Here are the just-announced nominees in the movie categories for the Screen Actors Guild awards. Precious, Inglourious Basterds, and Up in the Air each scored three nods.
Best Cast
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Nine
Precious
I’m quite surprised by the omission of Up in the Air, particularly since it had the most individual cast-member nominations of any movie. That’s the first knock the movie has taken in the awards season so far. Basterds is certainly on a roll now, with its 10 BFCA nods and now three from SAG. Meanwhile, Hurt Locker, Nine, and Precious solidify their standings as sure-thing Best Picture nominees, while An Education, which I’ve been skeptical about for a Best Picture nod (even though I love it), is showing real promise.
Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
These are the Globe nominees, with Renner taking Tobey Maguire’s spot. It seems to be that these will likely be our five Oscar nominees, unless The Messenger gains enough momentum to help Ben Foster become a stronger contender. Isn’t it amazing to think that Daniel Day-Lewis probably won’t be among the Oscar nominees this year?
Best Actress
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
Left out here: Emily Blunt for The Young Victoria, Abbie Cornish for Bright Star, Marion Cotillard for Nine, and Saoirse Ronan for The Lovely Bones. At this point the only one of the four who seems to have a real shot with the Academy is Blunt. My hunch is that not enough SAG voters probably saw the movie. If she does make it in, she’ll bump out either Bullock or Mirren.
Best Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, Invictus
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
That’s two snubs this week (after the Golden Globes) for An Education‘s Alfred Molina, all the more strange considering the film’s Best Cast nomination. Damon, Harrelson, Tucci, and Waltz seem unmovable right now; I’d say Plummer, who was left out of the BFCA nominations, is the only one who needs to worry about Molina. Me and Orson Welles‘ Christian McKay also looks like he’s in trouble.
Best Supporting Actress
Penélope Cruz, Nine
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Diane Kruger, Inglourious Basterds
Mo’Nique, Precious
Here we have the biggest surprise of the morning, with the fabulous Diane Kruger making the cut for her career-best performance as a movie star in Inglourious Basterds. With her costar Mélanie Laurent placed in the lead category on the SAG ballots, Basterds fans were able to focus on her terrific turn. The bad news: That meant no room for A Single Man‘s Julianne Moore. I still give Moore the edge with the Academy, though.
No Christian McKay? Absurd! There isn’t a single bold mention among these.
I agree. It seems like they’re playing it safe. This awards season is going to be a HUGE bore.
Finally! Jeremy Renner should have received a GG nom as well, but, I’m just glad he’s receiving the acclaim he deserves for The Hurt Locker!
My thoughts exactly. Too bad about Christian McKay though.
No Marion Cotillard??? I thought she had better reviews than Penelope Cruz..
And no Julianne Moore???
Both Julianne and Marion are better than Penelope Cruz. I agree they were slighted.
And both of them were in a more competitive category this year. I’m happy for Penelope though, objectively, and with love for those other two actresses. And I’m happy about the continued slighting of Nicole Kidman’s role in Nine, butchering the best song in that score.
No Julianne Moore in “A Single Man”? This will probably be regarded as the biggest snub.
Diane Kruger for Basterds? She barely did anything in that movie. They should have gone with that other Jewsih chick instead.
*Jewish
“That other Jewish chick” has a name, ya know. It was even mentioned in the article.
I’m shocked by that too. Her performance was mediocre in that film. She didn’t do anything. Mélanie Laurent was much more impressive.
I think Melanie Laurent could have been in this category. She’s in it as much as Waltz. I actually think she was the best actor in the film, and that’s saying something considering Waltz. I am loving this Basterds momentum though!
She was placed in the lead category, so diane and melanie did not compete against each other.
They were both amazing and the best parts of that film.
I agree. Diane Kruger was pretty fabulous and hilarious in “Basterds.” Not better than Melanie Laurent, but I liked her.
Diane Kruger made the most of what little time she was given. This nomination was well-deserved.
