LOS ANGELES, Jan 24, (AP): Jeff Bridges of “Crazy Heart” and Sandra Bullock of “The Blind Side” claimed top acting honors at Saturday’s Screen Actors Guild Awards, building momentum for possible Academy Awards glory for the two stars.
“I love being an actor —  pretending to be other people and getting into the shoes of other folks,” said Bridges, who plays a hard-luck, hard-living country singer in the drama.
Although respected by his peers, Bridges has largely been bypassed for major awards. Bullock also got a rare chance to bask in the awards spotlight, winning for her portrayal of a tenacious real-life mom, Leigh Anne Tuohy, who helped a youth in need, future NFL player Michael Oher.
Both Bridges and Bullock had picked up Golden Globes trophies for their roles less than a week ago. Backstage, Bullock refused to speculate on her Oscar chances in March.
“Shhhhh. Shhhh. Shhhh,” she said, repeatedly, to a reporter asking the question.
“I would be a hostess or a waitress or a house restorer before I ever considered myself an actor, because I never thought I was good enough,” Bullock added.
In another repeat of the Golden Globes, Christoph Waltz was honored as best supporting actor for his role as an energetically ruthless Nazi in the film “Inglourious Basterds,” while Mo’Nique’s searing portrayal of an abusive mother in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ By Sapphire,” was honored as best supporting actress.
The cast of “Inglourious Basterds,” an off-kilter World War II revenge saga from Quentin Tarantino, won the award for best ensemble performance, a possible sign of the film’s Oscar chances for a best-movie nomination and nod for Tarantino.

Accepting
“It was an honor to be part of it, Quentin,” cast member Eli Roth said in accepting the award for the cast.
The cast of AMC’s 1960s Madison Avenue saga “Mad Men” won the trophy for best drama series ensemble for the second year in a row, while 19 cast members of Fox TV newcomer “Glee,” about misfits in a high school singing club, accepted the award for best comedy series ensemble.
“Glee” is on a streak: It claimed the best comedy series award at the Golden Globes.
Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey of NBC’s “30 Rock” won for best acting in a comedy series, allowing Fey to get in a sly joke about NBC and its bitter late-night battle with Conan O’Brien in her acceptance speech.
“I just wanted to take a moment to say to everyone at NBC, we are very happy with everything, and happy to be there,” she said. Both she and Baldwin won the awards last year.
Golden Globe winner Michael C. Hall of Showtime’s “Dexter,” wearing a cap because of treatment he’s receiving for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, won best actor in a drama series. The award for best actress in a drama went to Julianna Margulies of CBS’ “The Good Wife.”
Kevin Bacon won as best actor in a movie or miniseries for the war-themed series, “Taking Chance,” while Drew Barrymore received best actress honors in the category for “Grey Gardens,” about eccentric relatives of Jacqueline Onassis.
Betty White, 88, accepted a lifetime achievement award from Bullock for an enduring career that included “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “The Golden Girls” and showed her sharp comedic chops.
Actors in two critically acclaimed films went home empty-handed, including “Up in the Air” star George Clooney and the film’s supporting actresses, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick. The cast of “The Hurt Locker” also lost out.
Clooney, however, was lauded by SAG President Ken Howard for helping organize Friday’s telethon to raise money for earthquake-devastated Haiti, a rare reference to the tragedy.
Last year, SAG’s movie cast award was presented to “Slumdog Millionaire,” which went on to win the best picture Oscar. However, this year, one of the season’s strongest best picture contenders, “Avatar,” was not nominated in any SAG category, all of which are acting, perhaps because “Avatar’s” best performances were computer-assisted.
Two honors not shown in the telecast went to stunt ensembles for the film “Star Trek” and the TV show “24.”

