The Sopranos may be off the air but the Mob clan still rules with an iron fist – at least at Sunday's Screen Actors Guild Awards from Los Angeles's Shrine Auditorium. "This was so not supposed to happen," quipped Sopranos leading lady Edie Falco, who was honored as outstanding female actor in a drama series.
Also picking up an award early in the ceremony was her costar James Gandolfini, the first winner of the night, as outstanding male actor in a drama series. Said Gandolfini as he accepted his "Actor" statuette: "This is the last official act as Sopranos, together," a nod to the fact that the HBO show wound down in June 2007 after six seasons.
The HBO series' luck also carried over to the outstanding ensemble in a drama series category – its second SAG victory as such. "We're all honored and we're all happy," said Tony Sirico during his acceptance speech.
NBC's Emmy-winning 30 Rock continued its upswing as lead actors Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin both picked up outstanding acting trophies for comedy. "I want to thank anyone in the Screen Actors Guild for considering me an actor at all," Fey wisecracked before thanking her cast – especially Baldwin. But when it came to an ensemble in a comedy series, The Office topped 30 Rock.
Tom Cruise presented the cast of No Country for Old Men with the outstanding cast in a motion picture trophy, while Julie Christie (for Away from Her and Daniel Day-Lewis picked up leading actor awards. Day-Lewis, who won for his role in There Will Be Blood, dedicated it to Heath Ledger in a moving acceptance speech.
Other major winners included Javier Bardem, named outstanding male actor in a supporting role for his chilling role as a killer in the Coen Brothers' No Country for Old Men. In the supporting actress category, Ruby Dee won for American Gangster, beating out Cate Blanchett, who won a Golden Globe in the same category for I'm Not There. "This is my first time holding one of these boys," Dee said, beaming onstage.
Sunday's SAG show marked the first star-studded award show of the season thanks to a wavier from the Writers Guild of America, which did not picket the ceremony. Another silver lining: The stars walked the red carpet with ease after the threatened rain showers were held at bay.
