Let the SAG wars begin

Fifty actors and twenty five shows fight for the coveted Screen Actors Guild awards

The 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards took place on Sunday, Jan. 25. and featured many of the same results as this year’s Golden Globes.

Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Birdman” won the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. Among the all-star cast are Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Zach Galifianakis and Naomi Watts.

English actor Eddie Redmayne secured the Actor for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for his standout portrayal of Stephen Hawking in British director James Marsh’s “The Theory of Everything.” Redmayne also took home a Golden Globe for the role and is a favorable candidate for the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

“Still Alice” star Julianne Moore won the Actor for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. Her portrayal of a linguistics professor at an Ivy League university suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s disease also earned the actress a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination.

J.K. Simmons took home the Actor for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for his commanding role in breakout director Damien Chazelle’s acclaimed drama, “Whiplash.” The 60-year-old actor also received his first Golden Globe for the role along with an Oscar nomination.

For her role as a caring but stressed mother in the Oscar-nominated drama “Boyhood,” Patricia Arquette has already been awarded a Golden Globe and not surprisingly took home the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role as well. The actress is also up for an Oscar,  and it would not be a huge shock if she won that award as well.

British drama “Downton Abbey” won the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, beating out worthy contenders such as HBO’s “Game of Thrones” and even Netflix’s critically acclaimed series, “House of Cards.”

Kevin Spacey proved to be the best of the best in the fierce category of Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor, winning the Actor for his work in Netflix’s “House of Cards,” beating out both “True Detective” protagonists, played by Woody Harrelson and Matthew Mcconaughey. Spacey also took home the Golden Globe for his portrayal of ruthless politician Frank Underwood.

Underdog Viola Davis was awarded the Actor for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series in the crime/thriller series “How to Get Away with Murder.” Davis won over several favorable candidates, including Spacey’s “House of Cards” co-star Robin Wright.

Netflix’s original series “Orange is the New Black” won the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, winning the award over ABC’s “Modern Family” and Fox’s “Brooklyn Nine-nine.” The announcement came as a shock and is confirmation that Netflix is capable of producing critically acclaimed hits, both in drama and comedy genres.

Primetime Emmy Award winner Uzo Aduba took home the Actor for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series for her role as a wide-eyed, mentally unstable prisoner in “Orange is the New Black.” The actress beat out leading lady Julie Bowen of “Modern Family” along with comedian Amy Poehler of “Parks and Recreation.”

William H. Macy of Showtime’s hit comedy “Shameless” won the Actor for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series. The two-time SAG Award winner triumphed in a category comprised of exemplary nominees, such as Jim Parsons of “The Big Bang Theory,” Louis C.K of FX’s “Louie” and SAG Award winner Eric Stonestreet of “Modern Family.”

The SAG Awards marked the last major award show until The 87th Academy Awards, which will take place on Feb. 22.