Julian Fellowes's British drama set in a stately home in Yorkshire has won the top TV prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Downton Abbey won the award for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series, beating stiff competition from American TV series such as Homeland and Mad Men.
Michelle Dockery who plays Lady Mary Crawley was there with Phyllis Logan, who plays Mrs Hughes, Allen Leech, Sophie McShera and Amy Nuttall to accept the award. A breathless Logan said, "We were not expecting this!"
Dockery was nominated for best actress in a drama series, but lost out to Clare Danes for her portrayal of CIA agent Carrie in Homeland. While Maggie Smith was also nominated for her role as the Dowager Countess of Grantham in the same category. Smith was also nominated last year in the best actress category.
It is the first time Downton Abbey has won at the SAG awards.
In the film awards, Daniel Day-Lewis won best actor for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln and Jennifer Lawrence won best actress for Silver Linings Playbook. Both Lawrence and British actor Day-Lewis have been nominated for Oscars. If Day-Lewis wins, he will take home his record-breaking third Academy Award.
Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery
Ben Affleck's film Argo won outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture, after it also won best picture at the Golden Globes earlier this month.
Dick Van Dyke was given the lifetime achievement award at the ceremony. The 87-year-old Mary Poppins actor was honoured for his 70 years in the business.
Anne Hathaway, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Costner and Bryan Cranston were also winners.
WINNERS IN FULL
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS / Abraham Lincoln – "LINCOLN” (Touchstone Pictures)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Tiffany – “SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK” (The Weinstein Company)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
TOMMY LEE JONES / Thaddeus Stevens – “LINCOLN” (Touchstone Pictures)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
ANNE HATHAWAY / Fantine – “LES MISÉRABLES” (Universal Pictures)
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
ARGO (Warner Bros. Pictures)
BEN AFFLECK / Tony Mendez
ALAN ARKIN / Lester Siegel
KERRY BISHÉ / Kathy Stafford
KYLE CHANDLER / Hamilton Jordan
RORY COCHRANE / Lee Schatz
BRYAN CRANSTON / Jack O’Donnell
CHRISTOPHER DENHAM / Mark Lijek
TATE DONOVAN / Bob Anders
CLEA DuVALL / Cora Lijek
VICTOR GARBER / Ken Taylor
JOHN GOODMAN / John Chambers
SCOOT McNAIRY / Joe Stafford
CHRIS MESSINA / Malinov
PRIMETIME TELEVISION
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
KEVIN COSTNER / “Devil Anse” Hatfield – “HATFIELDS & McCOYS” (History)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
JULIANNE MOORE / Sarah Palin – “GAME CHANGE” (HBO)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White – “BREAKING BAD” (AMC)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
CLAIRE DANES / Carrie Mathison – “HOMELAND” (Showtime)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy – “30 ROCK” (NBC)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon – “30 ROCK” (NBC)
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
DOWNTON ABBEY (PBS)
HUGH BONNEVILLE / Robert, Earl of Grantham
ZOE BOYLE / Lavinia Swire
LAURA CARMICHAEL / Lady Edith Crawley
JIM CARTER / Mr. Carson
BRENDAN COYLE / John Bates
MICHELLE DOCKERY / Lady Mary Crawley
JESSICA BROWN FINDLAY / Lady Sybil Crawley
SIOBHAN FINNERAN / O’Brien
JOANNE FROGGATT / Anna
IAIN GLEN / Sir Richard Carlisle
THOMAS HOWES / William
ROB JAMES-COLLIER / Thomas
ALLEN LEECH / Tom Branson
PHYLLIS LOGAN / Mrs. Hughes
ELIZABETH McGOVERN / Cora, Countess of Grantham
SOPHIE McSHERA / Daisy
LESLEY NICOL / Mrs. Patmore
AMY NUTTALL / Ethel
DAVID ROBB / Dr. Clarkson
MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham
DAN STEVENS / Matthew Crawley
PENELOPE WILTON / Isobel Crawley
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
AUBREY ANDERSON-EMMONS / Lily Tucker-Pritchett
JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy
JESSE TYLER FERGUSON / Mitchell Pritchett
NOLAN GOULD / Luke Dunphy
SARAH HYLAND / Haley Dunphy
ED O’NEILL / Jay Pritchett
RICO RODRIGUEZ / Manny Delgado
ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron Tucker
SOFIA VERGARA / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
ARIEL WINTER / Alex Dunphy
SAG AWARDS HONOURS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
SKYFALL (Columbia Pictures)
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series
GAME OF THRONES (HBO)
LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Screen Actors Guild 49th Annual Life Achievement Award
DICK VAN DYKE
