Amy Adams and Emily Blunt looked amazing … Jon Hamm (of Mad Men) looked weird without his now trademark slicked-back hair. I don’t like the longer locks on him. Katrina Bowden, who stars in NBC’s 30 Rock, wore a beautiful blue dress designed by Project Runway season 4 winner Christian Siriano. She looked really supercute fierce in her dress, I think.

As I mentioned above, some of my fave actors took home the top prizes last night … here are pics of the big winners accepting their awards (called Actors) on stage or posing with them in the press room after winning their awards:

The actors of “Slumdog Millionaire” won outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture, and Heath Ledger posthumously won best supporting male actor at the 15th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday. “It was overwhelming enough to be nominated, but to win this is unbelievable,” said “Slumdog” actor Anil Kapoor of the award given to him and his cast mates at Los Angeles’ Shrine Exposition Center. The cast’s win comes two weeks after the modestly budgeted movie, about a poverty-raised orphan in Mumbai who goes on the Indian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” won the Golden Globe award for best drama. The film has been nominated for 10 Oscars, including for best picture. “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” the big name when the Academy Award nominations were announced earlier this week, was shut out at the SAG Awards. The movie leads all films with 13 Oscar nods. Ledger, who was 28 when he died just more than a year ago of an accidental prescription drug overdose, won his award for his role in “The Dark Knight,” 2008’s box-office king. Ledger’s performance was widely praised, and he won the Golden Globe for best supporting actor two weeks ago. He also is considered the front-runner for an Academy Award for supporting actor. Actor Gary Oldman accepted the SAG award for his friend. “He was an extraordinary young man with an extra ordinary talent, and it is wonderful that you have acknowledged that and honored that talent tonight,” Oldman said. Josh Brolin, one of four actors who lost to Ledger on Sunday night, compared the SAG awards to “a big campfire we’re all showing up for.” “It’s not a competition,” Brolin said. “We’re just happy to party together.” Meryl Streep echoed Brolin’s words when she accepted for best leading actress in a movie for her role in “Doubt.” “Can I just say there’s no such thing as the best actress,” Streep said. Streep was dressed as if she might ready for Brolin’s campfire, wearing black pants, a black blouse and no jewelry except for earrings. “I didn’t even buy a dress,” she said. Sean Penn, chosen as best leading male actor in a movie for “Milk,” told the four actors he won against that he wept when he watched their work. “You’re stunning,” Penn said. Penn’s took a brief political turn when spoke about “Milk,” the story of a gay San Francisco politician assassinated in 1978. “This is a story about equal rights for all human beings,” Penn said. Kate Winslet’s win as best supporting actress for her performance as Hanna Schmitz in “The Reader” could help her best actress Oscar nomination for the same role. Winslet was nominated for SAG’s lead actress in a movie for “Revolutionary Road,” but lost to Streep. The SAG Awards are watched closely by Oscar fans, but they’re not always a guarantee of Oscar gold. Last year, for example, Julie Christie won the SAG’s outstanding lead actress for her work in “Away From Her.” At the Academy Awards, she was beaten by Marion Cotillard, who played French singer Edith Piaf in “La Vie en Rose.” Most of the SAG trophies handed out during the first half of Sunday night’s show were for TV categories. Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney won for their roles in HBO’s “John Adams.” Giamatti got the trophy for best male actor in a TV movie or miniseries for his role as President John Adams, while Linney won the female actor award for her portrayal of first lady Abigail Adams. Veteran actress Sally Field won her first SAG Actor trophy after seven nomination over the past 14 years. Field won outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series for her work on “Brothers & Sisters.” Hugh Laurie won best male actor in a TV drama series for a second time for his work in “House.” He won the same trophy two years ago. “I actually had $100 on James Spader,” Laurie said. “This is just not my night.” Spader was also up for the best actor award. The TV drama ensemble award was given to the cast of AMC’s “Mad Men.” The evening began with NBC’s “30 Rock” sweeping best actor and ensemble trophies. Tina Fey won the outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series category, while Alec Baldwin won the male honor for his “30 Rock” role. The 10 actors in the “30 Rock” cast also captured the trophy for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series. The 16 SAG categories include honors for both television and film actors. James Earl Jones was given SAG’s 45th Life Achievement Award. “Whatever medium he tackles, he consistently delivers,” actor Forest Whitaker said. Jones’ trademark deep voice has been heard in movies as “the most evil voice in the entire universe… and the voice of God,” Whitaker said.

