One of Hollywood’s biggest trade unions, the Screen Actors Guild, has announced the nominees for its annual awards, which is likely to be the first major in-person film and TV awards ceremony since the pandemic.
In the absence of a Golden Globes show this year, the SAG Awards are likely to come second only to the Oscars in terms of their glamour and profile and with actors forming the biggest section of the Oscar voting membership, they’re often a useful guide to where the top prizes of the season might end up.
But this year’s nominations have thrown up some peculiarities. The race for the best Cast in a Motion Picture – seen as the equivalent of Oscar’s Best Picture – includes three films with only one individual nominee and one with none at all – while a film with three individual nominees, doesn’t even get a look in.
Belfast‘s Caitríona Balfe is in the running for the snappily titled Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture honour. CODA’s only cast member in the running for an individual prize is Troy Kotsur, who’s up for the Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture Prize. Will Smith is up for lead actor prize for playing the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams in King Richard. House of Gucci sees Lady Gaga in the running for the best actress prize and Jared Leto’s turn as the black sheep of the Gucci family earns him a nomination for best supporting actor.
The fifth film up for SAG’s top prize is Don’t Look Up, which doesn’t have a single cast member in the running for an individual prize, while the Oscar front-runner, The Power of the Dog, has missed out on a nomination for the best cast trophy, despite Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and Kodi Smit-McPhee all being up for awards in their own right. Being The Ricardos – whose leads Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem are both in the running for individual prizes – also misses out in the race for SAG’s top honour.
Other high profile nominees include Denzel Washington as the lead in The Tragedy of Macbeth, Olivia Colman as the lead in The Lost Daughter, The Tender Bar’s Ben Affleck and Licorice Pizza‘s Bradley Cooper in the supporting actor category, Cate Blanchett picking up a supporting actress nod for Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley.
There are also some high-profile omissions, with no recognition for Kristen Stewart’s portrayal of Princess Diana in Spencer or last year’s Oscar winner Frances McDormand for The Tragedy of Macbeth.
Like the Golden Globes, SAG also recognises TV shows – bringing another set of celebrities onto its televised red carpet. Succession, Squid Game and The Morning Show dominate the drama categories, with Ted Lasso and Only Murders In The Building putting on a strong showing among the comedies. Mare of Easttown and The White Lotus are the strongest contenders in the Limited Series categories.
The winners will be announced at what – Covid permitting – will be an in-person ceremony from Barker Hangar in Santa Monica on the 27th February, and here is the full list of nominees:
FILM AWARDS
Cast in a Motion Picture
“Belfast”
“CODA”
“Don’t Look Up”
“House of Gucci”
“King Richard”
Male Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture
Javier Bardem, “Being the Ricardos”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Power of the Dog”
Andrew Garfield, “Tick Tick Boom”
Will Smith, “King Richard”
Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture
Jessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”
Olivia Colman, “The Lost Daughter”
Lady Gaga, “House of Gucci”
Jennifer Hudson, “Respect”
Nicole Kidman, “Being the Ricardos”
Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Ben Affleck, “The Tender Bar”
Bradley Cooper, “Licorice Pizza”
Troy Kotsur, “CODA”
Jared Leto, “House of Gucci”
Kodi Smit-McPhee, “The Power of the Dog”
Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Caitríona Balfe, “Belfast”
Cate Blanchett, “Nightmare Alley”
Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story”
Kirsten Dunst, “The Power of the Dog”
Ruth Negga, “Passing”
TV AWARDS
Ensemble in a Drama Series
“The Handmaid’s Tale”
“The Morning Show”
“Squid Game”
“Succession”
“Yellowstone”
Male Actor in a Drama Series
Brian Cox, “Succession”
Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show”
Kieran Culkin, “Succession”
Lee Jung-jae, “Squid Game”
Jeremy Strong, “Succession”
Female Actor in a Drama Series
Jennifer Aniston, “The Morning Show”
Jung Ho-yeon, “Squid Game”
Elisabeth Moss, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Sarah Snook, “Succession”
Reese Witherspoon, “The Morning Show”
Ensemble in a Comedy Series
“The Great”
“Hacks”
“The Kominski Method”
“Only Murders in the Building”
“Ted Lasso”
Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Michael Douglas, “The Kominski Method”
Brett Goldstein, “Ted Lasso”
Steve Martin, “Only Murders in the Building”
Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building”
Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso”
Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Elle Fanning, “The Great
Sandra Oh, “The Chair”
Jean Smart, “Hacks”
Juno Temple, “Ted Lasso”
Hannah Waddingham, “Ted Lasso”
Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
Murray Bartlett, “The White Lotus”
Oscar Isaac, “Scenes from a Marriage”
Michael Keaton, “Dopesick”
Ewan McGregor, “Halston”
Evan Peters, “Mare of Easttown”
Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
Jennifer Coolidge, “The White Lotus”
Cynthia Erivo, “Genius: Aretha”
Margaret Qualley, “Maid”
Jean Smart, “Mare of Easttown”
Kate Winslet, “Mare of Easttown”
STUNT AWARDS
Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
“Black Widow”
“Dune”
“The Matrix Resurrections”
“No Time to Die”
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings”
Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series
“Cobra Kai”
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”
“Loki”
“Mare of Easttown”
“Squid Game”