Awards List
Winners of the 16th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards presented Saturday night:
Movies:
 Cast: “Inglourious Basterds.”
 Actor in a leading role: Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart.”
 Actress in a leading role: Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side.”
 Supporting actor: Christoph Waltz, “Inglorious Basterds”
 Supporting actress: Mo’Nique, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
 Stunt ensemble: “Star Trek.”
Television:
 Drama series cast: “Mad Men.”
 Actor in a drama series: Michael C. Hall, “Dexter.”
 Actress in a drama series: Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife.”
 Comedy series cast: “Glee.”
 Actor in a comedy series: Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock.”
 Actress in a comedy series: Tina Fey, “30 Rock.”
 Actor in a movie or miniseries: Kevin Bacon, “Taking Chance.”
 Actress in a movie or miniseries: Drew Barrymore, “Grey Gardens.”
 Stunt ensemble: “24.”
 Life Achievement: Betty White.

Betty White
White was the guest-of-honor at a gathering of Hollywood’s top actors and actresses. She walked the red carpet and was treated to lavish praise by her peers. She reflected on her career, which included roles on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “The Golden Girls” and several film appearances.
“Seventy-one years ago when I sang on an experiment thing and it was called television, who would have dreamed it would culminate in an evening like this,” White said after accepting her award.
She joked backstage that all the attention was going to go to her head. “I’m not going to be fit to live with the next few years.”
White, 88, accepted the award from Bullock after a lengthy montage of White’s work. The pair then exchanged quips.
Bullock joked that she finds White annoying, to which White shot back, “Isn’t it heartening to see how far a girl as plain as she is can go?”
White had only praise for Bullock backstage. “She’s the epitome of what a movie star should be,” White said. “She’s not only gorgeous and talented, but she’s also the most down-to-earth human being.”
Bullock and White recently costarred in “The Proposal,” the latest but not last act in a storied film and television career. White spoke on the red carpet before the awards show of her upcoming film, “You Again,” which is slated for release later this year.
“I was only 88 last Sunday, so I have lots more stuff to do,” she said Saturday.
White’s career started in local Los Angeles television during the medium’s earliest days, and her first 20 years in the business included a 1951 Emmy for the comedy “Life With Elizabeth,” and various talk-show and game-show appearances. But it wasn’t until 1973 that she became part of a TV classic, as sex-crazed “Happy Homemaker” host Sue Ann Nivens on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
She conceded to still getting star-struck Saturday, but added she’s never met one of her idols, Robert Redford. She was the target of a saucy joke from George Clooney, who appeared in one episode of “The Golden Girls.”
For all the praise and attention, White appeared genuinely touched and appreciative.
“It would never even have occurred to me to imagine this,” White said. “This is the highest point of my entire professional life.”

Chatter
Inside the Shrine Exposition Center, banquet tables filled with A-listers sit side by side as stars of TV and film honor their peers at Saturday night’s Screen Actors Guild Awards.
But the real winners’ table is off camera, in a hallway just outside the ceremony, where the night’s winners come to claim their Actor statuettes. Here’s a running view from the trophy table at the SAG Awards:
Winners Drew Barrymore and Mo’Nique ran into each other in the hallway near the trophy table. “Keep doing your thing, baby,” Mo’Nique told Barrymore. “God bless us.” A still trembling Barrymore made her way to claim her trophy. “Thank you so much. Do I grab it?” She asked after signing her name. “Whoa, it’s heavy. It’s beautiful... It takes two hands. I’m holding it like a guitar. “The 19 singing, dancing members of the cast of “Glee” filled the backstage trophy area with ecstatic cheers for their best comedy series win. “Holy cow,” said Jayma Mays, who plays buttoned-up school counselor Emma Pillsbury. “Do we take it?” “I want this one,” Matthew Morrison, who plays teacher Will Schuester, said, fixing his eyes on one of the statuettes. “You can’t. You have to sign for it,” Mays said. “This is awesome,” Morrison said, claiming — and kissing — his Actor statuette. “I’ve never kissed a guy before, but there it is.” Then Jane Lynch, who plays cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester, shouted, “we’re going to do a cast shot everybody!” And the whole cast followed her into the hallway.
Tina Fey excitedly signed for her trophy for best actress in a comedy series — and was instantly shocked at its heft. “SAG is the heaviest of any award,” she said. “It weighs 100 pounds!” Fey added that she was completely surprised by her win. “I really, really expected to lose,” she confessed.
Michael C. Hall, who has been nominated repeatedly for his work on “Dexter,” said, “It’s nice to get all the way up on stage,” after finally winning a SAG Award. Hall ran into Juliana Margulies, who won for her role in “The Good Wife,” at the trophy table. They hugged and air-kissed, congratulating each other.
The cast of “Mad Men,” which won for best ensemble in a drama, filled the backstage trophy area, where Actor statuettes stood, waiting to be claimed. “It’s like an Easter egg hunt!” Christina Hendricks exclaimed as she searched for her statuette. Robert Morse complained that he couldn’t read the small type that said which award was his. “This is my 400th award,” he said. “I’ve got a mantle full of them.” After winning cast honors two years in a row, he said he hoped to be back again next year, “and I hope the trophy will be lighter!”
“I keep them next to each other,” said Christoph Waltz, who picked up his third award for his work in “inglourious Basterds.”

