Forget that final scene in Holsten’s. The Sopranos went out with a bang, after all.
Performers in HBO’s acclaimed mob series scored big at the 14th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held Jan. 27 at the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles.
All told, performers for programming on the premium network won five of the nine TV awards, including three for The Sopranos.
James Gandolfini, who played the New Jersey mob chieftain Tony Soprano, copped the first televised award of the night, simulcast by TNT and TBS, for outstanding performance as a male actor in a drama series. Upon accepting the award, Gandolfini said: “This is our last, of The Sopranos, our last official act as The Sopranos together.”
Edie Falco, who portrayed Gandolfini’s on-screen wife, Carmela, was named the outstanding female actor in a drama.
Not to leave Gandolfini and Falco’s cohorts in David Chase’s show on the outside looking in, SAG members awarded the cast of The Sopranos the drama ensemble honor.
Although she wasn’t in the audience with her acting peers, Queen Latifah grabbed the outstanding performance by a female in a TV movie or miniseries for performance as Ana in HBO telefilm Life Support.
Similarly, Kevin Kline was lauded in absentia, taking home the “Actor” for Jacques in HBO’s original movie adaptation of As You Like It.
Performers in NBC programs were the other big winners in the TV categories. Alec Baldwin took the outstanding male performance in a comedy series for 30 Rock, topping Ricky Gervais in HBO’s Extras, Jeremy Piven for HBO’s Entourage and Tony Shaloub in USA Network’s Monk in the process.
Baldwin’s 30 Rock co-star Tina Fey won the female “Actor,” leaving Mary Louise Parker in Showtime’s Weeds at the altar.
The cast of NBC’s The Office roped ensemble comedy honors, with Entourage the cable show among the other four nominees.
Fox’s 24 locked down the TV award for outstanding stunt ensemble. HBO’s extravagant Rome was the cable contender in this category.
On SAG’s silver screen side, individual awards went to Daniel Day-Lewis (male actor in a leading role), Julie Christie (female actor in a leading role), Javier Bardem (supporting role) and Ruby Dee (supporting role).
The players in No Country for Old Men netted the outstanding performance by a cast in a film.
Click here for the complete winners list.
After actors honored picket lines by the Writers Guild of America for the Golden Globes Awards and People’s Choice Awards, the stars were out in force for the SAG gala. The WGA allowed its members to write for the SAG awards show and eschewed protests because the actors have been allies in their bid for higher payments for work disseminated over the Internet.
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