backstage-2014-01-23

screen newsUPDATE |Check the Casting section for full details on top film, TV, and theater roles, or visit casting.backstage.comThe SAG Foundation presents Conversations With Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 2:30 p.m. ET at the New School’sTishman Auditorium in NYC. Free for SAG-AFTRA and Equity members. RSVP at sagfoundation.org.“ H u stle”: F r a n c o is D u h a m e l ; G a rce t t i: s _ b u k l e yBy Sean J. MillerThe Screen Actors Guild Awardshonored the casts of AMC’s“Breaking Bad,” ABC’s “ModernFamily,” and David O. Russell’s“American Hustle,” while singling outthe leads of “Dallas Buyers Club” and“Blue Jasmine.”For the latter features, the wins forMatthew McConaughey, who receivedan Actor statuette for his portrayalof Ron Woodroof in the AIDS drama,and Cate Blanchett, who won for herperformance as a New York socialitein Woody Allen’s feature, couldforeshadow the results of March’sAcademy Awards. Both performersare nominated for Oscars, and the SAGAwards are often a precursor to theindustry’s highest honor.Saturday night’s ceremony will beremembered for honoring some of thebest ensembles in recent televisionhistory. ABC’s “Modern Family” hasbecome a shoo-in after winning theensemble comedy honor the last fouryears in a row. Still, actor Ed O’Neill saidit’s a challenge to maintain the series’Amy Adams and ChristianBale in “American Hustle”AWARDS SEASONFew Surprises atSAG AwardsThe 20th Screen Actors Guild Awards honoredwhat are becoming the usual suspectshigh standards. “It’s never easy,” he toldreporters after the show’s win.“Breaking Bad,” which recentlyended its five-season run, won for outstandingperformance by an ensemblein a drama. “This is such a gloriousway to go out,” said Bryan Cranston,who also took home a statuette for outstandingperformance by a male actorin a drama series.For those reading the awards seasontea leaves, Saturday offered no clearguidance. “American Hustle” garneredthe outstanding performance by a casthonor, while the individual awards weresplit among three features.In his acceptance speech,McConaughey, who won a Golden Globefor his turn in “Dallas Buyers Club,” saidhe reached a “magic place” during hisperformance “when you’re seeing thecharacter from the inside out.”Cast mate Jared Leto took home thestatuette for his supporting performancein “Dallas Buyers Club,” while LupitaNyong’o, who played Patsey in “12 Yearsa Slave,” won for female actor in a supportingrole.It was the 20th anniversary of theSAG Awards ceremony, which bestowsstatuettes on winners voted for bySAG-AFTRA members. During the ceremony,Morgan Freeman presented RitaMoreno with the Screen Actors Guild50th Life Achievement Award. “It’sabout persevering,” she said afterward.“La perseverancia in Spanish. The dooris ajar [for Latino actors], and we haveto open it some more.”In the TV movie/miniseries category,Helen Mirren won for playing attorney“One of the great thingsabout these awards isthat they’re two hourslong. Before peoplestart getting restlessand looking at theirwatches, it’s done.”— Ken Howard, SAG-AFTRA PresidentLinda Kenney Baden in HBO’s biopic“Phil Spector,” but used her speechto give a shout-out to Elisabeth Moss,who was considered a favorite forthe award after her performance inSundance Channel’s “Top of the Lake.”“I was sure Elisabeth was going towin,” she said of Moss, who won theGolden Globe in the same categoryearlier this month.Meanwhile, Michael Douglas wonfor his portrayal of Liberace in HBO’s“Behind the Candelabra.” “I’m nothere without Matt Damon,” Douglassaid on stage.SAG-AFTRA President Ken Howard,who, during the broadcast, announcedthe SAG Foundation had received a$1 million contribution from Peoplemagazine and the EntertainmentIndustry Foundation, called the 2014ceremony a “milestone.” He said thatwas because of the honor bestowedon the 82-year-old Moreno, and thetwo decades of the SAG Awards beingstaged by the union. He also jokedabout the evening’s awards-seasonappeal to attendees.“One of the great things about theseawards is that they’re two hours long,”Howard told Backstage, tongue-incheek.“Before people start gettingrestless and looking at their watches,it’s done.”Mayor Eric GarcettiRUNAWAY PRODUCTIONLeavingLos AngelesFilm actors mightlive in Los Angeles, but theirmost profitable work hasleft town.That’s according to a newreport, which found just twolive-action movies with budgetsover $100 million werefilmed in L.A. in 2013. Withblockbusters lured awayby states with lucrative taxincentives, the city is lefthosting mostly small, independentprojects that offerreduced employment andspending benefits, accordingto “Filming On-Locationin Los Angeles: 1993-2013,”a report released Jan. 14by FilmL.A., a not-for-profitthat coordinates permittingfor local productions.“This report underscoresthe urgency of our work toreverse runaway production,”Los Angeles MayorEric Garcetti said in a statement.“The entertainmentindustry is a cornerstoneof our civic identity and oureconomy, with 500,000jobs at stake. I will cut redtape at City Hall and fight inSacramento to make sureL.A. is the best possibleplace for production andensure that we are alwaysthe entertainment capital ofthe world.” —SJMbackstage.com upstage News | actor 101 | center stage cover story | features | downstage casting | charts01.23.14 backstage 9