Motion picture casts and television ensembles were honored Sunday evening at the 18th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, which took place at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium. 
 
 The Help was the big winner, taking home three awards for motion picture -- cast of a motion picture, female actor in a leading role (Viola Davis) and female actor in a supporting role (Octavia Spencer). The Artist and Beginners were the other film honorees. The Descendants went home empty-handed. 
 
 HBO's Boardwalk Empire topped the television side with two honors, while ABC's Modern Family took home ensemble in a comedy series. American Horror Story, 30 Rock, Too Big to Fail and Mildred Pierce were the other shows represented on awards night; five winners repeated from last year. 
 
 PHOTOS: 2012 SAG Awards Nominees 
 
 The first award, male actor in a supporting role for motion picture, went to veteran actor Christopher Plummer of Beginners, marking his first-ever SAG honor. Plummer confessed, "I just can't tell you what fun I've had being a member of the world's second oldest profession. Actors are gregarious and wacky, are they not? And I love them dearly." 
 
 The Help's Spencer continued her winning streak, taking home female actor in a supporting role for motion picture. 
 
 On the television side, 30 Rock's Alec Baldwin was the recipient of the male actor in a comedy series award, winning over The Office's Steve Carell and taking home his sixth award in a row. Female actor in a comedy series went to Betty White, a recipient of SAG's Life Achievemnt Award, of Hot in Cleveland, who received a standing ovation; she won the award last year for the same role. "I think they made a terrible mistake," White said onstage. 
 
 COMPLETE LIST: 2012 SAG Awards Film, TV Winners 
 
 Ensemble in a comedy series went to Modern Family, marking the ABC comedy's second consecutive SAG honor. The kids on the show took part in the acceptance speech. Citing W.C. Field's advice never to work with children or animals, 13-year-old Nolan Gould started to say, "Well, he can kiss my ..." when the rest of the cast rushed in to shut him up. 
 
 Female actor in a TV movie or mini went to Kate Winslet, who was not present to accept her award, for her part in MIldred Pierce. She had also won an Emmy and Golden Globe. Too Big to Fail's Paul Giamatti took home the honor for male actor in a TV movie or mini, but like Winslet was not present, "so I'll keep the award," joked presenter Armie Hammer. 
 
 Female actor in a drama series went to American Horror Story's Jessica Lange, beating out the likes of Julianna Margulies and Kyra Sedgwick. It marked her first SAG Award. She admitted that accepting the role was "a leap of faith," but continued, "It's great to play such a big character with so much to do." 
 
 PHOTOS: 2012 SAG Awards Red Carpet Arrivals 
 
 Male actor in a drama series went to Boardwalk Empire's Steve Buscemi, who took home the award last year. Addressing the season ender's shocking death on the HBO series, Buscemi exclaimed: "To all the Michael Pitt fans, I know, I'm sorry!" 
 
 Boardwalk Empire took home its second consecutive award for ensemble in a drama series. Buscemi, serving as their spokesman, could only add, "We are so honored. We love doing this show." 
 
 The award for male actor in a leading role in motion picture went to French actor Jean Dujardin of The Artist, topping George Clooney, Demian Bichir, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio. When Dujardin took the stage to accept his award, he was overcome with emotion, taking a few beats to collect himself. 
 
 "I was a very bad student, I didn’t listen in class, I was always dreaming," he said, before saying, "Thank you for this dream," and then he concluded with both a final thank you and a merci beaucoup. 
 
 Davis, who received a standing ovation, snagged female actor in a leading role in motion picture for her part in The Help. Onstage, she took a moment to acknowledge the inspiring women on the big screen, including nominee Meryl Streep and The Help co-star Cicely Tyson. 
 
 Pitt presented the ensemble of The Help with the final award of the night, cast of a motion picture, bringing the total haul of the big-screen adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's popular book to three. 
 
