21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Results and Commentary
Actor Statuette
©2005 SAG
- Date of Ceremony: Sunday, January 25, 2015
- For performances seen in: 2014
Welcome to DigitalHit.com’s coverage of the 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.
8:02 PM
The show starts with actors talking about being proud to be an actor.
“No matter where you go in the world, people respond to movie-making and actors. Years ago, in the Philippines when I was working there, in the middle of the jungle a man came up to me and said ‘Mr. Hackman’ I love all your movies, French Connection. I said wait, wait. I’m Robert Duvall. He says, ‘Oh. You my favourite actor.’ Since then I’m still Robert Duvall and I’m proud to be an actor.” – Robert Duvall
“Sports was my first love. I went to college on a basketball scholarship and was never truly fulfilled. Then my senior year of college I had an opportunity to do a play called Spunk. For the first time in my life I felt at home. My name is Ali and I’m an actor.” – Mahershala Ali
“I got my part in Orange is the New Black. I originally auditioned for the imprisoned track star. They told me i was not quite right for the part even though I ran track in college. They said you might be right for the mildly obsessive character Crazy Eyes. My name is Uzo Aduba and I’m an actor.” – Uzo Aduba
“When I was a little girl, growing up in New York City, all I ever wanted to be was Scarlett O’Hara. Oh, well. I’m Jennifer Aniston and I’m an actor.” – Jennifer Aniston
8:04 PM
Bryan Cranston, looking a little like a younger Colonel Sanders, takes to the stage to welcome us to tonight’s ceremony. He then presents Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series. And the Actor goes to a stunned Uzo Aduba for Orange Is The New Black. It’s her first nomination.
“I want to say a huge massive thank to our cast, without whom…without whom this is not possible. I love you guys so desperately, so much. This is not done without you, at all, any step of the way. “ – Uzo Aduba
8:08 PM
Claire Danes strolls out next to present the hairier version of the last award, Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series. And the Actor goes to Shameless’ William H. Macy.
“I have written so many great acceptance speeches that I never got to give. But, not tonight. Okay…to my fellow nominees… nah, forget it, you lost. John Wells, you were so good at so many things, it’s become annoying. Thank you, Showtime, you’re bodacious, keep on keeping on. To this cast — I don’t know why you’re all not nominated, maybe next year. To the crew, Kevin McKnight and his merry band, they shoot nine pages a day and don’t blink. It’s like watching a middle aged ballet. And our writers, you need therapy, but you’re very funny.” – William H. Macy
8:12 PM
Edward Norton, Emma Stone and Michael Keaton present a clip from the ensemble nominated Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance).
8:13 PM
Lenny Kravitz, looking cool as ever, presents the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. And the Actor goes to the cast of Orange is the New Black.
“We want to thank you everyone who’s tuned into our show, who have watched our show and supported it in such a brilliant way. We are incredibly grateful for this tremendous honor.” – Uzo Aduba
8:23 PM
Colin Farrell has the role of presenting Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role. And the Actor goes to Boyhood’s Patricia Arquette.
“Oh, my God! I can’t tell you what this means to me. I’m a fourth generation actor. My family has been committed to acting for over a century, through feast or famine. My father, Lewis Arquette, taught me to approach work with compassion and gratitude, and taught me also how hard it is to make a living as an actor. Rosanna, Richmand, Alexis, David, you were my first scene partners and my most powerful coaches. To all my acting teachers and coaches. I’d like to acknowledge my fellow nominees for their beautiful and solid work. Our cast and crew, Ethan Hawke,for your fierce commitment; Ellar Coltrane for your purity; Lorelei Linklater for your strength and your vulnerability. Richard Linklater,for showing me the beauty of this human experience, and how we all matter. “ – Patricia Arquette
8:27 PM
Adrien Brody, Jeff Goldblum, and Tony Revolori present the clip for the ensemble nominated The Grand Budapest Hotel.
8:29 PM
Reese Witherspoon is now presenting Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role. And the Actor goes to Whiplash’s J.K. Simmons.
“I feel like all of us actors are supporting actors, whether it’s Miles Teller, who’s in every scene of the movie — think about it. Or myself, or Paul Reiser, or Melissa Benoist, Damon Gupton, who is in one scene, Tarik Lowe, who has one line. Each of us is not only supporting the story, the movie, the play, the whatever it is that we’re doing. Each of us is essential, completely crucial to the story. Because if there’s one false moment, the train comes off the rails and our willing suspension of disbelief is gone and we have to earn it back. So, I would like to thank the 49 actors who appear onscreen in Whiplash for realizing Damien Chazelle’s vision so beautifully.” – J.K. Simmons
8:38 PM
Moving right along, Lupita Nyong’o and Jared Leto present the nominees for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries. And the Actor goes to The Normal Heart’s Mark Ruffalo. Since Mark isn’t there Jared says he and Lupita will saw it in half and keep it forever.
8:41 PM
SAG-AFTRA president Ken Howard now takes to the stage and introduces a clip package showing how actors take on serious issues including free speech.
