12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Results and Commentary (2006)

SAG Awards Actor statuette
Actor Statuette
©2005 SAG
  • Date of Ceremony: Sunday, January 29, 2006
  • For performances seen in: 2005
Other years:

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8:00 PM ET

It’s 5pm here in LA and I’m in the backstage interview room at the Shrine. The photographers have just cleared the carpet and the madness back here is about to begin. We’ve got red carpet and backstage photos.

8:01 PM ET

As per usual, we start with actors talking about their stories. Randy Quaid, S. Epetha Merkerson, James Denton, Anne Hathaway, Patricia Heaton, and Thandi Newton.

8:03 PM ET

Sandra Bullock‘s onstage now to introduce the clip for the cast nominated film, Crash.

8:05 PM ET

Eva Longoria and Sean Hayes take to the stage next. After some mixed-up cue card jokes, they announce the nominees for Female Actor in a Drama Series. And the Actor goes to Sandra Oh from Grey’s Anatomy. “This is unbelievable, this is unbelievable. I thank every single actor out there. I’m so happy to have a job.”

8:09 PM ET

Ted Danson and Felicity Huffman keep the flow going by announcing the nominees for Male Actor in a Drama Series. And the Actor goes to Kiefer Sutherland. It’s his second win. Here’s here with his stepson and thanks his family for their support and understanding.

8:17 PM ET

Terrence Howard introduces the clip for the cast nominated film, Hustle & Flow.

8:18 PM ET

Mission Impossible‘s Barbara Bain and Peter Graves have a little trouble reading their teleprompter and switch to their paper scripts. They’re here to award the Actor to the Ensemble in a Drama Series. And the Actor goes to the cast of Lost. It’s the ensemble’s first nomination and win. Terry O’Quinn says his fellow cast are “the saddest collection of climbing, grasping, paranoid, back-stabbing, scene-grabbing losers and schmoozers that you ever saw on your stage in your life. But we love each other very much.”

8:24 PM ET

Chris Cooper’s up next to add to the list of winners for Female Actor in a Supporting Role. He rips open the envelope and the Actor goes to Rachel Weisz for The Constant Gardener.

“It’s so special to be honored by fellow actors. So thanks very much to the tribe.”

8:32 PM ET

William Shatner pays tribute to the 55,000+ SAG members who work in commercials.

8:36 PM ET

Kiefer’s back here, while onstage Naveen Andrews and Patricia Arquette have the task of presenting Female Actor in a Comedy Series. (The press back here keep asking Kiefer about his dad’s effect on his work.) And the Actor goes to Felicity Huffman from Desperate Housewives. “I love actors, I married one – okay I married a fantastic one. I know. But even more than acting, I love the community of actors. I love the green room, I love the hair and makeup trailer, and I am so grateful that I am acting, and I am so grateful that I can make a living at it, because I was never very good at math.”

8:40 PM ET

Marg Helgenberger and Christopher Meloni are out next. The TV detectives have an opportunity to hand out some mantle decoration to the winner of Male Actor in a Comedy Series. And the Actor goes to Sean Hayes from Will & Grace. “My heart’s racing. I can’t believe it. I’d like to thank Ang Lee for taking a chance on me…I’d like to all the actors who thought this actor had an ounce of talent.”

8:44 PM ET

Ellen Pompeo and Jeremy Piven team up to present the Actor for Ensemble in a Comedy Series. And the Actor goes to the cast of Desperate Housewives. Shawn Pyfrom accepts the award. “Just thank you to the Screen Actors Guild, you know, for giving us all this moment, you know, to stand up here and thank our peers for nominating us, and voting for us, and, of course, we wouldn’t be standing up here if it wasn’t for our amazing cast and – this is like my heart is beating out of my chest.”

8:54 PM ET

SAG President Alan Rosenberg makes his remarks and thanks the other unions that make the actors’ work possible.

8:56 PM ET

Dakota Fanning comes out with a Shirley Temple doll that was given to her by her mother and that she’ll give one day to her daughter. She introduces a series of clips from the career of tonight’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Shirley Temple Black. Her career of course spans the areas of both film and her work as a U.S. Ambassador.

9:03 PM ET

Jamie Lee Curtis almost takes a header down the stairs as she comes out to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Shirley Temple Black. Shirley gets a standing ovation as she takes to the stage.

“I have one piece of advice for those of you who want to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award: start early!”

