Labor & Employment Law

Colin Firth, Natalie Portman, Melissa Leo, Christian Bale Get SAG Top Awards

By James Parks

The movies ?The King?s Speech? and ?The Fighter? and the HBO series ?Boardwalk Empire? were the big winners at last night?s Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, the nation?s largest and only nationally televised all-union awards show.

Their fellow actors awarded Colin Firth, Natalie Portman, Melissa Leo and Christian Bale top honors for performances in motion pictures and Alec Baldwin, Steve Buscemi, Claire Danes, Julianna Margulies, Al Pacino and Betty White for performances in television. The awards for TV ensemble went to the casts of ?Boardwalk Empire? and ?Modern Family.?

In her acceptance speech, Portman paid tribute to the union’s important role:

I?ve been working since I was 11 years old. You made sure I wasn?t working too long, made sure I got my education while I was working. I?m so grateful to have this union protecting me every day.

Ernest Borgnine, 93, received the Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment. SAG President Ken Howard said of Borgnine:

Whether portraying brutish villains, sympathetic everymen, complex leaders or hapless heroes, Ernest Borgnine has brought a boundless energy, which, at 93, is still a hallmark of his remarkably busy life and career. It is with that same joyous spirit that we salute his impressive body of work and his steadfast generosity.

Dennis Haysbert introduced a lively film montage that saluted actors who perform in commercials. Hilary Swank introduced a filmed ?In Memoriam,? a tribute to the actors who have passed away in the past year.

Click here to read the complete list of SAG Award winners.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on January 31, 2011 (boomark / email).