WILLIAM PETERSEN: Well, this is a shock. The only explanation for this is that somehow in the last year, every one of you tried to act with rubber gloves and tweezers. [laughter] Although I will have to say that when you share your close-up with carpet fibers, you're doing a little bit of ensemble acting. [laughter]
The best thing about being an actor is that we get to hang out with other actors. We enjoy being with each other every day, we care about each other, we're friends, and that's truly our reward. We're proud to be members of the Screen Actors Guild, the best private club in the world, and we would like to thank our fellowship of gypsies for this lovely award.
Thank you. Peace. [applause]
Outstanding Performance by an
Ensemble in a Drama Series
DOUG SAVANT: Good evening. We'd like to use this award to ring the death knell to reality television. [applause] The incredible success of "Desperate Housewives" begins and ends with one man, and that's Mr. Marc Cherry. He is actually in his office right now working, writing, and he is as kind and generous, and ethical as he is talented. And we wanted to let you know that tonight.
We want to thank our executive producer, Mr. Tom Spezialy and Michael Edelstein. [applause] The overworked and often under-recognized, Mr. George Perkins, all of - is George here? - all of our directors and writers who make our show all that it is. We would also - no actor stands on the stage without first gaining the support and confidence of a casting director, and we have two brilliant casting directors - because they cast us [laughter] - they are Junie Lowry-Johnson and Scott Genkinger. [applause]
All you actors out there, if you do audition for our show, you will be treated well, you will be treated with respect, and when you leave, you will think, "Wow! That was almost like acting." [laughter] Lastly, we too celebrate, or share this award, with every guest cast and day player who has graced our set with their talent. And to our Screen Actors Guild stand-ins, Rosie, Jenny, Patty, Sandra, Scott, Dawn, Mark, and Eric who runs the football pool. [laughter]
Thank you for this honor. God bless. [applause]
Outstanding Performance by an
Ensemble in a Comedy Series
JERRY ORBACH: Thank you. Thank you. Oh! [applause]
JAMES DENTON: It's very heavy.
ORBACH: Oh no. Oh... Oh God, how bittersweet, but it's still sweet. Thank you. Thank all of you. God, if Jerry were here, he would be - he would be so articulate and so giving and loving, and receiving, all of you, for this beautiful award.
Jerry was an actor and he loved actors. He loved kibitzing with them, he loved playing cards with them, he loved playing Scrabble with them, but he loved being with them. Jerry had a motto. He said, "Never leave a hit show." [laughter] It was a good one. [applause] He did it for the audiences of Broadway, for a good 35-years, with all the major long-running shows that he did, "Promises" - good Lord, the original "Chicago," which that's where we met and fell in love - "42nd Street," on and on and on.
And in between, the wonderful Dick Wolf said, "Would you consider 'Law & Order"?" And of course, it brought him back to his beloved Broadway, 'cause he could spend time on and around Broadway. Oh God, and it gave him the longest-running show of his heart. He loved it, he stayed there till the end, and he always said, "Never leave a hit show."
May you all never leave your hit show. Thank you so much. [applause] God, it's heavy. [laughs] Thank you.
Outstanding Performance by a
Male Actor in a Drama Series
Thank you so much. Thank you so much. My first job, Melissa Gilbert played my mom. I called her Laura, every day in the make-up trailer. I practically called her Half-Pint - it's so fun to be sitting with her. I've claimed James Garner for years as a relative, it's wonderful to be in this room, [laughter] and to be part of this union.
And the day my parents accepted that I was an actor was the day I told them, "I get insurance." [laughter] So, thank you to SAG and thank you to all the actors that we work with on "Alias," the background, my stunt double, Shauna Duggins, my stand-in, Nancy Wetzel, my incredible cast, the writers, ABC, everybody, we're so lucky to have this job. We have a blast. Thank you so, so much. [applause]
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Drama Series
Cast of Allison Janney
The West Wing
Transcript of Allison Janney
The West Wing
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Drama Series
Thank you very much. I’m so proud to be among you in this group. They asked us not to go through a whole long list of thank you’s this year, but I just want to extend my gratitude to all of the guest actors who come onto series television. [applause]
As series regulars, our job is made so much easier to be in the head of the character week in and week out, as Jamie Foxx proved so well tonight. [laughter] But for the guest actors who come into a show without any preparation, without any time to rehearse, their job is so much harder, to capture the tone, to create a character, to work in harmony with actors and directors they have not worked with before. I want to extend my gratitude to them. Thank you all.
