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LOS ANGELES - Quirky comedy Little Miss Sunshine won the top prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, giving the underdog film about a family of losers a big boost in the race for the Oscars on February 25.
In television awards, Grey's Anatomy was named best ensemble drama and The Office was named best ensemble comedy.
Meanwhile, Forest Whitaker and Helen Mirren seemed to solidify their Oscar hopes by winning SAG's best actor and actress awards for their uncanny performances of world figures.
Actors make up the largest single voting group at the Oscars and last year their favourite Crash scored an upset victory over front-runner Brokeback Mountain.
Whitaker won for his portrayal of Uganda's brutal dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland and Mirren won for her performance as Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen.
The naming of Little Miss Sunshine as best ensemble cast performance seemed to come as a shock to the cast.
"I completely floored by this. It means a great deal to us," said Greg Kinnear, who plays the father in the film. He said no one expected the film to come as far.
But whether it is bound for an Oscar victory is a difficult question. The film also won another major industry award from the Producers Guild but it has tough competition from its rivals in the best picture category, including Martin Scorsese's The Departed and Babel.
Mirren won both for her work as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen and for best actress in a television mini-series or movie for her work as the original Elizabeth in the HBO drama Elizabeth I.
Mirren said she felt she was hit by a tsunami. "I am still reeling from the whole night," she said
Three of the last four winners of SAG's award for best ensemble cast performance have gone on to win the Oscar for best picture.
Comedian Eddie Murphy and newcomer Jennifer Hudson, a former American Idol contestant, were named best supporting actor and actress for their performances in Dreamgirls.
Murphy plays a James Brown-like singer who falls on hard times in the film based on the rise of a Supremes-like group and Hudson plays a singer expelled from the group.
Jeremy Irons won for best actor in a television movie or mini-series for his work in Elizabeth I.
In television awards, Grey's Anatomy was named best ensemble drama and The Office was named best ensemble comedy.
Two "doctors" scored major victories. Chandra Wilson was named best actress in a drama series for her work as a tough-minded doctor nicknamed The Nazi in Grey's Anatomy and Hugh Laurie for his work as the brilliant but snappish physician in House.
Alec Baldwin was named best actor in a comedy series for his work in 30 Rock and America Ferrera was named best actress in a comedy for her work in Ugly Betty.
Ferrera, who plays a homely office worker, said she thought television was becoming more realistic in its acceptance of minorities and less than beautiful people as role models.
Winners:
Film:
Male Actor in a Leading Role: Forest Whitaker, 'The Last King of Scotland'
Female Actor in a Leading Role: Helen Mirren, 'The Queen'
Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Eddie Murphy, 'Dreamgirls'
Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Jennifer Hudson, 'Dreamgirls'
Ensemble in a Film: 'Little Miss Sunshine'
TV:
Male Actor in a Movie or Miniseries: Jeremy Irons, 'Elizabeth I'
Female Actor in a Movie or Miniseries: Helen Mirren, 'Elizabeth I'
Male Actor in a Drama Series: Hugh Laurie, 'House'
Female Actor in a Drama Series: Chandra Wilson, 'Grey's Anatomy'
Male Actor in a Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin, '30 Rock'
Female Actor in a Comedy Series: America Ferrera, 'Ugly Betty'
Ensemble in a Drama Series: 'Grey's Anatomy'
Ensemble ina Comedy: 'The Office'
Lifetime Achievement Award: Julie Andrews
- REUTERS
