The 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Celebrates Unpretentiously

The 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards is presented by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) to recognize outstanding performances by its members. The award show, which began in 2005, gives recipients an award called "The Actor," and it's the "only national network television show to acknowledge the work of union members." Actors from TV to the big screen come together for one night of dinner and awards.

The SAG awards began with a few actors introducing themselves. It's not the way most movie award nights start, and some may have found it a bit corny. However, it may be a refreshing change from a snarky host.

For example, Julianna Margulies said, "When I was waitressing right out of college, I went on my first television audition. The casting director told me to move to Europe because my looks would never make it on TV in America. I'm Julianna Margulies and I'm proud to be an actor."

However, aspiring actors were probably more likely to receive inspiration later in the program, such as with the words of veteran actor Ernest Borgnine who received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. Said the 94-year-old Borgnine, "I hope that we will never let our dedication to our craft fail and that we will always give the best that we possibly can to our profession so that people can enjoy us in later years."

The 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards went to the following actors:

Outstanding Male Actor in a Drama Series

Steve Buscemi

Outstanding Female Actor in a Drama Series

Julianna Margulies

Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series

The Cast of Boardwalk Empire

Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Melissa Leo

Outstanding Male Actor in a Comedy Series

Alec Baldwin

Outstanding Female Actor in a Comedy Series

Betty White

Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series

The Cast of Modern Family

SAG Award for Life Achievement

Ernest Borgnine

Outstanding Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

Al Pacino

Outstanding Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

Claire Danes

Outstanding Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Christian Bale

Outstanding Female Actor in a Leading Role

Natalie Portman

Outstanding Male Actor in a Leading Role

Colin Firth

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

The Cast of The King's Speech

Sources:

The 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on TNT

SAG website