6th Annual SAG Awards™ Acceptance Speeches

I just was reminded of the other performances when I was up there watching; and Chloë’s at my table and she’s so amazing to me -- and it always feels funny that we’re in competition. I just can’t believe I’m standing here right now in front of everybody. I can’t believe we were able to do this film. I love being an actor so much.

I was able to have this experience where we could be so brave and so open with each other -- and I hope that’s how I can live my life. I hope that’s how we can all accept each other. Lisa was and is alive. I hope to meet her and I hope she’s okay with this. She’s a beautiful person and I love you just as you are. I don’t think you need any help because I know deep down you just want to be a good person and so do I.

I just want to thank my family for being so supportive, for loving me and being so wonderful. My friends: Geyer, Janine and Rochelle – we love you. My brother, and everybody. Sorry I went on for so long and thank you so much. This means so much to me!

For Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series


Michael J. Fox / SPIN CITY - Michael Flaherty ABC

Thank you. You were kind enough to give me one of these last year. And just so you know, they really scare small children. My daughters won’t come near ‘em. I want to thank all the brothers and sisters in SAG and also the SAG Foundation for the terrific work they do; I have been privileged to have been involved with them in some capacity. It really is a terrific function of the Guild -- as well as just looking after all of our checks.

I want to do something that I haven’t had a chance to do before and I’ll try to be really quick about it. But in honoring me, you really honor the actors that I’ve been privileged to work with for the last four years. I just want a chance -- I’ve never really had a chance to kind of just mention them and talk about them briefly. Victoria Dillard, who when we were smart enough to give her a shot, is great and is a great team player; Sandy Chaplin who is our Juilliard graduate -- in spite of that very funny; Connie Britten, who is always real and always funny and always a great friend; Allen Rock, who’s a consummate craftsman and has made lechery lovable – and, I don’t know whether that is a good thing but that’s what he’s done; Richard Kind who is like our fullback and when we’re inside the 20 we give him a joke and he just piles through and get the laugh; Michael Boatman, who’s played a gay character on our show with none of the attendant weirdness and stereotypes that heretofore have been part of that and has done -- created a dignified fabulous character; Heather Locklear, who has shown what a professional is – she shows up, she takes a risk after doing it for so long and learns quickly and is fabulous; and Barry Bostwick, who like all of the greats -- and he is one of the greats -- still gets nervous before he does a show. I love being an actor and I love being one of you and I am just proud of this and thank you all very much.

For Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series


Lisa Kudrow / FRIENDS - Phoebe Buffay NBC

Thank you so much. Gosh, thank you so much. All right, we have a lot of writers -- I won’t say all their names they’re all great and they write such great stuff for all of us to do. And our producers are so great. Well, thanks actors for voting. Whoa -- yeah, it’s him. Thank you so much. Thank you. And, I think most of all I have to thank Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer. Because they’re so good that -- I mean, you’re all actors, you know that it almost doesn’t matter what you do if there’s no one there that’s just as good; if not better than, making you look good. And that’s how it is for me every day. Thank you.

For Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series


FRASIER NBC

Peri Gilpin Roz Doyle
Kelsey Grammer Dr. Frasier Crane
Jane Leeves Daphne Moon
John Mahoney Martin Crane
David Hyde Pierce Dr. Niles Crane

Peri Gilpin:

We totally did not expect this. No one knows what to say. All right. David usually talks but he’s making us talk.

We are so excited. Thank you very much. It means the world coming from actors and from our fellow actors – there’s a whole lot of talent in this room. Thank you.

Jane Leeves:

Thank you Chris Lloyd and Joe Keenan.

David Hyde Pierce:

I’m just stunned. Seeing the cast up here – I cannot – I don’t know what you people were thinking. But it’s – No, seriously. It’s an extraordinary honor. We feel like a great ensemble -- but that is just great company to be in. Mahoney’s not here; Kelsey got stuck at a benefit so he couldn’t be here – we love them and we love all of you. Thanks very much.

Presenter Annette Bening:

On behalf of Michael Caine, thanks to the Screen Actors Guild.

