The best actor intrigue continues. You take the Globe; I'll one up you a SAG. Sean Penn gets back into frontrunner status by besting Mickey Rourke as male actor in a leading role. He gives an odd speech — first the Fox News diss ("Good evening, comrades. That was for O'Reilly.")

Then, all but acknowledng it's a two-man race, he says this:

"I don't agree with everything that happened tonight so I'll acknowledge one random shout-out — Benicio in Steve's 'Che,' and all of these nominees and at least for television, where it includes Mickey or I at the next thing, we know the TV people have that dog fight but they're idiots because what they don't now is that we're all so proud and challenged by each other." Er, okay…

UPDATE: Apparently this was a reference to a dust-up over a text message Rourke sent about Penn's performance in "Milk." The television idiots is apparently a reference to…the media.

The first big awards-season coup for "Doubt" as Meryl Streep takes best female actor in a leading role and makes the best actress race suddenly a little more interesting. Actors like Kate Winslet, but when it comes to leading roles they like Streep just a little more.

From the stage there's faux shock that's real shock that may be faux shock. "Even though awards mean nothing to me anymore, I'm really happy," she says from the stage in an odd, flowing pants-suit.

Streep thanks Daniel Battsek and Scott Rudin who "goes out of his way to find interesting things of everyone to do — especially the girls."

It's the first big win for the Miramax film, but could be a precursor for  more to come tonight — and could be setting up Streep and the film's other stars for its Oscar campaigns.

Kristin Scott Thomas nobly going through all nominees on male actor in a supporting role.

More screen time for Dev Patel and Slumdog, but really is there a chance it's not Heath? Only question is if it's Chris Nolan or a fellow actor who gives the acceptance speech.

And…it's Heath again. Accepting is an actor, Gary Oldman — gives a short but effective speech: "He was an extraordinary young man with an extraordinary talent."

Amy Poehler and John Krasinski — apart from looking like Manute Bol and Willie Shoemaker — offer a midly amusing bit of banter in which the claim to be having a lover's quarrel. More interesting: Actress #2 on the Hit List, Sally Field, gets an award (for Bros & Sisters). Clearly there are no repercussions for opposing a SAG strike. Longtime bigscreen actress strikes an earnest tone: "We inspire, provoke and we entertain, and never has that been as needed in this country as much as it is now." Thank you, and God bless the United States of America.

We're in the first of the interesting races — supporting actress. Can Amy Adams build some pre-Oscar momentum? Does Penelope push off Globes win? Do voters like Winslet even though she's actually a lead?

And…apparently they do. Winslet wins (and gives another breathy, angsty speech — she notably thanks a bunch of producers but no Rudin).

And "The Reader," slowly but surely, builds some more Oscar momentum.

Update: In the intervew room, Winslet seems equally emotional but does try to explain it:

"It was toough, everything about it," she says of her Hannah Schmitz role. "The preparations, The shoot; it's the most challenging part i've ever been asked to play and I'm still living in it, which i think why i keep getting a bit breathless and jangly."

Alec Baldwin wins for best male actor in a comedy series. So "30 Rock" continues its streak. And any thoughts that SAG membership would get back at those who oppose a strike by using their ballot are by the boards.

Tina Fey gets the labor talk going right away. Accepting the female actor in a comedy series role, she imagines what her daughter might say years from now when she watches "30 Rock" on the Internet and asks her mom, "What do you mean you dont get residuals for this? And she'll take care of me when I'm old and broke."

By Steven Zeitchik

We're here at the SAG Awards, in the elegant/shabby press room of the Shrine, hearing the intros and squeals from the red carpet right outside (apparently Jeremy Piven is big with the teenage girls, juding by the octaves of said squeals). Paula Abdul and Cloris Leachman, less so.

The real drama tonight will come on the labor front  — namely, will anyone cite the Doug Allen and other sagas from the podium, and will any of the the eight who were called out for openly supporting a moderate anti-strike position (Alec Baldwin, Josh Brolin, Steve Carell, Susan Sarandon, Michael C. Hall, Kevin Spacey, Sally Field, Tony Shalhoub) win an award (and what conspiracy theories will be read in if they don't).

(Station Break: We stepped out to the red carpet. Angelina Brad. Penn. Brian Grazer. But who's that dude with Claire Danes?)

On the actual awards front, the film awards are thinner here than in other shows, but look for three main dramas to play out. First, is the ongoing exposure of Slumdog yielding any benefits for the cast known as "unknown," a mystery that will reveal itself if Dev Patel manages to come in and sneak a win from Heath Ledger (there's no way, but a headliner writer can dream).

The "Cast in a Motion Picture" award is generally seen as some kind of precursor to Best Picture, so we'll see if anyone can stop the "Dog" (strong acting and four Oscar noms from "Doubt" give that film an oddly strong chance).

And finally, Rourke v Penn goes another round. The Comeback Kid has wrestled the last few rounds from the early favorite; we'll see if the ending is more Rocky I or Rocky II.