Awards season is starting to heat up as the 21st Screen Actors Guild Awards took place in Hollywood last night.

On the film front, the Broadway satire Birdman capped off an excellent weekend by clinching the prestigious Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture accolade to keep itself in Oscar contention.

Additionally, it triumphed over the current frontrunner Boyhood as well as The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, and The Theory of Everything.

This win proved crucial for Alejandro González Iñárritu’s latest big-screen effort, after it also landed the Producers Guild Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture on Saturday night.

However, Birdman’s chief star Michael Keaton missed out victory in the Leading Male Actor category, as Eddie Redmayne took home the gong for his portrayal of renowned physicist Dr. Stephen Hawking in the factual drama The Theory of Everything.

The British star looked shocked when his name was read out – and dedicated his award to people, such as Hawking, who live with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as motor neurone disease) for their “triumph of spirit”.

Meanwhile, Julianne Moore moved a step closer towards ending her Oscar voodoo by securing Leading Female Actor for her performance as Alzheimer’s sufferer Dr. Alice Howland in the drama Still Alice, with her win coming at the expense of British duo Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything) and Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl).

Elsewhere, J. K. Simmons breezed his way to another Supporting Male Actor prize for his excellent role as music teacher Terence Fletcher in the music-based drama Whiplash while Patricia Arquette took home Supporting Female Actor for her role as family matriarch Olivia Grant in the coming-of-age epic Boyhood.

The Outstanding Stunt Ensemble award was presented to Angelina Jolie’s war drama Unbroken, with victory coming at the expense of the likes of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies and X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Finally, Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds was the recipient of this year’s Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award for her contributions to film over the past sixty years with notable roles including Singin’ in the Rain (1952), Tammy and the Bachelor (1957), How the West was Won (1962), The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964), The Singing Nun (1966), and Mother (1996).

Fittingly, she received the honour from her daughter Carrie Fisher who joked, “she has been more than a mother to me, not much, but definitely more.”

The full list of SAG (film) winners are…

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE
BIRDMAN

OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Julianne Moore, STILL ALICE

OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Eddie Redmayne, THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Patricia Arquette, BOYHOOD

OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
J. K. Simmons, WHIPLASH

OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
UNBROKEN

There was also an unlikely win for William H. Macy, as he secured the Male Actor (Comedy) gong for his performance as Frank Gallagher in the American version of Shameless.

On the drama side, there was shock success for ITV’s Downton Abbey after landing the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series accolade ahead of other high-profile programmes like Game of Thrones, House of Cards and the final series of Boardwalk Empire.

After clinching the Golden Globe a fortnight ago, Kevin Spacey added another award to his CV after winning the Male Actor (Drama) prize for his performance as corrupt senator Frank Underwood in Netflix’s House of Cards.

He persevered in a strong category that included Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) and True Detective duo Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.

The Male Actor (TV Movie/Miniseries) accolade was presented to an absent Mark Ruffalo for his role as gay rights activist Ned Weeks in the HBO television film The Normal Heart.

Finally, there was another case of déjà vu for Game of Thrones as the HBO fantasy epic clinched the Outstanding Stunt Ensemble prize for a fourth consecutive year.

The full list of SAG (television) winners are…

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES
DOWNTON ABBEY

OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Viola Davis, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER

OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Kevin Spacey, HOUSE OF CARDS

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Uzo Aduba, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
William H. Macy, SHAMELESS

OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINI-SERIES
Frances McDormand, OLIVE KITTERIDGE

OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINI-SERIES
Mark Ruffalo, THE NORMAL HEART

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A TELEVISION SERIES
GAME OF THRONES