how important unions are."
Though its last episode aired several months ago, "The Sopranos" grabbed all three TV drama categories to open the ceremony, with James Gandolfini and Edie Falco taking both lead-acting prizes and the entire ensemble joining them to accept the award for overall cast performance.
"Ten years ... I wish for everybody in every walk of life, but particularly for actors, to have the opportunity to have a work experience like I have had with my family here," Falco said. "You're not supposed to get this attached because it's a transient business. I have fallen in love with these people and I don't know how you walk away from that."
Minutes before, Gandolfini took the first trophy of the night in a star-studded ceremony -- something of an anomaly in this strike-hobbled awards season.
"This is our last official act as Sopranos together," Gandolfini said. "Here's to you guys. Thank you very much. It's been 10 years. It's been an honor. That's all I can say."
Screen Actors Guild Award winners
FILM Ensemble cast: "No Country for Old Men" Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood" Actress: Julie Christie, "Away From Her" Supporting actor: Javier Bardem, "No Country for Old Men" Supporting actress: Ruby Dee, "American Gangster"
TV DRAMA
Ensemble cast: "The Sopranos" Actor: James Gandolfini, "The Sopranos" Actress: Edie Falco, "The Sopranos"
TV COMEDY Ensemble cast: "The Office" Actor: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock" Actress: Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
TV MOVIE OR MINISERIES Actor: Kevin Kline, "As You Like It" Actress: Queen Latifah, "Life Support"
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT Charles Durning