2005 SAG Winners
- Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener)
- Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man)
- Female Actor in a Leading Role: Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line)
- Male Actor in a Leading Role: Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote)
Ensemble Cast: Crash
Lifetime Achievement: Shirley Temple
Unfortunately the SAG did not create any surprise in the female supporting category by going with Golden Globe winner Rachel Weisz thus reducing even further the chances for a surprise at the Oscars but also potentially reducing Amy Adams' chances for an Oscar nomination. On the other hand they certainly shook things up a bit in the male supporting actor category where they award Giamatti who was probably considered to have the 4th chance in the line-up at best. Will this point towards a shake-up at Oscars? It does cement Giamatti's chances at a nomination after the surprising Oscar snub of last year.
In the female lead category the voters task was easier than there will be at the Oscars, as Felicity Huffman easily won an award for her role in Desperate Housewives, thus noone felt any remorse voting for Reese Witherspoon as best actress in a motion picture. Reese improved her speech since her Golden Globe win, this time thanking and dedicating the rule to June Carter who she plays in Walk the Line.
Philip Seymour Hoffman was an expected win so the only thing of relevance for this award was the quality of his speech, which may determine whether people want to listen to him at the Oscars again or give someone else a shot. (If you think that's childish... you're right. But so am I.) His speech was warm but a bit strange, telling all the actors that... he's got their back. Okay..
Finally, Crash deservedly picks up the Ensemble Cast award also marking the end of the evening with no award for Brokeback Mountain! Which is not such a bad thing, given the overwhelming leading status of Ang Lee's movie, it is good to create some competition at the Oscars and not have it win across the table in the acting categories where others are equally deserving if not more.
Now it's time to revisit the Oscar predictions one last time.
The Television Awards went as follows:
Male Actor in a Miniseries - Paul Newman (Empire Falls)
Female Actor in a Miniseries - S. Epatha Merkerson (Lockawana Blues)
Ensemble Comedy - Desperate Housewives
Male Actor Comedy Series - Sean Hayes (Will and Grace)
Female Actor Comedy Series - Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives)
Female Actor Drama Series - Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy)
Male Actor Drama Series - Keifer Sutherland (24)
Ensemble in a Drama Series - Lost