Argo wins top prize at Screen Actors Guild Awards

Los Angeles - Iran hostage drama Argo cemented its status as Oscar favourite Sunday night after it won the top prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The win for Best Film Ensemble came just a day after Argo won the Best Picture Award from the Producers Guild of America.

The film is directed by Ben Affleck who also stars as a CIA operative trying to save US hostages in revolutionary Iran.

Argo beat out Oscar hopefuls Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook and Zero Dark Thirty.

The PGA Awards and the Oscars have many of the same voters and their best picture awards have concurred 16 of the last 23 years. The SAG Awards are also regarded as predictions the acting Oscars.

That’s good news for Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, whose star Daniel Day Lewis was named best actor, with Tommy Lee Jones collecting the best supporting actor trophy.

Jennifer Lawrence was named best actress for her role in Silver Linings Playbook, with the supporting actress award going to Les Miserable’s Anne Hathaway.//DPA