“Since the dawn of motion pictures, filmmakers have used this art form not only as entertainment but as a mirror to reflect vital issues facing society. In movies and on television, groundbreaking performances from Chaplin to Poitier, from Hepburn to Streep, have informed and inspired. They have awakened audiences to, and spoken out about, basic human concerns. Tonight, as we celebrate the outstanding acting from the past year, we also reflect on some landmark portrayals which depict important subjects that affect us all.” – Ken Howard
8:46 PM
Matthew Beard, Keira Knightley, and Allen Leech present a clip from the ensemble nominated The Imitation Game.
8:48 PM
J.K. Simmons and Viola Davis now present Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries. And the Actor goes to Olive Kitteridge’s Frances McDormand.
“I love what I do. Thank you for inviting myself and Mr. Richard Jenkins to the party. We love what we do, we’re proud of it, and we love Olive Kitteridge. I wish…this is really swell and everything, but I wish that we could all get some really cozy slippers, a box of See’s nuts and chews, hang out and watch more of our work. Because every little snippet that I see, I just want to see more and more. “ – Frances McDormand
8:57 PM
Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne present the clip for The Theory of Everything.
8:59 PM
Carrie Fisher is here now to present the Life Achievement Award to her mother, Debbie Reynolds.
9:06 PM
After the clip package, Debbie takes to the stage.
“Of course, my favorite movie was Singing in the Rain and — well, I did mention it. And I had a good time making that picture, wearing myself out. And of course I had a wonderful hairdo in that picture. Some of you may not remember this, but I had a bun… At the back of my head I had a big bun. An ugly bun at the back of my head. So, I warned my daughter, Carrie, who had just gotten a part in the picture, you know, Princess Leia, in Star Wars. I said, “Well, Carrie, be careful of any weird hairdos.” So, luckily, George gave her two buns. Thank you, George.” – Debbie Reynolds
9:14 PM
Emmy Rossum and Eric Dane present Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series. And the Actor goes to an absent Kevin Spacey for House of Cards. Spacey is not there to accept.
9:17 PM
Patricia Arquette, Ellar Coltrane, Ethan Hawke and Lorelei Linklater present the clip for Boyhood.
9:18 PM
Matt McGorry and Laverne Cox, from Orange is the New Black, present Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series. And the Actor goes How to Get Away with Murder’s Viola Davis.
“And you know, it starts from the top up. So, I’d like to thank Paul Lee, Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Bill D’Elia, and Peter Nowalk, for thinking that a sexualized, messy, mysterious woman could be a 49-year-old dark-skinned, African-American woman that looks like me.” – Viola Davis
9:23 PM
Liev Schreiber presents the In Memoriam tribute.
9:32 PM
Andy Samberg and Rashida Jones are tasked with presenting Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. And the Actor goes to Downton Abbey.
“Thank you so much. To Screen Actors Guild, SAG/AFTRA, for this, the best bad boy-slash-bad girl award ever.” – Phyllis Logan
9:37 PM
Julia Roberts gives a shout out to her Normal Heart co-star Mark Ruffalo before presenting Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role. And the Actor goes to The Theory of Everything’s Eddie Redmayne.
“I would like to dedicate this award, this very wonderful skinny man, to those people around the world living with ALS. To those who have lost their lives to this brutal disease… In preparing to play Stephen, I met many people fighting ALS, and I met their families fighting alongside them. And the courage and the bravery and the spirit, this triumph of spirit that I witnessed, blew my mind. That’s why I’m incredibly grateful to them.” – Eddie Redmayne
9:47 PM
Matthew McConaughey, in a shiny blue suit, is here to present Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. And the Actor goes to Julianne Moore for Still Alice.
“When I was on As the World Turns… I was so excited when they wrote two parts for me, you know, the classic twin sister role, the good and the evil one. And I couldn’t wait to do it, and I was so excited. Then I realized it was super boring to act by myself. And what I really loved, what I really craved, and what was most exciting for me, was being with another actor and feeling that intimacy and that excitement and that thrill of getting to know somebody in that way. And that’s what keeps me coming back to acting again and again and again. “ – Julianne Moore
9:51 PM
Kevin Costner is presenting the night’s final award, Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. And the Actor goes to the cast of Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). And wow, Zach Galifianakis looks different. The seven winning actors take turns at the mic thanking everyone.
“This is very, very exciting. It’s the ultimate team sport what we do for a living. These guys are unbelievable. Every time I turned around I ran into another tremendous actor. But, to look at all the great actors out there, and people who have laid themselves on the line and put it all out there, this is for… Alejandro and all of you, and the producers. And these guys are tremendous. And I’m proud to be a part of this group.” – Michael Keaton
“This was a wonderful experience, so collaborative. And Alejandro, you’re a genius.” – Naomi Watts
“When I was on As the World Turns… “ – Zach Galifianakis
“There’s no way to follow that. Just thank you so much. Thank you.” – Amy Ryan
“This was such an honor and this movie was such an incredible experience. Thank you. We’re so grateful.” – Emma Stone
“It’s…it’s fun to be an actor, but as everybody in this room knows, it’s a true privilege to be a working actor. And in a Guild… And it’s a triple privilege if you ever get to work on something that you love as much as a piece of material like this.” – Edward Norton
“I just want to say, it’s a privilege and a pleasure to be an actor. And I think my favorite thing about acting is being with other actors. And it’s amazing that people allow us to do it. Thank you to all of the people who allow us to do it. Thank you.” – Andrea Riseborough
9:56 PM
Costner wishes us a goodnight.