Awards season has come around quickly again for those competing for success in the film and television industry, as the Screen Actor’s Guild (SAG) announced their nominations for this year.
Starting with the film categories, the race for Oscar has started to heat up with Alejandro González Iñárritu’s dark comedy Birdman leading the way with four nods, including the prestigious Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture field.
Former Beetlejuice and Batman star Michael Keaton is up for Leading Male Actor and is joined by his co-stars Edward Norton in Supporting Male Actor and Emma Stone in Supporting Female Actor.
The epic family drama Boyhood, and factual dramas The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything all receive three nods, including a mention on the Outstanding Performance by a Cast shortlist which is completed by the period comedy The Grand Budapest Hotel.
In the acting categories, British stars Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game) and Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything) contest the Leading Male Actor line-up for their portrayals of real-life figures Alan Turing and Stephen Hawking. They face stern competition in that category from dark turns by Steve Carell (Foxcatcher), and Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler).
Meanwhile, early Oscar favourite Julianne Moore competes in the Leading Female Actor field for her role in Still Alice and is joined by British actresses Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), and Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl), Reese Witherspoon (Wild) and surprise nominee Jennifer Aniston (Cake).
In the supporting fields, J. K. Simmons is a heavy favourite to win Outstanding Male Actor for his powerhouse turn in Whiplash while Patricia Arquette (Boyhood) and British star Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game) are among the high-profile actresses in contention for the Supporting Female Actor gong.
The rest of the notable acting contenders are Robert Duvall (The Judge), Ethan Hawke (Boyhood), Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher), Meryl Streep (Into the Woods) and shock nominee Naomi Watts (St. Vincent).
Finally, the Outstanding Stunt Ensemble award is competed by the likes of the Lord of the Rings prequel The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, the war drama Unbroken, and the comic-book sequel X-Men: Days of Future Past.
However, it was a disappointing day for other big-name stars as Jessica Chastain (A Most Violent Year), Bradley Cooper (American Sniper), Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night), Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel) and David Oyelowo (Selma) were all overlooked for film honours.
The 21st SAG Awards will take place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on 25 January 2015.
The full list of film nominations are below (winner predictions in blue):
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE
BIRDMAN
BOYHOOD
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
THE IMITATION GAME
THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Jennifer Aniston, CAKE
Felicity Jones, THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
Julianne Moore, STILL ALICE
Rosamund Pike, GONE GIRL
Reese Witherspoon, WILD
OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Steve Carell, FOXCATCHER
Benedict Cumberbatch, THE IMITATION GAME
Jake Gyllenhaal, NIGHTCRAWLER
Michael Keaton, BIRDMAN
Eddie Redmayne, THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Patricia Arquette, BOYHOOD
Keira Knightley, THE IMITATION GAME
Emma Stone, BIRDMAN
Meryl Streep, INTO THE WOODS
Naomi Watts, ST. VINCENT
OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Robert Duvall, THE JUDGE
Ethan Hawke, BOYHOOD
Edward Norton, BIRDMAN
Mark Ruffalo, FOXCATCHER
J. K. Simmons, WHIPLASH
OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
FURY
GET ON UP
THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES
UNBROKEN
X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
Meanwhile, the television nominations were also announced, with a number of programmes sharing the love.
In the comedy categories, ABC’s Modern Family received a favourable four mentions including Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, which it is looking to win for a fifth consecutive year.
The beloved family sitcom also scored a hat-trick of acting nods for cast members Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell and Eric Stonestreet.
Modern Family competes in the chief category alongside CBS’s The Big Bang Theory, Fox’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Netflix’s Orange is the New Black and HBO’s Veep.
For the second year in a row, recent Emmy victors Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep) and Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) are looking to contest the comedy acting categories alongside the likes of Louis C. K. (Louie), William H. Macy (Shameless) and Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation).
On the drama side of things, HBO’s Game of Thrones and the final series of Boardwalk Empire go head-to-head in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series category along with ITV’s Downton Abbey, Showtime’s Homeland and Netflix’s House of Cards.
Six actresses are shortlisted for the Female Actor (Drama) gong, including previous winners Claire Danes (Homeland) and Dame Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey) and new contenders Viola Davis (How to Get Away with Murder), Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) and Robin Wright (House of Cards).
Meanwhile, True Detective duo Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson go head-to-head in a strong Male Actor (Drama) line-up alongside Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) and Kevin Spacey (House of Cards).
In the limited fields, Benedict Cumberbatch and Mark Ruffalo are the two big stars in contention for awards in both film and television.
On the small-screen front, the pair compete in the Male Actor (Television Movie or Miniseries) category for their respective roles in Sherlock: His Last Vow and The Normal Heart, with Billy Bob Thornton (Fargo) among their biggest rivals.
Meanwhile, Oscar-winning actresses Ellen Burstyn (Flowers in the Attic), Frances McDormand (Olive Kitteridge) and Julia Roberts (The Normal Heart) are shortlisted for the Female Actor (TV Movie or Miniseries) prize alongside Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Honourable Woman).
The rest of the other major acting candidates include Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black), Adrien Brody (Houdini), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Richard Jenkins (Olive Kitteridge), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), and Cicely Tyson (The Trip to Bountiful).
Finally, Game of Thrones is bidding to win the Outstanding Stunt Ensemble award for a third year in a row, with Boardwalk Empire and The Walking Dead among its biggest competition.
The 21st SAG Awards will take place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on 25 January 2015.
The full list of television nominees are below (winner predictions in yellow):
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES
BOARDWALK EMPIRE
DOWNTON ABBEY
GAME OF THRONES
HOMELAND
HOUSE OF CARDS
OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Claire Danes, HOMELAND
Viola Davis, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER
Julianna Margulies, THE GOOD WIFE
Tatiana Maslany, ORPHAN BLACK
Maggie Smith, DOWNTON ABBEY
Robin Wright, HOUSE OF CARDS
OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Steve Buscemi, BOARDWALK EMPIRE
Peter Dinklage, GAME OF THRONES
Woody Harrelson, TRUE DETECTIVE
Matthew McConaughey, TRUE DETECTIVE
Kevin Spacey, HOUSE OF CARDS
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES
THE BIG BANG THEORY
BROOKLYN NINE-NINE
MODERN FAMILY
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
VEEP
OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Uzo Aduba, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
Julie Bowen, MODERN FAMILY
Edie Falco, NURSE JACKIE
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, VEEP
Amy Poehler, PARKS AND RECREATION
OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Ty Burrell, MODERN FAMILY
Louis C. K., LOUIE
William H. Macy, SHAMELESS
Jim Parsons, THE BIG BANG THEORY
Eric Stonestreet, MODERN FAMILY
OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINI-SERIES
Ellen Burstyn, FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC
Maggie Gyllenhaal, THE HONOURABLE WOMAN
Frances McDormand, OLIVE KITTERIDGE
Julia Roberts, THE NORMAL HEART
Cicely Tyson, THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL
OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A TV MOVIE OR MINI-SERIES
Adrien Brody, HOUDINI
Benedict Cumberbatch, SHERLOCK: HIS LAST VOW
Richard Jenkins, OLIVE KITTERIDGE
Mark Ruffalo, THE NORMAL HEART
Billy Bob Thornton, FARGO
OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A TELEVISION SERIES
BOARDWALK EMPIRE
GAME OF THRONES
HOMELAND
SONS OF ANARCHY
24: LIVE ANOTHER DAY
THE WALKING DEAD
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