 In accepting on behalf of the ensemble, Davis said, "All these actors on this stage gave up their ego and were able to just work, and it’s been such a joy to be part of this cast." Addressing the movie's themes about racism and sexism, she also observed, "The stain of racism and sexism is not just for people of color and women. It's all of our burden, all of us," and she continued, "All of us can inspire change, every single one of us." 
 
 Prior to the telecast, the category of outstanding performance by a stunt ensembles in a motion picture and TV were handed to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and HBO's Game of Thrones, respectively. 
 
 Overall, it was a strong showing for pay cabler HBO, which easily dominated the night with five total wins. TV Land, ABC, NBC and FX all took home one. 
 
 Halfway through the telecast, SAG president Ken Howard announced the public kickoff of to merge SAG and AFTRA, also introducing AFTRA head Roberta Reardon. "That historic moment of unity is at hand," he said. 
 
 A highlight of the night included Bridesmaids presenters Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy and Maya Rudolph, who suggested a drinking game: Whenever Martin Scorsese's name came up in conversation, take a drink. Later in the show, Buscemi took part in the running joke, joking that he'd like to thank Boardwalk executive producer Scorsese. 
 
 Receiving nearly a minute-long standing ovation, Mary Tyler Moore was the honoree of SAG's 48th Life Achievement Award, presented by Dick Van Dyke. 
 
 The SAG Awards were broadcast live coast-to-coast on TNT and TBS from 5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST in the Shrine Auditorium. Berenice Bejo, Don Cheadle, Bryan Cranston, George Clooney, Viola Davis and Brad Pitt are among the presenters. 
 
 The full list of awards, in the order they were handed out: 
 
 Male actor in a supporting role -- Christopher Plummer, Beginners 
 
 Female actor in a supporting role -- Octavia Spencer, The Help 
 
 Male actor in a comedy series -- Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock 
 
 Female actor in a comedy series -- Betty White, Hot in Cleveland 
 
 Ensemble in a comedy series -- Modern Family 
 
 Female actor in a TV movie or mini -- Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce 
 
 Male actor in a TV movie or mini -- Paul Giamatti, Too Big to Fail 
 
 Life achievement -- Mary Tyler Moore 
 
 Female actor in a drama series -- Jessica Lange, American Horror Story 
 
 Male actor in a drama series -- Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire 
 
