'12 Years a Slave' Gets Beat

At the SAG Awards, there is no Best Picture winner, but its equivalent, Outstanding Performance By a Cast in a Motion Picture, is more fun. Why? Because, instead of a producer taking center stage to accept the honor — as we see during the Golden Globes or Academy Awards — the cast members who helped audiences and critics fall in love with each film dominating awards season. But, though we envy those behind-the-scenes at the 2014 SAG Awards, we don't envy those voting behind-the-scenes at the 2014 SAG Awards. Because this year proved a challenging year to pick a winner. Ultimately, though, American Hustle won the 2014 SAG for Outstanding Cast.

Though facing stiff competition from August: Osage County, Lee Daniels' The Butler, Dallas Buyers Club, and especially 12 Years a Slave, American Hustle's actors charmed their peers enough to pick up the first of this season's important little gold men, with Bradley Cooper accepting the award at the microphone. "What a strong year in film," Cooper said. "So often we're lucky enough to even get a job and often our anticipation our excitement supersedes the experience because you walk on the set and your excited ... and you're lucky if the director talks to you.

Cooper then directed his attention towards American Hustle director David O. Russell, saying, "But not with David O. Russell. Not with David O. Russell. Even if you get a chance to audition for him — and everyone who has knows it — he'll spend 45 minutes in a Skype session with you. He makes you feel like you're part of the family."

That means two awards for American Hustle — which picked up the 2014 Best Picture, Comedy win at the Golden Globes — and two award for 12 Years a Slave, which also won a Best Picture, Drama Golden Globe and the Critics' Choice Best Picture honor. Make your Oscar predictions now.

Image: Columbia Pictures