The Screen Actors Guild Awards went off without a hitch despite the ongoing strike with the screen writer’s guild. There were, of course, a few surprises and a few bad clothing decisions, but overall the 2008 SAG awards were memorable and worthy of an evening spent inside with the television. This is especially notable as there may not be another prominent awards show this season as the writer’s strike continues.
Walking the Red Carpet
The Red Carpet has taken on almost as much significance as the award shows. The SAG awards were no different this year. There was great anticipation over the gowns the actresses would wear and we weren’t disappointed. Fashion icons looked their best. Michelle Pfeiffer looked positively ageless and Debra Messing was glamorous. Even Tina Fey, the quirky Saturday Night Live star showed up looking radiant and more like a grown-up movie star than the offbeat comedian we know and love.
Of course there were a few blips on the carpet as well. Viggo Morrison took the cake as the worst dressed male with an odd combination of mismatched colors and patterns. But the number one surprise of the red carpet was Angelina Jolie. For such a beautiful and well styled star, Angelina showed up looking more like a discarded pile of shawls and blankets. The dress was interesting at best, but the long flowing design actually caused a different kind of speculation. Did the flowing lines hide a budding baby belly? Only time and a good publicist will tell us for sure.
Winners and Losers
Inside the awards, there were few surprises with nominations and winners. “No Country for Old Men” was the big winner of the night taking the prize for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. The win makes it clear that the film is definitely a front runner for an Oscar at the upcoming Academy awards. One of the most popular television series of all time, “The Sopranos” has permanently left the air this year, but is definitely going on a good note. Stars from the show won both lead awards as well as the overall cast award.
Remembering
There was an especially touching moment during the show where the fallen star Heath Ledger was memorialized. Daniel Day-Lewis dedicated his statue to the young star found dead a few weeks ago. Day-Lewis praised Ledger for his roles, particularly his moving portrayal in “Brokeback Mountain.”
The Star of the Season
It’s ironic that the SAG awards went so beautifully this year. The 2008 Golden Globes were canceled due to the writer’s strike. The Golden Globes were canceled when nominees refused to cross picket lines to attend the awards and the upcoming Academy Awards is in jeopardy for the same reason. However, as actors have been so supportive of the writers and their cause, the striking writers repaid the favor by supporting the SAG Awards.