Presenter (with Jane Krakowski) Peter MacNichol:

Edie Falco could not be here tonight. We thank the Screen Actors Guild on her behalf.

For Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series


James Gandolfini / THE SOPRANOS - Tony Soprano HBO

Thank you very much. I want to congratulate the other gentlemen nominated. Especially, Ricky Schroder. He did a great job; he stepped into something that was tough to do and I think he did a tremendous job.

I had a little time to take a vacation and I got to think about what was going on here. I just want to say I was very grateful for the last two years. Especially to the cast, the writers, David Chase, the people I got to work with. It’s been amazing and I want to thank somebody: my mother and my father. They came over from Italy; they raised 3 kids, sent them all to college -- my mother is no longer with us; I miss her very much. And Dad, I love you. Thank you for everything.

And to the actors out there who maybe aren’t doing so well: Things can change very quickly. Hang in there. Thank You.

For Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series


THE SOPRANOS HBO

Lorraine Bracco Dr. Jennifer Melfi
Dominic Chianese Corrado “Junior” Soprano
Edie Falco Carmela Soprano
James Gandolfini Tony Soprano
Robert Iler Anthony Soprano, Jr.
Michael Imperioli Christopher Moltisanti
Nancy Marchand Livia Soprano
Vincent Pastore Big Pussy Bompensiero
Jamie Lynn Sigler Meadow Soprano
Tony Sirico Paulie Walnuts
Steven Van Zandt Silvio Dante

Tony Sirico:

I never won anything in my life. Guys, ladies, members of the Guild, I’m honored. Thank you.

Vincent Pastore:

I’d like to say thank you to my mother and father for supporting me and uh I love everybody out there - it’s so great to be here.

Dominic Chianese:

I want to thank David Chase for inventing us; my wife Victoria, my parents, my brother, my children. Thank you.

Lorraine Bracco:

I want to thank my children, who I love and adore – Margo and Stella. God bless you!

I came from a far away place, across 73 years to stand here tonight. And here, at the outset, I wish to state clearly that mine was not a solo flight. I’ve had company all the way here, because the hands of many people go into the making of a life.

First among all my traveling companions across the years was a mother and a father who brought me as far as they could over the rockiest of roads – when they had to stop to take their rest - they sent me on with the hope that Guardian Angels along the way would keep an eye on me. Though I never saw even one of them, I knew they were there doing exactly that. Because of countless numbers of them keeping an eye on me, I’ve grown to be an aged person in this business. Therefore, to accept this honor with the grace it deserves I must share it – first with those unknown forces who have been keeping an eye on me; and then with my Mom and Dad who believed in them and in me.

Needless to say that my heartfelt thanks and deepest appreciation also go to that small distinguished collection of filmmakers who were the engines behind the incredible journey of 51 years that I was privileged to make as a professional actor in American motion pictures. They were producers, directors, and writers who needed the world to be better than it was and had the courage to take a hand in shaping it. Without them standing tall in difficult times, some of us might be in different places than we are, especially me. They were, unquestionably, traveling companions all; yet, each was on a journey of his own. I’m hopeful that history will never let it be forgotten that they passed this way.

Finally, to my fellow actors with whom I worked whose individual brilliance made me look good enough to be thought of for this most distinguished honor; a special thanks to each and every one of you.

Along the way I have accumulated no words of wisdom; and have, therefore, arrived with no message of importance. But I will leave you with a simple observation: The rewards were in the journey and there were many. Because of my traveling companions, the world is better than it was. And because of many of you, I am confident it will be better than it is. Thank you.

Presenter (with Hank Azaria) Jack Lemmon:

On behalf of Halle, many, many thanks to all of you and the Screen Actors Guild.

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


Jack Lemmon / OPRAH WINFREY PRESENTS: TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE - Morrie Schwartz ABC

God, that’s heavy! And wonderful! Well, first of all, -- in my 45 seconds -- I would like to thank Oprah for the part of a lifetime; to Kate, one of the best producers to ever work for, and her entire staff. Kate Forte, who won the Producers Guild Award for this show. Of course to our director – who, I think did a superb job -- Mick Jackson, who won the Directors Guild award last night – we’re making a sweep with this sucker.

