During the presentation of the Screen Actors Guild Awards on TNT tonight, there was one of those now trite montages honoring actors from the past. During the montage, we saw great stunts (performed, presumably, by great stunt men), and great dancers and… great gay portrayals: Nathan Lane in “The Bird Cage,” Jake and Heath in “Brokeback,” “Philadelphia” and more … including “Milk,” also nominated for three awards.
Even better for us: It even won for Sean Penn’s leading performance, beating the much-discussed work by Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler.”
There was even more “gay.” Meryl Streep, as the stern Catholic nun who suspects a priest of being a child molester, won for female actor in a motion picture for “Doubt,” from gay producer Scott Rudin. The cast of “Mad Men,” which includes Bryan Batt playing a closeted gay executive, won best ensemble for a television drama. Sally Field won for female actor in a drama series for “Brothers & Sisters,” from gay creator Jon Robin Baitz in which she plays the mother of a gay son.
When Heath Ledger won for supporting actor for “The Dark Knight,” he got a standing ovation.
LMAO… 30 ROCK RANKED 119th ON THE NEILSON RATINGS FOR THE YEAR, TIED WITH “AMERICAS MOST WANTED” IN RATINGS, AND TINA FEY GETS AWARDS?? WHAT A JOKE… NOBODY WATCHES 30 ROCK BUT THE LIBERALS IN HOLLYwood. PATHETIC… BIG BANG and HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER BLOW 30 ROCK OUT THE WATER AND THEY NEVER GET MENTIONED… CRONYISM AT IT’S BEST…
Heath Ledger = yawwwwwwwwwn. It’s a pity award. He was good and perhaps great but really? Awards? It’s only cause he’s dead. Hopefully they won’t waste that Oscar in lieu of a more deserving, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, Robert Downey Jr.
Mickey Rourke should have won and I’m certain still has a good chance at Oscar. Giving it to Sean? Well, I can’t see that too much because a) he just won for Mystic River b) the Academy is accused of not favoring the gays with awards ala Brokeback (although I personally don’t think so) and c) Hollywood loves a comeback and that would be Mr. Rourke. Oscars to the addicts I say! Although, I’d be quite happy with Richard Jenkins winning.
And PLEASE don’t let Meryl win. Could she have a bigger head? Thought Kate had it in the bag with Rev Road but her nom for a supporting role might fail her. Could Anne Hathaway sneak in? Gawwwd I hope not. Melissa Leo is most deserving but two words come to mind – “Janet McTeer”.
But personally, I just can’t believe I live in a world where Marisa Tomei has three (THREE!) Oscar nominations to her name.
Rich: I disagree completely about Ledger (brilliant irrespective of whether he was alive), Rourke (Penn was better and I still hope he wins the Oscar) and Meryl (brilliant work, though Kate certainly has a strong chance). As for Marisa: Well, she won for the wrong film, but she’s not a bad actress!
Oh, and if you can’t eBay or Google my book or find at Half-Price, I have copies I can still sell privately…
As for 30 ROCK… Hmmm… didn’t realize ratings determined quality. 30 ROCK is great, but I agree BIG BANG deserves more love…
I’ll totally have to find the book. I’m an Oscar nerd…and I hate it!
I’m just not sure I see the brilliance in Heath’s work as compared to Downey Jr.s. Clearly, Heath has the more crucial supporting role wherein if Downey’s role was eliminated or changed, the movie may not have been changed all that much. But the sheer brazenness by Downey is unforgettable and I can’t recall the last time I’ve seen such a committed performance. I think we’ve seen several well-done socio-psychopaths in varied degrees, that, to me, the Joker just gets lumped into that. Just on a higher note than the rest.
I can give props to the other three actors but I’m sticking by Rourke for sure. I went in there with a predisposition against him and came out in awe. I think we know Penn can do the work but Rourke knocks his out of the park.