[applause]
Outstanding Performance by a
Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Wow, it's really... Okay, it's really heavy, that's one thing... Okay, I sort of didn't expect this and... .look at this, all these amazing actors.
I came to Los Angeles as a dancing extra in "The Love Boat" in 1985, and since then I got to work with Christopher Guest and Kevin Bacon, and Kevin Kline, and Sally Field, and Whoopi Goldberg and... God, like a lot of movies and TV shows, for really having no career a year ago. And I just - I learned from all those people and I am so proud to be a part of this group.
I never thought I could even call myself an actor, and I want to thank you for letting me sort of rediscover myself, for giving me a chance to maybe get rid of old perceptions and be a part of this group of wonderful cast on the show, with amazing writers, and Jamie Denton and Andrea Bowen, my boyfriend and my daughter, who don't get all of the press of all of the lovely housewives, but make me so great in those scenes. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be anywhere, and the same thing to all of you ladies, it's just the most wonderful job, and thank you very much.
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Cast of Patricia Heaton
Everybody Loves Raymond
Transcript of Patricia Heaton
Everybody Loves Raymond
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Cast of Megan Mullally
Will & Grace
Transcript of Megan Mullally
Will & Grace
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Cast of Sarah Jessica Parker
Sex and the City
Transcript of Sarah Jessica Parker
Sex and the City
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Cast of Doris Roberts
Everybody Loves Raymond
Transcript of Doris Roberts
Everybody Loves Raymond
Cast of Geoffrey Rush
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
Transcript of Geoffrey Rush
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
Thank you very much. I don’t know how you calibrate acting. I can’t define for myself how you do it or how it turns out. But to be nominated by the Guild in such great company is a really thrilling benchmark. I delude myself actually into thinking that when I’m naked, I look like this guy. [laughter] I love that he’s called The Actor, and he’s not “The Talent” [laughter] or “The Celebrity” or “The Sound Byter” or “The Whore” [laughter] or all of the things that we sometimes, you know, have to succumb to. [laughter]
Outstanding Performance by a
Male Actor in Television Movie or Miniseries
Cast of Jon Voight
Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Transcript of Jon Voight
Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Thank you so much, it means the world to me, to get this award from my peers. I adore what I do, I think it's the most wonderful profession in the world, and I want to share it with my collaborators, every single one of them, on the amazing experience that was "Lion in Winter."
It was daunting taking on a role, word-for-word, that was made iconic by the great Katharine Hepburn, who won an Oscar for it. But I have to tell you a story very quickly. When I was a senior in college at William and Mary, I was painting scenery backstage, and the Dick Cavett interview with Hepburn, the only time she was ever on television, happened to be playing.
And so I knew that I had wanted to be an actress, but something happened to be that night watching her. And I said to myself, "If that's who you want to be, do it!" And the next day I went to the office of the head of the theater department, I asked to be nominated for a series of national auditions. I ended up that fall with my first job as an understudy on Broadway.
And later, when Hepburn was celebrated at the Kennedy Center Honors, I was one of the group of artists that helped celebrate her. And she came back stage, which was very rare, and I was coerced into telling her this story. And so I kind of stuttered it, you know, about she had had a real impact, and was the reason why I got my first job.
And days later, I received this letter, which hangs on a wall in my house, in a place of honor. And what she wrote to me was this: "I'm glad I persuaded you when you were a mere child to join this terrible profession, this terrifying profession, and let's face it, this delicious way to spend your life."
Thank you very much.
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in Television Movie or Miniseries
Cast of Patricia Heaton
Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl
Transcript of Patricia Heaton
Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in Television Movie or Miniseries
Cast of Keke Palmer
The Wool Cap
Transcript of Keke Palmer
The Wool Cap
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in Television Movie or Miniseries
Cast of Hilary Swank
Iron Jawed Angels
Transcript of Hilary Swank
Iron Jawed Angels
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in Television Movie or Miniseries
Cast of Charlize Theron
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
Transcript of Charlize Theron
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
