TERRENCE HOWARD: Wow... Okay, since I'm holding the statue, I might... The only thing I can say is, when we were first given the opportunity to work on this incredible script by Paul Haggis, and we heard that Don Cheadle, who, I mean, everyone in this room just almost worships because of his dedication. So, I think it's only appropriate that you do this right here.
DON CHEADLE: Thank you. [applause/cheers] I'm hobbling up here. I just have to say to everybody, pay your gambling debts. You don't want this... [laughter] to happen to you. I’m gonna read it. Thank you very much, on behalf of the entire cast. I'd like to thank our peers, the Screen Actors Guild. We definitely appreciate it, thank you for acknowledging our film. We believe that it really celebrates the definition of what an ensemble is all about. I mean, there's 74 of us, so it... [laughter] has to be...
And we came together because of Paul Haggis, our fearless leader. Where are you, Paul?
SANDRA BULLOCK: Right there. [applause]
CHEADLE: Thank you. And Bobby Moresco... [applause continues] wonderful script. And it's a film that doesn't end when the credits roll, and it's a discussion that we've all heard out in the world many, many times, and it's great that it's just sort of started a dialogue about things that people on the surface really seem to not want to talk about. But it's great to have the opportunity to speak about this film and to speak about the ideas that it presents.
And individually, I'd like to thank Sandra, Terrence, Michael, Matt, Loretta, Keith, Jennifer, Bill, Brendan, Nona, Ryan, Larenz, Chris, who else? Bahar, Shaun, Beverly - I got you - Sandy and Tony. Thank you very much. Thank you. [applause]
Wow... this is nerve-wracking. I want to thank the Guild very much for this honor. It's a huge, huge, huge honor. And I just was watching these clips, and I love actors, too. Everyone's been saying that tonight, and I love and have loved the performances of these actors for a long time. And I wanted to say, David Straithairn, I saw you last night, and I wanted to say to you that I looked up to you when I was younger, and I still look up to you. And I think a lot of people in this room feel the same way. [applause/cheers]
And I want to thank Sony Classics, you guys are fabulous. You guys have been fabulous. And I wanted to talk about my “Capote” family, 'cause that's really what we are. And I have all the names here 'cause I didn't want to forget anybody. Catherine Keener, well, you all know about Catherine Keener. [applause] Clifton Collins, who is fabulous in this. Bruce Greenwood, Chris Cooper, you know. [applause]... Mark Pellegrino, who I think – the most fantastic transformation in this film. [applause] Bob Balaban, my friend; Amy Ryan, the beautiful, beautiful Amy Ryan, and Marshall Bell.
I think that it's important to say that actors can't act alone. It's impossible, except if you're doing a solo performance or something, but it's pretty impossible. And what we have to do is support each other. And competition like this sometimes is tough, because really what we need to do is support each other. And actors have to have each other's backs. [applause] It's the only way to act well. It's the only way to act well is when you know the other actor has your back. And these actors had my back. And I hope they know that I had theirs.
Outstanding Performance by a
Male Actor in a Leading Role
Cast of Heath Ledger
Brokeback Mountain
Transcript of Heath Ledger
Brokeback Mountain
Outstanding Performance by a
Male Actor in a Leading Role
Cast of Joaquin Phoenix
Walk The Line
Transcript of Joaquin Phoenix
Walk The Line
Outstanding Performance by a
Male Actor in a Leading Role
Cast of David Strathairn
Good Night, And Good Luck
Transcript of David Strathairn
Good Night, And Good Luck
Oh my God, y'all. [laughter] Okay... sometimes I can't just shake the feeling that I'm really just a little girl from Tennessee, but... I'm just really - Tennessee, right? [laughter] I just want to say thank you so much to the Screen Actors Guild, I'm just so thrilled to be an actor. When I told my parents I wanted to be an actor when I was seven, they thought I was completely crazy - because they're doctor. But they continued to take me to acting lessons and really supported me.
And I want to say that my biggest inspiration, obviously for this movie, was June Carter. She's just an incredible woman. She was not only a very accomplished musician who played many instruments, she was a wonderful wife, who supported her husband and an unbelievably giving mother, and a great friend. And I think there are so many women who are the quiet, sort of silent, frequently unacknowledged center of so many people's lives. And I think I'm just really honored to bring her out of a certain shadow and into the light in this performance. [applause] So, she really deserves it.
