Los Angeles (CNN) — The Help, a movie about the treatment of maids in a Mississippi town during the civil rights era, took top honours at the Screen Actors Guild Awards last night, making it the movie to watch as the Oscar awards approach next month.
Viola Davis won the best actress trophy, while Octavia Spencer was given the best supporting actress honor. Both women portrayed maids.
The Help also won the best cast ensemble SAG award.
“The stain of racism and sexism is not just for people of colour and women,” Davis said. “It’s all of our burden, all of us.”
Davis’ best actress win seemed to throw the Oscar competition into a frenzy, since she beat Meryl Streep and Michelle Williams, actresses who won Golden Globes two weeks ago.
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Streep was nominated for her portrayal of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in Iron Lady, and MIchelle Williams, was nominated for playing movie legend Marilyn Monroe in My Week With Marilyn.