9:06 PM ET

The cast of Lost is back here. It’s impossible to hear anything back here because we’re just a curtain away from the photographers shouting for their pictures.

9:12 PM ET

Philip Seymour Hoffman and Catherine Keener introduce the clip for the cast nominated film, Capote.

9:13 PM ET

Rachel Weisz is backstage now. She says she can’t understand why her leading man, Ralph Fiennes was not nominated.

9:14 PM ET

Ziyi Zhang walks out to present the SAG Award for Male Actor in a Supporting Role. And the Actor goes to Paul Giamatti for Cinderella Man. “I’d like to thank the people who stand with me at the craft services table and shooting the shit.”

9:18 PM ET

Samuel L. Jackson introduces this year’s In Memoriam segment.

9:18 PM ET

Sean Hayes is back here. He talks about the sadness of the last year of the show. He also talks about playing Jerry Lewis. He says that Jerry loved the performance and now signs letters to him “Love, Dad.”

9:27 PM ET

David Strathairn introduces the clip for the cast nominated film, Good Night, and Good Luck.

9:29 PM ET

Amy Adams and Benjamin Bratt are onstage now to present the SAG Award for Female Actor in a TV Movie or Mini-Series. And the Actor goes to S. Epetha Merkerson, Bratt’s former co-star in Law & Order. “You know if I said I was at a loss for words, there would be a bunch of people out here that would call me a liar.”

9:33 PM ET

Shirley Temple Black’s back here and says that the cutest man in the room tonight was George Clooney.

9:34 PM ET

William H. Macy and Angela Bassett present the SAG Award for Male Actor in a TV Movie or Mini-Series. And the Actor goes to Paul Newman. Macy says “Unlike so many of us, Paul Newman is working, so I’m going to take this home. And Paul, if you want it, give me a call.”

9:38 PM ET

Paul Giamatti’s back here. Says he was surprised as he thought George Clooney would win.

9:40 PM ET

Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger introduce the clip for the cast nominated film, Brokeback Mountain.

9:42 PM ET

Pierce Brosnan executes the task of presenting the SAG Award for Female Actor in a Leading Role. And the Actor goes to Reese Witherspoon. It’s her first SAG nomination and win. “Ohmigod, y’all…when I told my parents I wanted to be an actor when I was seven, they thought I was completely crazy.” She also thanked Joaquin Phoenix: “Without your John, there was no June.” your Johnny, there’s no June.”

9:47 PM ET

We’re getting close to the end here. Hilary Swank introduces the nominees for Male Actor in a Leading Role. And the Actor goes to Philip Seymour Hoffman for Capote. “Wow, this is nerve-wracking. I was just watching these clips…I love and have loved the performances of these actors.”

9:55 PM ET

S. Epetha Merkerson is back here. “it’s important that women of a certain age are represented.

9:56 PM ET

Morgan Freeman has the final task of the night, handing out the statuette for Cast of a Motion Picture. And the Actor goes to the cast of Crash. Terrence Howard takes to the mic but says he worships Don Cheadle like so many others and passes the duties on to him. Cheadle says that Crash is “a film that doesn’t end when the credits roll.”

9:59 PM ET

Morgan Freemans bids the audience a good night.

10:13 PM ET

Philip Seymour Hoffman’s backstage. He says that though he did all the external research (voice, mannerisms, etc) understanding the motivation was the thing that helped him find the character. He says that acting is the reward, but the awards are just gravy.

10:18 PM ET

Reese is here now. She says that when she was younger she was told that she couldn’t sing, so it took a lot of coaxing from director James Mangold to get her to sing in Walk the Line.

10:24 PM ET

We’re joined by Felicity Huffman. She offers to get drinks back to the press. When asked how she chooses her roles she says that her husband, William H. Macy “has many roles to choose from. I usually take what’s offered to me. And that’s the truth.” She also figures that Transamerica could be a musical: Tranny Get Your Son.

10:47 PM ET

The cast of Crash joins us backstage. Matt Dillon says that “Most of the films being made are a product. I’d like to see more of these films [like Crash] being made.” Sandra Bullock then poked fun at a reporter who asked a fashion question.

That’s it for this year. Thank you for joining our coverage of the 12th Annual SAG Awards.

We’d like to give special thanks to the Best Western Hollywood Plaza Inn for their generous assistance with our coverage stay.

The Actor Statuette Photo Credit: Mark Hill ©2005 Screen Actors Guild.