I just want to thank everybody at Fox for giving me this opportunity, Tom Rothman and Jim Gianapoulos and Carla Hacken and Elizabeth Gabler; Jim Mangold for writing and directing this wonderful script. And Cathy Konrad and James Keach for producing it, T-Bone Burnett for the beautiful music that was the spirit of the film. And mostly, Joaquin Phoenix. Without your John, there was no June. [applause]
I want to thank my representation for so many years, I have just the best representatives, Steve Warren, my attorney – he’s great, and my agent of 15 years; Steve Dontanville, who just left the business. [applause] He left being an agent and I miss him so much. Nancy Ryder, my true and always friend, and Evelyn O'Neill, my manager for 13 years, who is my constant support. And of course, my family, my husband, my children, who were there with me every moment, supporting me when I was shaking. [laughs] And the quiet center of my life, my mother and my grandma, who really just aren't acknowledged enough, so I'm sharing this with them. Okay. Thanks. [applause]
Gosh, that's heavy. Wow. Well then now, this is a hell of a thing. This is a great thing. I cannot imagine a greater honor than being acknowledged by my peers. Nothing better. Thank you very, very much to the Screen Actors Guild. I would also like to thank the fine folks at Universal and Mr. Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, who gave me a job.
Being an actor is a hell of a thing. It's a hell of a thing. It's up and down, it's just - it's great. [laughter] But I found the best thing about it is hanging around the Craft Service table... [laughter] with other actors... and crew people... eating donuts. And I hang around a lot there. [laughter] But that really is...
So I'd like to take the opportunity to say thanks to all the actors and the crew people who have spent time with me at the Craft Service table, shooting the shit, [laughter] and eating donuts, and having a hell of a good time, because they're weird, interesting people in our business. [laughter] And I'm proud to be numbered among them. Thank you very much. [laughter/applause]
Well, thank you so much, it's so special to be honored by fellow actors. So thanks very much to the tribe. Thank you. And thank you to all the incredible actors in the cast, I share this with so many: Ray Fiennes, Danny, Huston, Hubert Koundé, Pete Postlethwaite, Bill Nighy, Juliet Aubrey, such incredible actors, and non-actors as well, the children and the adults of the slums of Kibera and the El Molo tribe of Loiyangalani in Northern Kenya, and Fernando Meirelles, the director who orchestrated all of this between... [applause] between us actors and the non-actors, with such unsentimental empathy. And he let all the actors and non-actors run free and wild, and it was an incredible experience.
And the producer, Simon Channing-Williams, who was so sensitive in creating a relationship with all the people that we filmed within Kenya. And to Focus, you're such an incredible company to work with, and you dare to tell such daring stories. Thank you for giving me this job. [applause]
And my agent, Jenny Rawlings, my manager Stacey Boniello for all their support, and Darren Aronofsky, my - I don't know what to call you – my everything. Thank you for everything. [laughter]
Thank you. [applause]
Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Cast of Michelle Williams
Brokeback Mountain
Transcript of Michelle Williams
Brokeback Mountain
TERRY O'QUINN: A friend of mine always says, if you don't have something nice to say about someone, let's hear it. [laughter] So, about our cast, I'd like to say that this is the saddest collection of climbing, grasping, paranoid, backstabbing, scene-grabbing, losers and schmoozers, [laughter] that you ever saw on your stage in your life. [applause] But we love each other very much. And we want to thank our fellow members of the Guild for recognizing us as an ensemble. And we would like to take this singular opportunity to express our gratitude, to J.J. Abrams, and Damon Lindelof, for creating what is clear an ensemble piece. [applause]
And to ABC and Touchstone for showing our stuff to the world, and for paying us so well to do it. [laughter] And much, much mahalo, Hawaii.
ALL: Yay!
O'QUINN: One last thing, one more thing. To the rest of our family -- on three -- ready? One, two three...
PYFROM: Yeah. Well... first off, this is so intimidating.
SHERIDAN: You can do it.
