Indicators of Oscar honors?

ON THE NEWS Sherri Sylvester: SAG yields stunning outfits, interesting comments

Directing, acting guilds tap Lee, Roberts

From staff and wire reports

(CNN) -- The woman who gave "Erin Brockovich" her sassy attitude and the director who created a mythic world where fights are waged atop bamboo trees won top honors this weekend from different professional guilds -- hints, perhaps, of what the Oscars hold in store later this month.

At the Screen Actors Guild awards Sunday in Los Angeles, California, Julia Roberts took home the best actress honor for her lead role in "Erin Brockovich."

The day before, the Directors Guild of America gave Ang Lee its top honor -- outstanding directorial achievement in a feature film -- for his martial-arts epic "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

If history is any indicator, both Roberts and Lee could walk away with statues when the Academy Awards ceremony takes place March 25.

Roberts' latest honor solidifies her as a favorite best actress nominee. In January, she won the same category at the Golden Globes.

VIDEO CNN's Sherri Sylvester has more from the 7th annual SAG awards ceremony Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     AWARDS WINNERS SAG Awards Winners DGA Awards Winners   The Oscar glow grows as showtime nears Cheryl Cecchetto: Post-Oscars Governors Ball producer Spirit Awards add drama to Oscar ceremonies Travolta's 'Battlefield Earth' sweeps Razzies More than ever, Oscars go global When acting bug bit, some stars' parents howled Julia Roberts, best actress? You bet! Memorable Oscar moments keep viewers coming back 'Gladiator,' 'Brockovich' among nominees on video Benicio Del Toro traffics in acclaim

Roberts choked back tears in her acceptance speech Sunday.

"This is freaky," Roberts said. "If this was a prom, this would be like the best school ever to go to."

Backstage, Roberts said she was overwhelmed, recalling a compliment she received from actress Annette Bening.

"To have her come over to me and say, 'I thought you were great in that movie,' I want to say, 'Well, I just want to drool all over you. Can I?'," joked Roberts.

Benicio Del Toro won best actor SAG honors for his turn as a weary cop in Tijuana, Mexico, in "Traffic." He's up for best supporting actor honors at the Academy Awards.

"I feel like if they put me in the driver's seat, I'm going to take the wheel," Del Toro said of the "Traffic" cast. "But I see this picture as an ensemble, and I'm very proud to be in this room. Some of the best actors in America are in it."

Lee, who was honored at the guild's 53rd annual ceremony, finds himself in a situation comparable to Roberts. Lee won the Golden Globes' top directing prize the same time Roberts won for "Erin Brockovich."

Among the competition he beat out at both ceremonies this weekend and in January: Steven Soderbergh, who directed both "Erin Brockovich" and "Traffic" and was nominated for each. Soderbergh is also up for best director for both films at the Oscars, along with Ridley Scott for "Gladiator" and Lasse Hallstrom for "Chocolat."

"I don't really believe in film competitions or that you can compare filmmakers," Lee said. "But I do believe this recognition is a great honor."

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" director Ang Lee

Other awards handed out by the guilds:

•  SAG's award for a motion picture cast ensemble went to the cast of "Traffic."

•  Judi Dench won SAG's supporting actress award for her role in "Chocolat."

•  Albert Finney took home the guild's best supporting actor award for his role as a crotchety but inspired lawyer in "Erin Brockovich."

•  Husband-and-wife acting team Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee were presented with SAG's 37th Annual Life Achievement Award.

•  Jeff Bleckner won the DGA's award for outstanding directorial achievement in movies for television for "The Beach Boys: An American Family," which aired on ABC.

•  Outstanding directorial achievement in a dramatic television series went to Thomas Schlamme, who helmed the "Noel" episode of NBC's "The West Wing."

•  James Burrows won outstanding directorial achievement in a comedy series for his "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" episode of NBC's "Will & Grace."

Oscar observers watch the SAG and DGA awards for final hints as to who might take home Oscars, the movie industry's top awards. Since the DGA started handing out its awards in 1949, only four directors who have won the guild's top honor have failed to win the Oscar that same year. (It last happened in 1995, when Ron Howard won the DGA award for "Apollo 13," and Mel Gibson won the Oscar for "Braveheart.")

The people who vote on Oscars, however, are a much more diverse group, including non-acting and non-directing insiders from sound, editing and music branches.

Actors make up the largest single voting bloc within the Academy with 1,329 of the 5, 722 members.

In-Depth: Academy Awards

Julia Roberts, Ang Lee, 'Gladiator' winners at Golden Globes
January 22, 2001
Soderbergh, "Gladiator" lead Oscar nominations

Screen Actors Guild
Directors Guild of America

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.