L.A.-BASED RACE DRAMA CONQUERS THE 'MOUNTAIN'.

Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer

The Screen Actors Guild went its own way again Sunday, giving the ensemble cast of ``Crash'' the top prize over award-season favorite ``Brokeback Mountain.''

However, Golden Globe winners Philip Seymour Hoffman and Reese Witherspoon solidified their Oscar-favorite status, taking home the best actor and actress statuettes respectively.

Meanwhile, ABC favorites ``Lost,'' with its diverse cast, and ``Desperate Housewives'' topped the TV field at the 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium.

``Crash,'' a film about race relations and social class in Los Angeles, starred Terrence Howard, Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon, Thandie Newton and Ryan Phillippe. Its win over ``Brokeback Mountain,'' ``Capote,'' ``Hustle & Flow'' and ``Good Night, and Good Luck'' can't be considered a complete upset. Last year, ``Sideways'' won the SAG award while ``Million Dollar Baby'' took home the best picture Oscar. At the 2001 awards ``Gosford Park'' was honored by SAG while ``A Beautiful Mind'' was the pick of the Academy.

Cheadle, speaking on behalf of the ``Crash'' cast members who joined him onstage, said, ``We believe (the film) celebrates the definition of what an ensemble is all about. It's a film that doesn't end when the credits roll.''

Hoffman, who won for his role as Truman Capote in ``Capote,'' acknowledged his co-stars from the stage. ``Actors have to have each others' backs; it's the only way to act well. These actors had my back, and I hope they know I had theirs.''

Witherspoon won on her first-ever SAG nomination for her acclaimed performance as June Carter Cash in the Johnny Cash biopic ``Walk the Line.'' She said she was ``just so honored to bring (Carter-Cash) out of a certain shadow and into the light with this performance.''

While the historical boxing drama ``Cinderella Man'' was shut out of the ensemble category and Russell Crowe lost to Hoffman for best actor, his co-star Paul Giamatti won the SAG award for best supporting actor for his role as a boxing trainer.

``This is a helluva thing,'' Giamatti said. ``This is a great thing. I cannot imagine a greater honor than being acknowledged by your peers.... There are weird and interesting people in our business, and I'm proud to be numbered among them.''

Golden Globe winner Rachel Weisz also became a SAG winner Sunday night, taking home the best supporting actress prize for her role in ``The Constant Gardener.''

``It's so special to be honored by fellow actors,'' said Weisz, who told the crowd how much she also enjoyed working with non-actors during the film's shoot in Kenya.

In the television categories, stars of shows new and old were recognized.

``Grey's Anatomy'' star Sandra Oh, winner of the Golden Globe Award earlier this month, added a SAG statuette to her mantel. Oh described her win as ``unbelievable'' and thanked ``every single actor out there'' but she also dedicated her award to her fellow actors of Asian descent and encouraged them to keep working.

``I'm so proud to be on a show whose casting is a little more representative of what I think the world is,'' Oh said of ``Grey's,'' which has one of the most racially diverse casts on television.

Kiefer Sutherland's win for best actor in a drama series was his second SAG win in four nominations for his lead role in ``24.''

``I am in shock,'' Sutherland said after reaching the stage. ``This is the community I wanted to belong to all my life.''

The cast of ``Lost'' took home the best TV drama ensemble award over stiff competition that was composed of the casts of ``Six Feet Under,'' ``The West Wing,'' ``Grey's Anatomy'' and ``The Closer.''

Felicity Huffman hugged her ``Desperate Housewives'' co-stars, then ran to the stage to accept the statuette for best actress in a comedy series.

``I love actors, I married one (William H. Macy). OK, I married a fantastic one,'' said Huffman, also nominated for best actress in a motion picture for ``Transamerica.''

``But even more than acting, I love the community of actors. I love the green room, I love the makeup trailer. I'm glad I can make a living at it.''

A short time later, Huffman joined the entire cast of ``Housewives'' when they won best comedy series ensemble. The group left it to young cast member Shawn Pyfrom to make a speech and he seemed terrified. ``This is so intimidating! My heart is beating out of my chest,'' said Pyfrom, who, despite his nervousness, managed to thank his fellow actors, the show's writers, producers, directors and even the casting directors.

``Will & Grace'' star Sean Hayes won his third SAG award for best actor in a comedy and reflected on this being the final season of the long-running NBC sitcom. ``It really is kind of a sad goodbye,'' said Hayes, who went on to thank ``all the actors who ever thought this actor had an ounce of talent.''

S. Epatha Merkerson, already the winner of the Emmy and the Golden Globe for her role in ``Lackawanna Blues,'' completed an awards sweep by winning the SAG award for best actress in a television movie.

Merkerson, who famously dropped her Emmy speech down the front of her dress, told the crowd, ``There's nothing in my head, there's nothing in my head. It's all in my heart. This is so lovely. If I said I was at a loss for words, there would be a bunch of people who would call me a liar.'' The tearful actress went on to thank a long list of people but before her speech began to sound routine, she said with a cackle: ``Mostly I want to say a public thank-you to my divorce lawyers!''

Paul Newman, who did not attend the awards ceremony, was voted best actor in a TV movie by his peers for his performance in ``Empire Falls.'' Shirley Temple Black received the most prolonged and heartfelt standing ovation of the night as she took the stage to receive SAG's Life Achievement Award from Jamie Lee Curtis.

``I'm out of breath! This is exciting,'' Black said as she began a short speech. ``When I was 3 years old, I was delighted to be told I was an actress, even though I didn't know what an actress was.''

Greg Hernandez, [phone]

greg.hernandez(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

7 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) The cast of ``Crash'' celebrates winning the prize for best movie ensemble at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) Actress Jamie Pressly shows off her finery during the SAG arrivals.

(3 -- color) Jake Gyllenhaal, nominated for best supporting actor in a movie, greets fans Sunday outside the Shrine Auditorium.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer

(4 -- 5 -- color) VIOLET FEMMES

Actress Felicity Huffman, above, winner of two SAG trophies, and actress Ziyi Zhang arrive in the color of the day, purple.

(6 -- 7 -- color) Reese Witherspoon, left, won best actress in a movie and Philip Seymour Hoffman was named best actor.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

Box:

THE 2006 SAG AWARD WINNERS