The Screen Actors Guild has just finished handing out their awards for best achievements in film and TV acting for 2013 with only one surprise to be found in the five main categories.
Shockingly, American Hustle took home the big win at the end of the night for Best Cast in a Motion Picture, despite having only one other nomination (which it lost). The other four acting awards went as expected with Matthew McConaughey, Cate Blanchett, Jared Leto and Lupita Nyong’o all emerging victorious.
So, what does this mean for the Oscars? Well, it means that we have our confirmed frontrunners for the four acting awards. Can you believe that we will more than likely be able to say “Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey” in about a month and a half?
As for Nyong’o’s victory, it cements her frontrunner status over Jennifer Lawrence. There were a few who still doubted this, but after tonight, there shouldn’t be any doubt left. Her victory is particularly interesting because it was thought that this was the one award that American Hustle might be able to swing its way for the Oscars, but now it looks like that won’t happen, leading to the distinct possibility of it going home with nothing on the big night.
As for the Best Cast award, it doesn’t really mean much in the long run as far as the Best Picture Oscar goes. Of the 18 previous films who’ve received the honor, only nine of them have gone on to win Best Picture, but you also have to factor in the fact that several of the recipients were not favorites for the Academy’s top prize.
It’s rather shocking that they ended up going with American Hustle though. Not that it didn’t have a wonderful cast (they certainly didn’t embarrass themselves like last year), but after nominating 12 Years a Slave for nearly all of the categories, how do you not give it the big prize? In a sense, they’re contradicting themselves by saying the film has the best cast, but wasn’t worthy of more than one individual nomination (again, an award it didn’t even win). We can’t really apply the “Best Picture” excuse this year because American Hustle is not the favorite to win Best Picture, so it remains an interesting mystery.
Tomorrow night sees the announcement of the PGA’s awards, including Best Producer of a Motion Picture, an award that is very telling for the Best Picture Oscar given that the awards have matched up more than 70% of the time. It’s still fully expected that 12 Years a Slave will take home the prize, but there’s also the slight possibility of an upset there as well from Gravity or even American Hustle. Join us again tomorrow night as we find out if 12 Years a Slave solidifies its place at #1 or if there will be a new frontrunner.
See below for a full list of film and television winners for tonight’s Screen Actors Guild Awards and be sure to let us know how you think the ceremony went in the comments section.
Best Cast in a Motion Picture: American Hustle
Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
Best Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Best Ensemble (Drama Series): Breaking Bad
Best Ensemble (Comedy Series): Modern Family
Best Actor (Drama Series): Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Best Actress (Drama Series): Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Best Actor (Comedy Series): Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Best Actress (Comedy Series): Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Best Actor (TV Movie or Miniseries): Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra
Best Actress (TV Movie or Miniseries): Helen Mirren, Phil Spector
Best Stunt Ensemble (Motion Picture): Lone Survivor
Best Stunt Ensemble (TV Series): Game of Thrones