The Oscar race is finally in full flow and today saw the Screen Actor’s Guild Awards produce some unexpected surprises in the film categories.

Leading the pack is the Hollywood biopic Trumbo which is nodded for three awards including Outstanding Performance by a Cast as well as scoring acting nods for Bryan Cranston (Lead Actor) and Dame Helen Mirren (Supporting Actress).

The film focuses on the true story of screenwriter Dalton Trumbo who was wrongly blacklisted for being a communist during the McCarthy era.

The biopic is up against Oscar frontrunner Spotlight as well as financial crisis comedy The Big Short and surprise nominees Beasts of No Nation and Straight Outta Compton in the Outstanding Performance by a Cast category.

Cranston is competing in Lead Actor along with predicted contenders Johnny Depp (Black Mass), Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant), Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs) and last year’s winner Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl).

On the subject of Helen Mirren, the veteran Brit also received a shock nod in Lead Actress for her performance in another biopic Woman in Gold. Oscar favourites Cate Blanchett (Carol), Brie Larson (Room) and Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn) are also shortlisted along with the bizarre mention of comedian actress Sarah Silverman for the indie drama I Smile Back.

In Supporting Actor, British trio Christian Bale (The Big Short), Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation) and Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies) are nodded alongside Michael Shannon (99 Homes) and youngster Jacob Tremblay (Room).

However the category did see snubs for Spotlight duo Michael Keaton and Mark Ruffalo as well as Sylvester Stallone for Creed.

Finally Supporting Actress sees Mirren and fellow Brit Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs) gop up against Rachel McAdams (Spotlight), Rooney Mara (Carol) and Alicia Vikander (Steve Jobs).

The intriguing group of nominees come just before the Golden Globes announce their choices tomorrow.

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

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE
BEASTS OF NO NATION
THE BIG SHORT
SPOTLIGHT
STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
TRUMBO

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Bryan Cranston, TRUMBO
Johnny Depp, BLACK MASS
Leonardo DiCaprio, THE REVENANT
Michael Fassbender, STEVE JOBS
Eddie Redmayne, THE DANISH GIRL

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Cate Blanchett, CAROL
Brie Larson, ROOM
Helen Mirren, WOMAN IN GOLD
Saoirse Ronan, BROOKLYN
Sarah Silverman, I SMILE BACK

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Christian Bale, THE BIG SHORT
Idris Elba, BEASTS OF NO NATION
Mark Rylance, BRIDGE OF SPIES
Michael Shannon, 99 HOMES
Jacob Tremblay, ROOM

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Rooney Mara, CAROL
Rachel McAdams, SPOTLIGHT
Helen Mirren, TRUMBO
Alicia Vikander, THE DANISH GIRL
Kate Winslet, STEVE JOBS

OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
EVEREST
FURIOUS 7
JURASSIC WORLD
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION

 

Meanwhile, there were no such surprises in the television categories with renowned shows making the cut once again.

ITV’s Downton Abbey will be in contention for the final time in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama series along with another concluding programme in Mad Men. HBO’s Game of Thrones is mentioned again along with Showtime’s Homeland and Netflix’s House of Cards.

Cards duo Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright are nominated again with the likes of Peter Dinklage (Thrones), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul), Claire Danes (Homeland), Viola Davis (How To Get Away with Murder) and Maggie Smith (Downton) also making the cut.

The comedy categories see The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Orange is the New Black and Veep all in contention while Best Supporting Actor (Film) nominees Idris Elba (Luther) and Mark Rylance (Wolf Hall) are competing with each other again in Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a TV Movie or Mini-Series.

Despite the film’s poor reception in the past year or so, Nicole Kidman is nominated in Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a TV Movie or Mini-Series for the biopic Grace of Monaco.

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

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES
DOWNTON ABBEY
GAME OF THRONES
HOMELAND
HOUSE OF CARDS
MAD MEN

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Peter Dinklage, GAME OF THRONES
Jon Hamm, MAD MEN
Rami Malek, MR ROBOT
Bob Odenkirk, BETTER CALL SAUL
Kevin Spacey, HOUSE OF CARDS

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Claire Danes, HOMELAND
Viola Davis, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER
Julianna Margulies, THE GOOD WIFE
Maggie Smith, DOWNTON ABBEY
Robin Wright, HOUSE OF CARDS

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES
THE BIG BANG THEORY
KEY & PEELE
MODERN FAMILY
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
TRANSPARENT
VEEP

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Ty Burrell, MODERN FAMILY
Louis C.K, LOUIE
William H. Macy, SHAMELESS
Jim Parsons, THE BIG BANG THEORY
Jeffrey Tambor, TRANSPARENT

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Uzo Abuda, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
Edie Falco, NURSE JACKIE
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, VEEP
Ellie Kemper, UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT
Amy Poehler, PARKS AND RECREATION

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TV MOVIE OR MINI-SERIES
Idris Elba, LUTHER
Ben Kingsley, TUT
Ray Liotta, TEXAS RISING
Bill Murray, A VERY MURRAY CHRISTMAS
Mark Rylance, WOLF HALL

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TV MOVIE OR MINI-SERIES
Nicole Kidman, GRACE OF MONACO
Queen Latifah, BESSIE
Christina Ricci, THE LIZZIE BORDEN CHRONICLES
Susan Sarandon, THE SECRET LIFE OF MARILYN MONROE
Kristen Wiig, THE SPOILS BEFORE DYING

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY / DRAMA SERIES
THE BLACKLIST
GAME OF THRONES
HOMELAND
MARVEL’S DAREDEVIL
THE WALKING DEAD