Melanie Laurent was pretty awesome as well, but she’s up against THE Meryl Streep and other big names.
Daniel Day Lewis is not the be all in acting. He doesn’t deserve the nomination this year. I’m rooting for Jeremy Renner. We need to stop seeing the same names over and over again.
I co-sign on this comment.
I third it.
Motion carried!
nothing wrong with same names if they deserve it (not saying Lewis does) it is just that you should not slight someone becuase they consistently produce top-of-the-line work
it’s too bad other animation companies decided to make good movies the year that Pixar makes its best one
Agreed. I think they’re giving the usuals nominations at the expense of those who really deserve it. Morgan Freeman, Daniel Day Lewis, Meryl Streep, George Clooney, etc all gave amazing performances but I’m rooting for the underdogs.
Morgan Freeman really wasn’t that good; he tried to say every single line with such profoundness.
Morgan Freeman was good enough to get nominated. He did a great job of capturing Nelson Mandela’s spirit.
Sometimes it seemed like he was talking too slow, but it kind of worked since English isn’t Mandela’s first language.
Oh, and Christoph Waltz…UNBEATABALE this year. It’s a BINGO!
If he doesn’t sweep every award, I’m going to be very upset. It was such a mesmerizing, star-making performance.
I’d say that Waltz’ biggest competition will come from Woody Harrelson. If The Messenger catches on, I’d say that Harrelson could be a spoiler. Just remember, who is on top right now isn’t always who will be on top 2 to 3 months from now.
I do say same the biggest competition right now come from Woody Harrelson If The messenger get to be watched by more people I think Woody will have more chances, until now this movie only has been watched by a few people.
I’m so happy Inglorious Basterds is being recognized. I thought it might get looked over, which would have been a shame because it is my favorite movie this year, and I have seen a lot of these. I really hope the Academy follows suit.
I doubt they will. I think this is the same case as Moulin Rogue. A not-great-but-still-good-film-according-to-critics-when-it-was-released-being-seen-as-better-than-originally-thought. I’d be on board for a Basterds win if the movie didn’t fall apart in Chapter 5. Still think The Hurt Locker and Up in the Air are better films.
inglourious basterds is rated higher than Up in the Air by critics (not hurt locker). I think 88% is pretty great, and those who liked it loved it. I loveddd it
I like the Kruger nod. I’m annoyed that Nine is a lock. This is a film that is getting swept up in the awards season because it was always a foregone conclusion. Pedigree cast, musical, oscar winning director- it had all the awards buzz. No matter that it isn’t a good movie…
Rob Marshall did NOT win the Oscar for ‘Chicago’. The film won Best Pic but Roman Polanski won Best Director for ‘The Pianist’
Chicago did not deserve to be placed alongside The Pianist and the other nominees that year, let alone win best picture… disgraceful.
That’s not necessarily true. Just look at the years when Dreamgirls and Cold Mountain failed to get Best Picture nominees even though they were presumed to be sure things. And earlier this year, everyone was saying Amelia would be a major contender.
I don’t think Nine is a lock yet. It got the most nominations at BFCA, but most of them were technical awards. It got best picture out of ten, but No screenplay, No director. At the globes, it was competing in the easier comedy/musical category. Musicals almost always get nominated there plus it helps for the musical actor to not compete with other Dramatic performances. SAG obviously would nominate such a prestigious ensemble cast but the film will go down hill from here. It has no chance for a screenplay or director nomination and no outstanding front runner in any acting category. A movie cannot be considered a lock without any of those. It is lucky there are ten best picture slots but even still the building bad buzz can push it aside. And by the way, when did Rob Marshall win an oscar?
I think Nine is only a lock because of the 10 nominations. Had it been a normal year, I don’t think it would have made it.
