Mirren, Whitaker win again

LOS ANGELES — Helen Mirren of "The Queen" and Forest Whitaker of "The Last King of Scotland" won Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday as best lead players, their latest prizes on the road to the Academy Awards.

The road-trip romp "Little Miss Sunshine" won the prize for best film ensemble, the guild's equivalent of a best-picture award.

Solidifying their positions as Oscar favorites, Mirren won for playing British monarch Elizabeth II and Whitaker for starring as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.

Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson won supporting-acting honors as soulful singers in "Dreamgirls" — reinforcing their status as Oscar front-runners as well.

The best-picture Oscar race remains wide open, with "The Queen" and "Little Miss Sunshine" up against "The Departed," "Babel" and "Letters From Iwo Jima."

Mirren said she initially was dismayed at the prospect of donning Elizabeth II's conservative wardrobe, including sensible shoes and tweed skirts.

"I thought, I can't play anyone who chooses to wear those clothes. I just can't do it," said Mirren, who also won the guild honor for best actress in a miniseries as the current monarch's namesake in "Elizabeth I."

"But I learned to love the person who chooses to wear those clothes, because I learned to love a person without vanity, but with a great sense of discipline that I understand. With a great sense of duty that I understand. And with a great deal of courage, and that I understand."

It seemed the soft-spoken Whitaker was struck speechless, rambling through some awkward words of gratitude.

"I want to thank you for allowing me to have a moment like this," Whitaker said.

"Little Miss Sunshine" co-star Greg Kinnear thanked the German automaker that designed the rickety minibus the film's horribly dysfunctional family drives to their little girl's beauty pageant.

"I'd like to thank the engineers at Volkswagen for making a beautiful vehicle back in 1969 that is so comfortable, so safe," Kinnear said.

Murphy, who built his career as a fast-talking comic player, began with a thank-you speech more appropriate for a serious thespian — but his sober demeanor proved a gag.

"What a tremendous honor to be recognized by one's peers. I've been acting for some 25 years now and this is a tremendous honor," said Murphy, talking in a British accent.