PYFROM: Just thank you to the Screen Actors Guild, you know, for giving us all this moment, you know, to stand up here and thank our peers for nominating us, and voting for us, and, of course, we wouldn't all be standing up here if it wasn't for our amazing cast and - this is like my heart is beating out of my chest. [laughter] And our producers and amazing writers, and the brilliant Marc Cherry and ABC and Touchstone, and just... our casting directors. Thank you to all of you. [applause] [laughs] Please don't hate me, guys. [laughs]
I am in shock... this is the community that I wanted to belong all my life and you have been so gracious and kind to me. Tonight is really special for me, I'm with my step-son, Timothy, so I really want to take a moment just to thank my family for being so patient and kind with me over the years; to all the actors that I've worked with, I've learned so much, I've never had a bad experience. And as an actor you realize that you can't do this on your own, so there are some people I have to thank.
It starts with the writing, Joe Surnow, Bob Cochran, Howard Gordon, Michael Loceff, Evan Katz, all of the wonderful writers on our show. John Kassar, this is yours, mate. [applause] And John Kassar is our director, and I cannot thank you enough. Suzan Bymel, you've stood by me through the peaks and the valleys, I can't thank you enough, my friends, my family, thank you very, very much. [applause]
This is unbelievable, this is unbelievable. I thank every single actor out there. I'm so grateful for having a job, and I am... [laughter] so grateful for this award, it's such an honor, particularly to be in such a wonderful category. Please let me thank my cast. And I want to thank Linda Klein, who is our technical advisor, and all the nurses who make us look like we're doctors, 'cause we're not.
And to my stand-in Eric Oh, and to Linda Lowy and John and Will, and especially to our creator, Shonda Rimes, whose casting vision I believe in so whole-hearted, I'm really proud to be on a show whose casting is a little more representative of how I think the world is. So, to - you know, to all my fellow Asian-Americans out there, I share this with you. And be encouraged and keep shining. Thank you very much. [applause]
Wow, this is truly - my heart's racing, I can't believe it. I first of all would like to thank Ang Lee for taking a chance on me. [laughter/applause] Clearly, I did not fail him because I'm here. [laughter] And I know everyone in Hollywood, you know, knows that it's such a risk to play a gay character, and... [laughter] sure I had some reservations, but... because of the success of my film, think of the opportunities I'll have now. [laughs] I'm kidding.
No, I would like to thank, at this time, because it's the last season of "Will & Grace," it really is kind of a sad goodbye to all of my best friends that I work with every day, and everybody that works in the show. And the cast and crew, they are going to miss me. [laughter] But most of all, and most importantly, all of the actors who thought this actor had an ounce of talent. I thank you. Thank you. [applause]
Transcript of Felicity Huffman
Desperate Housewives
Thank you so much. Thank you to the Screen Actors Guild, to Marc Cherry, who never sees the light of day, to all of our writers, Tom Spezialy, Kevin Murphy. Our producers, George Perkins, Larry Shaw - you know how when you do this you can't remember your mom's name? David Grossman... thank you to the crew, which is tireless, to the dream team of Sherilyn [sp] Stubbs and James Dunham. To Marcia, Teri, Eva, Nicolette and Alfre. To my other TV husband, Doug Savant.
I love actors, I married one - okay I married a fantastic one. [laughter/applause] I know. But even more than acting, I love the community of actors. I love the green room, I love the hair and makeup trailer, and I am so grateful that I am acting, and I am so grateful I can make a living at it, because I was never very good at math. [laughter] So thank you very much. [applause]
WILLIAM H. MACY: Unlike so many of us, Paul Newman is working, so I'm going to take this home. And Paul, if you want it, give me a call. [laughter] [applause]
Transcript of S. Epatha Merkerson
Lackawanna Blues
There's nothing in my bra... [laughter] there's nothing in my head, it's all in my heart. This is so lovely. You know, if I said I was at a loss for words, there would be a bunch of people out here that would call me a liar. [laughter] So, there's some people I really need to thank. My manager and long-time friend, Craig Dorfman. [applause] This is my baby brother back here, it couldn't have happened to me in a lovelier way with Ben. [applause]
To HBO and Colin Calendar, and all the people at HBO - I'm repeating myself, am I? To the producers of "Lackawanna Blues," Ruben Santiago-Hudson, who allowed us to visit this woman - they're counting me down - to my new family at Gersh, Bob, Laurie Bartlett, and Sally Ware sitting on her couch in New York. To Roger Haber, Bernadette Jacobs, Barry Kaplan at Artists Financial.
And I have to say a public thank you to my divorce lawyer. [laughs] [laughter/applause] [screams out] Sandy Ayn and Clair Miller. But mostly I want to thank the Screen Actors Guild for making me a part of this community. Thank you. [applause]