Big thumbs up to Jeremy Renner, he was amazing in the year’s best film IMO and truly deserves the nomination. Sgt. James was one of the most riveting characters in recent American cinema. I doubt he’ll win but if not, I hope Jeff Bridges does. It’s a crime that, even with the number of quality performances he’s given over the years in so many diverse movies, he doesn’t have at least one statue. Get with it, Academy! I don’t find it amazing at all that Daniel Day-Lewis isn’t nominated, the guy has two already. Enough’s enough, we know he’s a great actor and Nine isn’t getting the critical recgonition it needs to be a serious contender.
I think that Bridges will grow and by March, should be victorious over Clooney.
So, that’s it for the Oscars’ acting category. It’s shame they snubbed Christian McKay.
Michael Shannon didn’t get a globe, SAG or BAFTA nomination and still was nominated for an Oscar, so I wouldn’t say it’s over for McKay but the distributor need to campaign harder for such a small film.
It’s a shame that Reservation Road had a little more of a push than Me and Orson Wells would get. They were campaigning for Best Picture (might have made it with 10 nominees) and lead perfomrnaces. There’ll be none of that campaigning with Me and Orson Welles. Christian McKay doesn’t stand a chance. In fact, I bet Alfred Molina will sneak in instead.
If Nine is nominated, I’ll vomit. I was unlucky enough to screen it early and it is one big mess of a film. I wasn’t a huge fan of the Broadway production and this adaptation is a disaster. The glitz and glam are meant to give this film the substance that it does not have. I’m very happy to see that it’s getting slammed by the critics.
Why would you go see a movie based on a Broadway show you didn’t like? Must have been given some free tickets, but still I wouldn’t waste my time.
Well, to be fair, film and stage are still different mediums, and sometimes, what doesn’t work on stage can work in film and vice versa. I can easily imagine a situation where someone who liked the idea/premise of “Nine,” but who might not have liked the stage version, could still want to see if the film remake was any good. because it might ultimately be the premise – rather than the medium – which appeals.
It’s amazing to think that Daniel Day-Lewis is capable of giving a performance that could get the kind of tepid reception his “Nine” performance is, but if the advance reviews end up being true, his absence from this awards season won’t be a surprise at all.
Diane Kruger?! F##king awesome. The only thing that could’ve made it more awesome? If she hadn’t bumped (presumably) Julianne Moore. (I haven’t seen “A Single Man,” but Moore is always a welcome nominee.) That her “Basterds” co-star Melanie Laurent has gained no Best Actress traction, while Sandra Bullock has done so for “The Blind Side,” is a tragedy.
Is Woody Harrelson “supporting” in “The Messenger”? :/ (Ditto Christian McKay, “Me and Orson Welles”)
If Christoph Waltz stays as unstoppable in the Oscar race as he looks right now, I’ll be a happy camper indeed.
I agree with a lot of what you said, Bruce. I’m with you on Diane Kruger, I’m so happy she was recognized, but I’m a little sad that she may have bumped Julianne Moore in the process, whom I adore. I wish Melanie Laurent would have been nominated too. I like Sandra Bullock, but Melanie’s performance was one of the best things about Inglourious Basterds. And also, Christoph Waltz deserves every award imaginable.
I’m still just happy that Basterds is getting any love at all; I was sure it would be heavily snubbed this season. I still don’t think it will get many Oscar noms, but I’m hoping. And I have to admit that I’m afraid Waltz will become another of those supposed definite wins that AMPAS will unaccountably turn against.
Dave, I don’t know if you read these, but I’m wondering: Why don’t you think Cotillard has a shot at an Oscar nomination? I know the reviews are lukewarm and many women share the spotlight, but I hear (haven’t seen it yet) that she’s fabulous, and if the movie’s on track for a picture nomination… Don’t you think Bullock or Mirren could possibly be eclipsed by her instead of Blunt?
It’s possible…but the lukewarm response to Nine isn’t going to help her case.
No Julianne Moore? That sucks. She was awesome. I do love the Diane Kruger mention though.
Great to see Bullock in here again. She looks assured of an Oscar nom now.
It’s also great to see that it looks like Matt Damon is finally going to get another acting Oscar nomination. It’s about time.