BY DAVID KRONKE > Staff Writer

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“No Country for Old Men,” Daniel Day-Lewis and Julie Christie solidified their status as Oscar front-runners when the Screen Actors Guild Awards were distributed Sunday night at the Shrine Exposition Center. And viewers were finally treated to a proper awards ceremony in 2008.

While the People’s Choice Awards and Golden Globes aired productions emasculated by the Writers Guild of America strike, the SAG Awards received a waiver from the WGA. Therefore, writers were allowed to prepare material for the ceremony and nominees could appear without crossing picket lines. Nonetheless, references to the ongoing strike were few and far between and largely apolitical.

 The strike wasn’t mentioned until 40 minutes into the broadcast on TNT, when Tina Fey, accepting the Actor for best actress in a comedy series, said, “I want to thank everyone in SAG for being so supportive of the Writers Guild.” WGA president Patric Verrone attended the ceremony and was acknowledged during it. The most pointed reference to the strike came when the crime-spree-gone-horribly-awry drama “No Country for Old Men” won the Actor trophy for best ensemble cast in a film.

Accepting on behalf of his collaborators, Josh Brolin declared, “It’s a cornucopia of change and it’s about story now. The studio system is backfiring awfully and it’s fun for us actors.” Julie Christie, named best actress for her unsentimental portrayal of a woman struggling with Alzheimer’s in “Away From Her,” noted that it was gratifying to “receive an award from your own union, especially at a time we’re being forcefully reminded how important unions are.” She ended her acceptance speech on a lighter note: After thanking colleagues and friends, she added, “If I’ve forgotten anyone, well, it’s because I’m still in character.”

Daniel Day-Lewis won his second Actor for his galvanizing turn as a cruel oil baron in “There Will Be Blood.” In an emotional speech, Day-Lewis dedicated his win to Heath Ledger, who died this week in New York at the age of 28. “In ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ he was unique; he was perfect,” Day-Lewis said. “That scene at the film’s end in the trailer is as moving as anything I’ve seen.” Javier Bardem continued his streak of Hoovering up awards for his chilling performance as a remorseless killing machine “No Country for Old Men.” Named best-supporting actor, the Spanish-born thespian noted, “My parents were actors at a time when actors were not allowed to be buried on sacred grounds because they were (considered) homosexuals and prostitutes.”

He also thanked his directors, Joel and Ethan Coen, “for using the good takes instead of … the ones where I really sucked.” Ruby Dee was a sentimental favorite, winning the Actor for her five-minute performance in “American Gangster” as the mother of a heroin kingpin. The cast of “The Sopranos” took home their final “Sopranos”-related hardware, winning the trophies for best ensemble in a drama series, as well as best actor (James Gandolfini) and actress (Edie Falco) in a drama series. Which they acknowledged in saluting his cast: “This is our last official act as Sopranos together,” Gandolfini said.

“You’re not supposed to get this attached because this is a transient business, but I love these people,” Falco asserted. “The Office” won its second consecutive SAG Award for best ensemble in a comedy series. Jenna Fisher, who plays Pam the secretary on the series, dedicated the trophy to the show’s crew. “We can’t wait to go back to work with them,” she said.

Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin of “30 Rock” won the Actor trophy for best actress and actor, respectively, in a comedy series. “I want to thank the Screen Actors Guild for considering me an actor at all,” she said in accepting the trophy, calling her scenes with Baldwin akin to “watching Fred Astaire dancing with a hat rack. … You’ve given an award to the hat rack.”

Kevin Kline was named best actor in a TV movie or miniseries for his performance in HBO’s “As You Like It.” Queen Latifah won the Actor for best actress in a TV movie or miniseries for HBO’s “Life Support.” Charles Durning received the previously announced SAG Life Achievement Award.

Helped to the stage during a standing ovation, Durning thanked his wife Mary Ann, “who has said on many occasion when I threatened to quit, said, ‘Yeah, and then what?’” New awards recognizing outstanding stunt work were announced before the ceremony. “The Bourne Ultimatum” and “24” won in the film and TV categories, respectively. This year represents the 75th anniversary of the Screen Actors Guild, which was instituted June 30, 1933. Blair Underwood hosted a series of short films exploring the union’s history.

David Kronke, (818) 713-3638 david.kronke@dailynews.com

www.insidesocal.com/tv/

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By The Associated Press

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A complete list of winners of the 14th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards:

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