Vignettes
The Screen Actors Guild Awards are all about the stars of TV and film honoring their own.
That meant a slew of famous faces everywhere Saturday, from the red carpet to the ballroom to the backstage press area and onsite after-party.
Heavy Matters: SAG awards are heavy for adults, but the hefty statuettes presented Saturday evening’s youngest recipients a special challenge. Jared Gilmore and Kiernan Shipka, who play Don Draper’s children on “Mad Men,” both set their awards on the floor while adult castmates fielded questions from reporters backstage.
The 12-pound, 16-inch tall trophy stood knee-high in front of Gilmore during the Q-and-A session.
The AMC series won for best ensemble cast in a television drama.
Gilmore, 9, and Shipka, 10, weren’t the only ones who found the awards, dubbed “The Actor,” to be heavy. Jeff Bridges commented on its weight a couple of times on Saturday.
Behind Schedule: An hour into Saturday’s Screen Actor Guild Awards, things were already running a bit late.

A woman announced to the actors who had yet to receive awards to keep their acceptance speeches short. As in 45 seconds or less short.
Winners of early awards took time to thank their spouses, parents, writers and the crew members who work on their shows.
Jeff Bridges was expounding on his love of acting while claiming his best actor trophy for “Crazy Heart” when he apparently got a signal to cut his remarks short.
“Please wrap it up? Oh man!” he exclaimed before continuing on.
Celebrity Crush: A crew of walkie-talkie-wearing publicists steered the crush of celebrity traffic on the red carpet outside the Shrine Auditorium.
“Tina Fey,” one woman shouted into her headset moments before the “30 Rock” star stepped onto the carpet. Another publicist wrangled Fey, telling her, “this is the pre-show.” Seconds later, Fey was on camera.

Meanwhile, Alec Baldwin, Christina Applegate, Vera Farmiga and Tony Shalhoub found themselves rubbing shoulders as they waited in front of a maze of TV-interview platforms from “Entertainment Tonight,” “Access Hollywood,” E!, CNN and People magazine.
Cameramen followed nominee Anna Kendrick before she disappeared into the throng of celebs. A series of strobe flashes also followed Sophia Loren and Meryl Streep, who each arrived wearing shades.
A cluster of publicists used walkie-talkies to coordinate how to get the whole cast of “Glee” in one spot as stars Dianna Agron and Jane Lynch posed for photos on different corners of the carpet.
Party Scene: The cast of “Glee” celebrated their victory for best comedy ensemble at the official SAG Awards after party, held inside a plush tent in the Shrine Auditorium parking lot. Star Jane Lynch cuddled with her girlfriend as the rest of the cast drank Champagne, nibbled on lobster pot pie and baked mac and cheese and posed for photos with their trophies. Jon Hamm and his “Mad Men” co-stars also mingled, while nominee Helen Mirren chatted up fellow guests. Cheryl Hines of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” hung out with her on-screen husband, Larry David. And when she walked away, David sat alone, taking in the whole scene.