Big SAG Award 2015 wins by "Birdman," "The Theory of Everything's" Eddie Redmayne, and "Still Alice's" Julianne Moore appeared to have put them all into the favorites category leading up to next month's Academy Awards.
"Birdman" captured the SAG award for Best Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture, while Redmayne and Moore followed up their Golden Globe wins with Best Actor honors. Redmayne portrayed scientist Stephen Hawking in "The Theory of Everything" while Moore played a woman struggling with the early onset of Alzheimer's disease in "Still Alice."
"This is the ultimate team sport, what we are doing for a living," "Birdman" star Michael Keaton said during the
ensemble acceptance speech, according to USA Today. "Every time I turned around, I ran into another tremendous actor. I'm proud to be a part of this group."
In the television category, "Orange is the New Black" won for Best Comedy Ensemble and "Downton Abbey" for Best Drama Ensemble.
"Star Wars" actress Debbie Fisher also presented her mother Debbie Reynolds with the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award.
The 2015 SAG Awards did not go without a few good zingers, of course, such as one from "Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston.
"We're here to honor inspiring work of fellow performers," Cranston said at the start of the program. "Their talent and the important roles they got to play have the power to stop us in our tracks and make all actors think . . . 'God, I need a new agent.'"
There were also some off-the-cuff jokes that fell flat, like during William H. Macy's acceptance speech for Best Male Actor in a Comedy Series: "To my fellow nominees . . . yeah, forget it, you lost."
Film winners included:
Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture: "Birdman"
Male Actor in a Supporting Role: J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash"
Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Patricia Arquette,"Boyhood"
Male Actor in Leading Role: Eddie Redmayne, "The Theory of Everything"
Female Actor in a Leading Role: Julianne Moore, "Still Alice"
Television winners included:
Ensemble in a Comedy Series: "Orange is the New Black"
Ensemble Cast in a Drama Series: "Downton Abbey"
Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries: Mark Ruffalo, "The Normal Heart"
Female Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries: Frances McDormand, "Olive Kitteridge"
Male Actor in a Comedy Series: William H. Macy, "Shameless"
Female Actor in a Comedy Series: Uzo Aduba, "Orange is the New Black"
Female Actor in a Drama Series: Viola Davis, "How to Get Away With Murder"
Male Actor in a Drama Series: Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"