11th Annual SAG Awards™ Acceptance Speeches



Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

Hilary Swank / MILLION DOLLAR BABY - Maggie Warner Bros.

HILARY SWANK: I am amazed, lucky, thankful, speechless and quite frankly stunned to be a working actor. I thank my fellow SAG members for this incredible honor, this award means so much to me. And I also want to acknowledge my fellow nominees who inspire me to be a better actor.

You know, I also can't believe I'm a working actor, working with the legendary Clint Eastwood, and the always amazing Morgan Freeman. I think one of the rarest qualities, and most important qualities is the - being able to believe in someone else. And Clint, your unwavering belief in me, I am just so thankful for that. I am thankful to you for reminding me to trust my instincts, and allowing me to trust my instincts. 

And I am in such awe - it's hard enough to be an actor, and how you directed this picture, while giving the performance of a lifetime, producing and composing, I bow down to you, you are a talent beyond compare. And if I'm half the person you are, and half the talent you are, when I'm 74, I will know I have accomplished something great. [applause]

I want to thank Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi for sending me this beautiful script, Al Ruddy, and let's see - the wrapping up sign is coming, but you don't understand, we work so hard, please give me a moment to talk... Let's see, Phyllis Huffman, our casting director, oh let's see, my trainers, Grant Roberts and Hector Rocca, and Tonya Makomis [sp] - Clint's telling me to wrap it up. [laughter] And my mom. You know what? My mom for believing in me from the very beginning. So anyway, [applause] I thank you for this great honor and I want to also thank my husband for just putting up with me. Thank you. [applause]





Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Morgan Freeman / MILLION DOLLAR BABY - Scrap Warner Bros.

MORGAN FREEMAN: [singing] "Who was the long tall stranger there, Maverick is his name. Ridin' the trail to who knows where, luck is his companion, gambling is his game." [applause]

I want to thank anybody who I ever met.  [laughter] I want to thank Clint Eastwood and his entire family. I want to thank Hillary Swank, Al Ruddy coming to us with this wonderful script. And I want to thank you all so much. [applause]





Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Cate Blanchett / THE AVIATOR - Katharine Hepburn Miramax Films

CATE BLANCHETT:  Thank you. I so didn't expected this. I wore a really tight dress that's very ungracious walking up those stairs. Thank you very much, I sort of don't know where to begin.

Playing Katharine Hepburn, I absolutely did not expect to be standing here in front of you all. But Hepburn aside, I actually would like to say, as an actor coming from another country to this country, I am so astounded and amazed, and grateful, at the power of the SAG union and what it does for its members. And I hope that other countries, mine own included, you know, is inspired by that - I think it's incredible.

So, I thank you very much. I think the head, shoulders, knees and toes of this belong to Martin Scorsese, who led us all and gave us great courage - I'm shaking. Thank you so much. And to Leonardo and to Graham King who were so incredibly welcoming. To Morag Ross, who painted every single freckle on my face, and everyone, because it's an absolute team effort and a team on it. I don't know where to begin, I'm overwhelmed. Thank you so much.





Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

Geoffrey Rush / THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PETER SELLERS - Peter Sellers HBO

GEOFFREY RUSH: 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]

As Glenn said, I mean, I just love this job. I love this profession. I love the vast heritage of it. And when you work with people like Charlize and Emily and John Lithgow and Stanley Tucci, Miriam Margolyes, you become just so much more acutely aware of that.

Thank you Stephen Hopkins, my director, for teasing us all into a wonderful state of play. And thank you, Peter Sellers, just for the extreme pleasure of being able to watch all of your movies.

Thank you.

[applause]





Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

Glenn Close / THE LION IN WINTER - Eleanor Of Aquitaine Showtime

GLENN CLOSE: 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 Male Actor in a Drama Series

Jerry Orbach / LAW & ORDER - Detective Lennie Briscoe NBC

ELAINE 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 Female Actor in a Drama Series

Jennifer Garner / ALIAS - Sydney Bristow ABC

JENNIFER GARNER: 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 Male Actor in a Comedy Series

Tony Shalhoub / MONK - Adrian Monk USA

TONY SHALHOUB: 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 Female Actor in a Comedy Series

Teri Hatcher / Desperate Housewives – Susan Mayer ABC

TERI HATCHER: 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 an Ensemble in a Drama Series

CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION CBS
Gary Dourdan Warrick Brown
George Eads Nick Stokes
Jorja Fox Sara Sidle
Paul Guilfoyle Jim Brass
Robert David Hall Dr. Robbins
Marg Helgenberger Catherine Willows
William Petersen Gil Grissom
Eric Szmanda Greg Sanders

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 Comedy Series

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES ABC

Andrea Bowen Julie Mayer
Ricardo Antonio Chavira Carlos Solis
Marcia Cross Bree Van De Kamp
Steven Culp Rex Van De Kamp
James Denton Mike Delfino
Teri Hatcher Susan Mayer
Felicity Huffman Lynette Scavo
Cody Kasch Zach Young
Eva Longoria Gabrielle Solis
Jesse Metcalfe John the Gardener
Mark Moses Paul Young
Nicollette Sheridan Edie Britt
Brenda Strong Mary Alice Young

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]





LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: JAMES GARNER

JAMES GARNER: Don’t do too much of that. I get very emotional. Hello, actors! [audience responds] Well, of course, I’m humbled by this evening. I don’t know if I deserve this award, but, please, if, just for tonight, you’ll forgive me if I act like I do. [laughter]

You look at the list of wonderful actors who have been recipients of this award, and I’m not all sure how I got here. I’m just so humbled to be a part of such a distinguished group. And, well, we actors, we seldom know how we are perceived by others, but this wonderful award lets me know, say, “Hey, Jim, you must have done something good.” So to have actors think of me in these terms, it touches me deep, deep, deep, DEEP in my heart.

To all of my fellow actors, and of course my lovely co-stars, leading ladies that I’ve had the pleasure of working with, I can only offer one grateful and astounded thank you to all of the people who have helped me along the way and brought me to this moment.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the one person who has been every step of the way, my wife of 48 years, Lois. [applause] I love you sweetheart for all the support you’ve given me, and a few other things. [laughter]

Oh, and one more thing I would like to say: actors are very special people, and I love each and every one of you. I have been a member of this guild for over 50 years, and it’s a great guild. It’s the best guild in the world. I’m proud to be part of it. And just remember, you take damn good care of it, okay?

And now I get to go to work next week with my cast and crew of “Eight Simple Rules” and start on my second lifetime. Thank you so much. I love you all!

[applause]