“The Sopranos” took home all three of the Screen Actors Guild Awards for which it was nominated—ensemble, lead actor and lead actress in a drama series—placing a definite final bullet point on the iconic HBO series.
James Gandolfini kicked off the evening with his fourth SAG win for his portrayal of Tony Soprano.
“This is our last official act as ‘Sopranos’ together,” Mr. Gandolfini said.
His castmate Edie Falco won for actress in a drama series, also her fourth win.
“I have fallen in love with these people [the cast of “The Sopranos”]—I don’t know how you walk away from that,” Ms. Falco said.
On the comedy side, NBC’s “30 Rock” received Actor statuettes for its leads, Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin, while NBC’s “The Office” nabbed its second consecutive comedy ensemble award.
“30 Rock” writer-creator Ms. Fey went home with actress in a comedy series for her portrayal of Liz Lemon on the comedy, while Mr. Baldwin scored his second straight win as actor in a comedy series.
“If you’ve seen me in scenes with Alec Baldwin, you’ll know it’s like watching Fred Astaire dance with a hat rack. And after a while you’re like, ‘Oh, that hat rack is a pretty good dancer, too,’” Ms. Fey said, thanking her co-star, who was not present to collect his Actor.
Veteran actor Charles Durning, whose credits range from “The Sting” and “Dog Day Afternoon” to “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” and FX’s “Rescue Me,” was presented with SAG’s 44th Life Achievement Award by his “Evening Shade” co-star Burt Reynolds.
“He is America’s finest actor, as far as I’m concerned,” Mr. Reynolds said.
“There’s nothing more gratifying than having an achievement award from one’s peers,” Mr. Durning said.
Kevin Kline and Queen Latifah won for actor and actress in a movie or miniseries, for HBO’s “As You Like It” and “Life Support,” respectively.
Neither was on hand to accept.
The show opened with several actors, including Sally Field and Jane Krakowski (pointing out acting’s transformative power by saying she was Johnny Depp), congratulating SAG on its 75th anniversary.
A healthy amount of Hollywood fervor surrounded the Screen Actors Guild Awards as the show is one of the few, as of now, guaranteeing any star power.
The striking Writers Guild of America granted the SAG a waiver for the show, allowing a WGA writer to pen the award show’s script and freeing stars to arrive without fear of having to cross a writers picket line.
During his remarks, SAG President Alan Rosenberg thanked his fellow unions for their “treasured solidarity,” singling out WGA West President Patric Verrone in the audience to an enthusiastic round of applause.
Only the Independent Spirit Awards and the NAACP Image Awards have been granted a guild waiver so far.
Fans lined up early Sunday afternoon to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars, and they weren’t been disappointed as Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, “High School Musical’s” Zac Efron, and “Hairspray’s” Christopher Walken walked the red carpet to momentous applause. The rain that has pummeled Southern California held off, allowing the stars their moment in the sun.
With the writers strike still in full swing, fears have risen that the SAG Awards may be the only place to see stars this awards season.
The WGA said it would not grant a waiver to the crown jewel of award shows, the Academy Awards, without a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers in hand. A picket of the Oscars by the WGA would squash any commitment from Screen Actors Guild members to show up to the event.
Click here for a list of the winners.