Woot! I am THRILLED that Meryl finally won an award for her work in Doubt. My fave part of the ENTIRE awards show was when she was announced as the winner and then ran with her arms in the air in shocked excitement all the way to the stage to collect her trophy:

She gave my fave female performance this year and I sincerely hope that she wins the Oscar next month. Things don’t look so good for Benjamin Button. Another awards show, another shutout. I’m still pretty sure that it will win something next month (Best Makeup?) but I am not really counting on the film winning any of the big categories. Up against Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke, Brad Pitt ain’t got chance. The same goes for poor Angelina Jolie … no chance, no way. I love that Slumdog Millionaire won another of the big prizes … could it win the Oscar for Best Picture? I sincerely hope so … but I have to be honest and say that I REALLY HOPE that the insufferable Anil Kapoor is not allowed anywhere near the microphone if the film wins. I get that he’s excited to be in a film that is winning all these major awards (a feat that he will most likely never achieve again) but I find his manner so irritating. How ’bout letting Dev Patel give thanks instead? I was very pleased that Freida Pinto gave shoutouts to the young actors who are featured in Slumdog (Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, Rubiana Ali and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail) … they really made the film for me, they deserve the accolades as much as the adult actors do. In any event, I’m still pulling for Slumdog to win the big enchilada next month. After the jump, check out a few photos that were snapped of the celebs in the audience — mingling, gossiping, canoodling — the pics are not to be missed …

Aww … poor Brangelina. It must suck to be nominated so much and lose everything over and over again. Not that I can really feel all that sorry for the most famous couple in the world but … it must be really difficult to show up at these awards shows with big smiles on your face, feigning happiness when everyone else around you wins awards and you go home empty-handed. Eva Longoria and America Ferrera looked great … as did everyone (sans Mickey Rourke) at last night’s SAG Awards. Click HERE to see a full list of this year’s SAG Award winners.

[Photo credit: Wireimage, Splash News; Source]

Leading the pack this year is the David Fincher-directed film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button which scored 13 nominations in various categories. Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, The Reader and Frost/Nixon join Button in the running for the top prize, Best Picture. Here are a few pictures of actor Forest Whitaker and AMPAS president Sid Ganis making the nominee announcements in the major categories and a run-down of which films will compete for Oscars next month … and which films/people will not:

Batman and Clint Eastwood? Forget about it. The Dark Knight, the superhero thriller that was expected to make history as the first comic-book adaptation to take a best-picture nomination, and Gran Torino, which the Hollywood veteran starred in and directed, were left out of the contest for Oscar’s top prize. Instead, the far more serious Holocaust-themed The Reader took the fifth berth and its director, Stephen Daldry, also managed to slip into his category. The other nominees announced for top prize in the 81st Academy Awards Thursday morning in Los Angeles followed the script of the prognosticators: the era-spanning fable The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which led the crowd with 13 nominations; gay-themed political biopic Milk; TV-landmark drama Frost/Nixon; and romantic crowd-pleaser Slumdog Millionaire. As expected, Heath Ledger’s vividly twisted take on the villainous Joker in The Dark Knight scored a supporting nomination for the Australian actor, who died a year ago today at age 28 after suffering an accidental prescription-drug overdose. He’s the seventh actor to compete posthumously in the race, though only Peter Finch won a best-actor trophy for 1976’s Network. Going up against Ledger are Philip Seymour Hoffman as a problematic priest in Doubt, Josh Brolin as a city supervisor turned assassin in Milk, Robert Downey Jr. as the ultimate Method actor in Tropic Thunder and Michael Shannon as a perceptive mental patient in Revolutionary Road. After her two Golden Globe wins, Kate Winslet was expected to earn a supporting nomination for her tormented concentration-camp guard in The Reader as well as a lead spot as a distraught suburban housewife in Revolutionary Road. Instead, only her work in Reader was recognized. The British actress, 33, has been up for an Oscar five times before without a win. Others in the lead-actress lineup are Meryl Streep as a formidable nun in Doubt, Anne Hathaway as the black-sheep sister in Rachel Getting Married, Angelinia Jolie as the troubled mother of a missing boy in The Changeling and Melissa Leo as a struggling single mom in Frozen River. Making up the supporting-actress category: Penelope Cruz’s tempestuous ex-wife in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Viola Davis as the mother of a possible abuse victim in Doubt, Taraji P. Henson as a loving adoptive mother in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Marisa Tomei as a worn-out stripper in The Wrestler and Amy Adams as a naïve nun in Doubt. Making it into the lead actor lineup: Sean Penn as an openly gay politician in Milk, Mickey Rourke as a washed-up grappler in The Wrestler, Frank Langella as the ever-enigmatic Richard Nixon in Frost/Nixon, Brad Pitt as the foundling who ages backward in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Richard Jenkins as the burnt-out professor who gains a new lease on life in The Visitor. Joining Daldry in the director’s race: David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Gus Van Sant for Milk, Ron Howard for Frost/Nixon and Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire.

No real surprises here … the surprises would’ve come if a film like The Dark Knight had received a nomination for Best Picture. And while I really loved Gran Torino, I am not that shocked/appalled that it was not nominated for Best Picture either. I am a bit surprised that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button received so many Academy Award nominations, especially since it’s been doing so poorly at the other awards shows. Surely, with 13 noms, it’s bound to win something. Angelina Jolie, too, must have her fingers crossed now that she’s been nominated again for her work in Changeling. My money/support is on Meryl Streep’s portrayal of the stern nun in Doubt to win Best Actress, tho (Meryl remains the singular actor with the most Academy Award nominations). MUCH PROPS and LURVE goes out to Marisa Tomei for FINALLY getting some recognition and scoring a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her amazing work in The Wrestler. She’s been the unsung actress in all of the previous awards shows, at least now she has a chance to get some Oscar love from the Academy. I am relieved that Heath Ledger scored a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight. I have a really good feeling that he’s going to win the Academy’s next posthumous Oscar … I can feel it in me waters. And so … the nominations have been announced, the stage will soon be set and in a month’s time we’ll know which films and actors/actresses will be judged as the best of 2008. Take note, the Academy Awards will air live on ABC on Feb. 22 … with Hugh Jackman as host. Woot!

[Source]

Self-proclaimed sports junkie Justin Timberlake had his idols rolling in the aisles Wednesday night, as he hosted the 2008 ESPY Awards. The singer earned raves as he alternated between self-deprecating humor (at one point, he poked fun at his infamous 2004 Super Bowl performance with Janet Jackson, saying “I wanted to be the only guy at a football game to get to second base”) and playfully mocking audience members (he lowered his nose to one of David Beckham’s Tom Ford shoes and proclaimed, “Smells like $250 million to me!”). He also performed a sports-themed rock opera. “If I made the decisions, I’d ask Justin to be [our] entertainment every week,” Monday Night Football host Stuart Scott told reporters during the show. “After what he’s putting down tonight … Justin can come hang out with us on the set anytime.”

