How did the [B][URL="http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20174079,00.html"]Screen Actors Guild results[/URL][/B] affect this year's Oscar race? Let's go category by category.
[B]Best Cast[/B]
As the only SAG nominee to snag a Best Picture Oscar nod, [I]No Country for Old Men[/I] was certainly the movie to beat for the night's ultimate prize. That one of the bigger hits in the category ([I]Hairspray[/I], [I]American Gangster[/I]) wasn't able to upset it only strengthens its Oscar chances.
[B]Best Actor[/B]
In a tight race, SAG voters often go with the more commercial choice ([I]American Beauty[/I]'s Annette Bening over [I]Boys Don't Cry[/I]'s Hilary Swank, for instance). As with Best Cast, however, they chose a contender with lower box office: [I]There Will Be Blood[/I]'s Daniel Day-Lewis. Can anyone beat him? His gracious acceptance speech may have sealed the deal.
[B]Best Actress[/B]
Given [I]Little Miss Sunshine[/I]'s success at the SAG Awards last year, I thought [I]Juno[/I]'s Ellen Page might have a shot over Julie Christie. But the [I]Away From Her[/I] star's victory only increased her lead in the overall race. Perhaps [I]Juno[/I]'s best shot will be for Diablo Cody's screenplay.
[B]Best Supporting Actor[/B]
[I]No Country[/I]'s brilliant Javier Bardem won. This race is now officially a yawn.
[B]Best Supporting Actress[/B]
Finally, a race with some excitement. After [I]Gone Baby Gone[/I]'s Amy Ryan won the Critics' Choice Award and [I]I'm Not There[/I]'s Cate Blanchett picked up the Golden Globe, 83-year-old Ruby Dee scored a SAG win with her minutes-long performance in [I]American Gangster[/I]. SAG voters might have been going for the career-achievement thing with this one, so Dee isn't necessarily the Oscar front-runner now. But it's the most even major race this year.
[ via [URL="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/entertainmentweekly/latest/%7E3/224707317/0,,20007870_20164475_20174215,00.html"]EW[/URL] ]
