The Oscar race is finally starting to heat up as the first of three major awards groups announced their nominations earlier today.

Unsurprisingly, the Screen Actor’s Guild (SAG) have handed out the most mentions to the historical drama 12 Years a Slave, which leads the way with four nods.

The Steve McQueen-directed film has been recognised in the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture category as well as garnering acting nominations for Chiwetel Ejiofor (Leading Male Actor), Michael Fassbender (Supporting Male Actor) and newcomer Lupita Nyong’o (Supporting Female Actor).

The film is up against American Hustle, August: Osage County, The Butler and, surprisingly, Dallas Buyers Club in the Outstanding Performance by a Cast field. Nebraska, Prisoners and Saving Mr Banks were amongst the big name features to miss out.

British actor Ejiofor is in a strong Leading Male Actor category which also includes Bruce Dern (Nebraska), Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips), Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club) and Forest Whittaker (The Butler). However, there was no place on the shortlist for Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street) or Robert Redford (All is Lost).

In a solid yet predictable Leading Female Actor category, Cate Blanchett will hope to keep up her strong run in awards season with another accolade for her role in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine. Her competition includes Sandra Bullock (Gravity), Meryl Streep (August: Osage County) and British duo Judi Dench (Philomena) and Emma Thompson (Saving Mr Banks).

Supporting Male Actor remains open, with Michael Fassbender up against category favourite Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) and the late James Gandolfini (Enough Said). There are also welcoming nods for lesser known names like Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips) and Daniel Brühl (Rush).

Finally, the Supporting Female Actor shortlist features some strong contenders, with Hollywood favourites Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle), Julia Roberts (August: Osage County) and Oprah Winfrey (The Butler) going head-to-head. Lupita Nyong’o and veteran June Squibb (Nebraska) round-up the tight category.

There is also a Stunt Ensemble award which will be competed by All is Lost, Fast & Furious 6, Lone Survivor, Rush and The Wolverine.

The full list of film nominations are below (winners predictions in blue):

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE
AMERICAN HUSTLE
AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
THE BUTLER
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
12 YEARS A SLAVE

OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Cate Blanchett, BLUE JASMINE
Sandra Bullock, GRAVITY
Judi Dench, PHILOMENA
Meryl Streep, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTRY
Emma Thompson, SAVING MR. BANKS

OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Bruce Dern, NEBRASKA
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Tom Hanks, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
Matthew McConaughey, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
Forest Whitaker, THE BUTLER

OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Jennifer Lawrence, AMERICAN HUSTLE
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Julia Roberts, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
June Squibb, NEBRASKA
Oprah Winfrey, THE BUTLER

OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Barkhad Abdi, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
Daniel Brühl, RUSH
Michael Fassbender, 12 YEARS A SLAVE
James Gandolfini, ENOUGH SAID
Jared Leto, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
ALL IS LOST
FAST & FURIOUS 6
LONE SURVIVOR
RUSH
THE WOLVERINE

The highly-successful AMC series, which came to a superb end in October, has been nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series as well as acting mentions for leading man Bryan Cranston (Walter White) and co-star Anna Gunn (Skylar White).

Elsewhere, ITV’s Downton Abbey has received two nominations for Ensemble in a Drama Series and Female Actor (Drama) for Dame Maggie Smith while Homeland, Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire and Modern Family all have three mentions each.

The Television Movie/Mini-Series categories also features some big Hollywood names in contention for gongs, including Helena Bonham Carter (Burton & Taylor), Behind the Candelabra duo Michael Douglas and Matt Damon and Phil Spector pair Al Pacino and Helen Mirren.

The full list of television nominees are below (winner predictions in blue):

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES
BOARDWALK EMPIRE
BREAKING BAD
DOWNTON ABBEY
GAME OF THRONES
HOMELAND

OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Claire Danes, HOMELAND
Anna Gunn, BREAKING BAD
Jessica Lange, AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN
Maggie Smith, DOWNTON ABBEY
Kerry Washington, SCANDAL

OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Steve Buscemi, BOARDWALK EMPIRE
Bryan Cranston, BREAKING BAD
Jeff Daniels, THE NEWSROOM
Peter Dinklage, GAME OF THRONES
Kevin Spacey, HOUSE OF CARDS

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
THE BIG BANG THEORY
MODERN FAMILY
30 ROCK
VEEP

OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Mayim Bialik, THE BIG BANG THEORY
Julie Bowen, MODERN FAMILY
Edie Falco, NURSE JACKIE
Tina Fey, 30 ROCK
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, VEEP

OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alec Baldwin, 30 ROCK
Jason Bateman, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
Ty Burrell, MODERN FAMILY
Don Cheadle, HOUSE OF LIES
Jim Parsons, THE BIG BANG THEORY

OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES
Angela Bassett, BETTY & CORETTA
Helena Bonham Carter, BURTON & TAYLOR
Holly Hunter, TOP OF THE LAKE
Helen Mirren, PHIL SPECTOR
Elisabeth Moss, TOP OF THE LAKE

OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES
Matt Damon, BEHIND THE CANDELABRA
Michael Douglas, BEHIND THE CANDELABRA
Jeremy Irons, THE HOLLOW CROWN
Rob Lowe, KILLING KENNEDY
Al Pacino, PHIL SPECTOR

OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A TELEVISION SERIES
BOARDWALK EMPIRE
BREAKING BAD
GAME OF THRONES
HOMELAND
THE WALKING DEAD

The 20th Screen Actor Guild Awards will take place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on 18 January 2014.

Next stop….the Golden Globes!