Anyway, and also not only to a marvelous supporting cast. But above all to Hank Azaria, who is one of the best and most giving actors that I’ve ever worked with. I honestly feel that if it were not for what Hank gave me, I would not be up here tonight. And, I don’t deserve it any more than he does. But at any rate, I love it.

Well that’s about 45 and I better cut it now - What the hell. I cannot tell you how proud I am to be a member of this Guild and I thank you for this honor.

For Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

Thank you. Thank you very, very much. All right, first of all, thank you to Alan Ball for writing the screenplay of American Beauty. Thank you to Dan Jenks and Bruce Cohen who produced it with such love and enthusiasm. Thank you Sam Mendes who made us all a family and directed us with such love and freedom. Thank you so much Sam.

Thank you to my fellow actors -- You all look so serious. Okay. Kevin, thank you Kevin Spacey. Thank you very, very much. Peter Gallagher, Mena Suvari, Thora Birch, Chris Cooper, Allison Janey: Thank you so much all of you for your support and your love.

I want to thank my own family: my parents, Grant and Shirley Bening; my brothers and my sister: Brad and Byron and Jane. I want to also thank all of my friends and colleagues from the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco where I started. My own family: my children, my pride and joy -- Kathlyn and Ben and Isabel; and my husband, Warren Beatty, who is the best!

And just one last thing to all of you actresses out there: Don’t wait to have a baby, do it now. Thank you!

For Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role


Kevin Spacey / AMERICAN BEAUTY - Lester Burnham DreamWorks

There are two tables here -- with one exception, Wes Bentley is stuck in Calgary -- and this is the reason that I was able to come to work every day. I’m so proud of this movie and I have to say to Sam Mendes: If this is my best work, you are the reason. You guided through this movie everyday and I thank God for the ground you walk on. To Alan Ball, for one of the most courageous and extraordinary scripts I ever read in my life. Congratulations to you!

I am extraordinarily proud to be an actor. I want to thank my manager, Joanne; my agent, John; my staff: Dana, Mike, Bernie, and Kate. While we all celebrate here tonight -- and we’re fortunate enough to be here -- there are colleagues of ours who are not with us. I would like to just take a moment to remind us that there are people who came before us, and there are people who are the reason that we are standing here. In two places in the San Fernando Valley they are gathered around televisions tonight; they are those colleagues of ours in the Motion Picture Homes in the Valley. I want to dedicate this to all the work they have done for us that came before us; dedicate this to them and say, “We have not forgotten you!” Thank you.

For Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion Picture


AMERICAN BEAUTY DreamWorks Pictures

Annette Bening Carolyn Burnham
Wes Bentley Ricky Fitts
Thora Birch Jane Burnham
Chris Cooper Colonel Fitts
Peter Gallagher Buddy Kane
Allison Janney Barbara Fitts
Kevin Spacey Lester Burnham
Mena Suvari Angela Hayes

Peter Gallagher:

From all of us, thank you for this grand recognition. Thora, why don’t you keep this till May 15th and give it to Mena.

I was elected to speak for this fortunate group -- I assume for reasons of seniority -- but Annette reminded me that I am The King. I’m The King, of real estate, anyway. I think I can safely say that from the time we opened this script -- and for a long, long time to come -- we feel very fortunate.

Thank you to Alan Ball for creating a world with words with room enough to welcome us all in. To Bruce and Dan for seeing the beauty in that world, and protecting it so zealously. And to Sam for casting us and being more brilliant than you can imagine. And, to DreamWorks for letting him cast us; and for protecting this movie; and ushering it out into the world so successfully. Thank you! And to our

Kevin Spacey:

To Debbie Zane for casting this movie..

Peter Gallagher:

To Debbie Zane for casting us. Yes! And to our families: our husbands, our wives, and our children. To our representatives. To everyone we’ve ever met. To Maureen Stapleton. To our fellow professionals. Thank you for recognizing the value of an ensemble and honoring us with the Screen Actors Awards.

Kevin Spacey:

We rule! We rule! Come on.

Peter Gallagher:

We rule! To ensembles everywhere!