 Ensemble in a drama series -- Boardwalk Empire 
 
 Male actor in a leading role -- Jean Dujardin, The Artist 
 
 Female actor in a leading role -- Viola Davis, The Help 
 
 Cast of a motion picture -- The Help ||||| The high point of Sunday night's telecast of the 63rd Primetime Emmys, hosted by Jane Lynch, came fairly early in the evening. As Rob Lowe and Sophia Vergara announced the nominees for lead actress in a comedy series, the women, beginning with Amy Poehler, took the stage as if they had already won. It was a moment both hilarious and poignant — as they stood together, arms linked, the actresses silently made the point virtually every winner subsequently repeated: That every category was so jampacked with talent, it was an honor to be included. (They also proved that one does, apparently, have to be precisely as tall as Tina Fey to be nominated.)Then, as if that weren't enough, underdog Melissa McCarthy won for "Mike & Molly," and stood, with a tiara on her head and a huge bouquet of roses in her arms, blinking back the tears — "sorry, I'm a crier" — and saying great acceptance speech things like "I'm from Plainfield, Ill., and I'm standing here and it's kind of amazing."At its best, last night's show celebrated the easy intimacy of the many diverse people who create television and their ability to take chances that surprise us. At it worst, it slid into long stretches of snoozy awards-parceling (Is there another comedy on the air besides "Modern Family"? Will "The Daily Show" or "The Amazing Race" ever lose? Shouldn't, at this point, Jon Stewart go on "The Amazing Race" and collapse the categories further?) These were, at times, dotted by moments of painfully bad judgment — Charlie Sheen presenting the award for lead actor in a comedy series so he could appear sober and conciliatory and wish "Two and a Half Men" luck, and yet another hijacking of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," this time for the in memoriam section.Fortunately, the host and the surprises kept things pleasant if not scintillating — in the evening's biggest double upset, the beloved but beleaguered "Friday Night Lights" beat out perpetual odds-on favorite "Mad Men" in both the writing and lead actor categories, and Barry Pepper won lead actor in a movie or miniseries for his astonishing performance as Bobby Kennedy in the controversial but little-seen "The Kennedys."Unlike other academies we could name, the television academy is filled with people who are both comfortable on television and willing to forsake mutual reverence for a little fun. If it doesn't work every time, well, at least they tried.Taking a page from last year's host Jimmy Fallon, Lynch opened with a big musical number in which she wandered through the apartment building in which all the TV people apparently live, singing (or rather lip syncing) an ode to this "vast wonderland where people spend most of their lives." "I hate it when musical numbers come through the apartment," groused Jim Parson's as "The Big Bang's" Sheldon. "Can you get me some coffee?" ordered Don Draper (Jon Hamm) before ordering Lynch out of the room when she tells him she comes from a time people can watch television and skip the commercials.In another similarly cross-pollinating bit, nominees from all manner of shows invaded the set of "The Office" to address the camera and act out odd moments — "Breaking Bad's" Aaron Paul arriving to "drop something off," "Two and a Half Men's" Ashton Kutchner showing up on the wrong set. Ricky Gervais, in his pre-taped introduction of the comedy writer nominees, apologized for not being there but claimed he was "not allowed. Not after the Golden Globes. In fact, during award shows, I'm not allowed in the states."Lynch made a sensible number of wardrobe changes and stayed on her toes. After losing to "Modern Family's" Julie Bowen for supporting actress in a comedy, she admitted that losing "really hurt, and that if I didn't have to host this show, I would be home eating a tub of turkey meatballs. In the dark." And after Kate Winslet's win for "Mildred Pierce," she noted that so many film actors are taking TV roles that TV actors were forced to voice video games, which then became movies starring the film actors who replaced the TV actors in the first place.As it should be but so often isn't, the best bits came from the winners, even the expected ones. "Modern Family's" Ty Burrell, after winning supporting actor in a comedy, gave a lovely funny acceptance speech in which he imagined what his father, who died before seeing his son ever perform, would think. Margo Martindale could not believe she won supporting actress in a drama for "Justified" even though every single person who saw her performance knew she would, and Peter Dinklage, winning for "Game of Thrones," thanked his dog sitter, which was wonderfully bizarre and just what you would expect from someone playing a character called "The Imp."Even when the jokes went flat and things got a bit boring, the Nokia Theatre remained, essentially, a happy place. The stakes are high, but the personal drama seems less so — many of the nominees have been nominated or won before, and even a few people who aren't Jon Stewart will no doubt be back again next year. So why not act like you've won when your name is announced as a nominee? Why not wear a tiara and cry or talk about your dad and thank your dog sitter? You get to work amid the pixilated pixie dust of television where, as Lynch warbled, "dancing with Bristol Palin…is dancing with a star."
– A cute moment during today's early morning Emmy nominations: Melissa McCarthy, who was announcing the nominations alongside Joshua Jackson, struggled to keep her emotions in check after learning she herself had been nominated as lead actress in a comedy series for Mike & Molly. Other nominees included such familiar faces as Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin for 30 Rock and Steve Carell for his last season on The Office. Fan favorite Betty White even scored a supporting actress nod for Hot in Cleveland. Top series contenders include Glee, Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, and The Office for comedy. For drama: Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Mad Men, Dexter, The Good Wife, and Friday Night Lights. Modern Family racked up a whopping 17 nominations—including all six of its adult actors nominated in the supporting category—but the biggest winner of the morning was actually a miniseries, HBO's Mildred Pierce, with 21 nominations. Other biggies: Mad Men with 19 and Boardwalk Empire with 18, E! reports. Two more fun tidbits: Despite all the drama, The Kennedys scored a nomination for best miniseries or movie, and—while Charlie Sheen was not so lucky—Two and a Half Men star Jon Cryer got a supporting actor nod for his troubles.