But, apparently, the ESPY Awards are more than just celebs and funny hosts … there is actual recognition of sports achievement to be had as well … golfer Tiger Woods and basketball player Candace Parker were the top male and female winners last night, Sports Illustrated has the deets:

Tiger Woods won three trophies at the ESPY Awards on Wednesday night, including his fifth male athlete of the year award, giving him a career-leading 21 wins in the show’s 16-year history. Woods surpassed retired cyclist Lance Armstrong for most wins as male athlete. He earned his fourth consecutive ESPY for best golfer and won best championship performance for his playoff victory at the U.S. Open on a bad left knee. Woods is at home in Florida recuperating from last month’s knee surgery, causing him to miss this week’s British Open and the rest of the PGA season … The Super Bowl champion New York Giants tied Woods with three victories: best game, best upset and best play, which was David Tyree’s leaping catch of quarterback Eli Manning’s pass that kept the team’s game-winning drive alive … Candace Parker was a double winner, earning female athlete of the year and female college athlete honors. She led Tennessee to its second consecutive NCAA national championship before becoming the WNBA’s No. 1 draft pick and going to the Los Angeles Sparks. “I’m just excited I got to meet David Beckham,” said Parker, who received her trophy from the English superstar. “I grew up playing soccer, so I love David Beckham. I was thinking, `Don’t trip, don’t trip.’ He’s truly an inspiration.” Tennis players Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova, along with Woods, boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., NHL star Sidney Crosby and bowler Norm Duke repeated as winners in their individual sports categories. Like Woods, Federer won his category for the fourth straight year. Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton was chosen as comeback of the year, having successfully battled drug addiction to reach the major leagues. Tuesday, Hamilton hit a record 28 homers in the first round of the All-Star Home Run Derby. Tommie Smith and John Carlos received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award nearly 40 years after their black power salute on the medals stand at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics … The best moment category honored Western Oregon’s Sara Tucholsky, along with Central Washington’s Mallory Holtman and Liz Wallace, for their sportsmanship during a Division II softball game. Tucholsky homered, but missed first base and started back to tag it when she collapsed with a knee injury. Holtman and Wallace, her opponents, stunned fans by carrying Tucholsky around the bases so the three-run homer would count.

To be honest, I never pay attention to Sports Awards shows like this … I had no idea that they honored actual sportsmanship. If you look at the red carpet, you’d have no idea the awards show was actually about honoring real sports heroes. That being said, some celebs — like David and Victoria Beckham — are trying to bridge the gap between sportsdom and celebrity … here are a few pics of Les Beckhams on the red carpet last night:

And others, still, like Cristiano Ronaldo who are trying to emulate David Beckham to hopefully get in on that sports/celebrity thing — tho, Cristiano has a lot to learn about making a red carpet splash. I feel bad that the guy got injured (sometime between his extended vacay in Sardina, Italy and last night’s ESPY Awards) but crutches do not make the right kind of statement on the red carpet:

Yeah, it’s not a good look for him … but good for him for making the effort! Cristiano talked to Hollyscoop on the red carpet and revealed that if a David Beckham-type offer came from a US soccer team (like the LA Galaxy) he’d consider making the move to the US:

When Hollyscoop.com caught up with him at the 2008 ESPY Awards in Los Angeles, Cristiano said that if LA Galaxy came knocking on his door, he would certainly consider the move. He seemed eager to follow in Beckham’s footsteps. In regards to making an immediate move to Los Angeles, the 23 year-old star tells Hollyscoop, “I have time, I prefer to play in Europe … it’s better in the moment, but the future, no one knows” … Would Galaxy ever be an option for Ronaldo? “Yes, you know Beckham plays there and I spoke with him a few times and he says it’s great to play here, so maybe in the future you never know. Maybe one day, I will play here.”

Maybe indeed … heal up that ankle first, Cristiano … we wouldn’t want a repeat of the Galaxy’s last season (Becks was sidelined for much of his tenure due to an ankle injury).

And so … another cache of ESPY Awards have been handed out … congrats to the winners and all that jazz. Click HERE for a full list of this years ESPY Award winners.

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin, Splash News; Source, Source, Source]