LONDON – Colin Firth has won a best actor award for his role as King George VI in ‘The King’s Speech’ at the Screen Actors Guild. His victory follows recent triumphs at the Golden Globes and the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards for his performance of the stammering wartime monarch and boosts his chances of an Oscar next month. ‘The King’s Speech’ took the prize for best ensemble cast, the guild’s equivalent of the best picture Oscar.
‘The King’s Speech’ triumphed over ‘Black Swan’, ‘The Fighter’, the Facebook drama ‘The Social Network’ and the lesbian family comedy ‘The Kids Are All Right’. Natalie Portman was named best actress for her role as an unhinged ballerina in ‘Black Swan’ at the 17th annual awards. The supporting prizes went to Christian Bale and Melissa Leo for ‘The Fighter’.
The Screen Actors Guild also honors performances in television. HBO’s new Prohibition-era series ‘Boardwalk Empire’ took best cast ensemble for a drama, while its star Steve Buscemi won for his role as a corrupt politician. Emmys favorite ‘Modern Family’ won for best comedy ensemble, and 89-year-old former Golden Girl Betty White was a popular winner for her role as a sassy caretaker in the new comedy ‘Hot in Cleveland’.
Julianna Margulies made it two in a row for what she called the “role of a lifetime” as a buttoned-up lawyer in the legal drama ‘The Good Wife’, and Alec Baldwin won for the fifth straight year for his role as a network executive in the comedy ’30 Rock’. The SAG awards are a good indicator of Oscar success because actors in the US film and TV industry make up the largest voting group among members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Firth, previously best known for romantic comedies such as ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary,’ thanked his “dream cast.” Australian actor Geoffrey Rush, an Oscar nominee for his role as the reluctant king’s unconventional speech therapist, said the movie was a true example of ensemble acting.
