18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Award Nominations

Last month, the nominees for this year's Screen Actors Guild Awards were announced. Obviously, our site was not up and running back then, but since the awards will simulcast live tomorrow on TBS and TNT at 7:00PM CST, it seems only fitting to get up a quick post outlining all of the nominees and maybe even taking a stab at predicting a few of these.


The SAG Awards are voted on solely by actors' peers whom are members of the Screen Actors Guild. Final votes had to be sent in by December 31st of last year, and nearly 100,000 actors qualified to vote for the categories.


Check out the nominees after the jump and feel free to leave your predictions in the comments section.



My picks for the winners have been highlighted in RED:


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

DEMIÁN BICHIR - “A BETTER LIFE” (Summit Entertainment)
GEORGE CLOONEY - "THE DESCENDANTS” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO - "J. EDGAR" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
JEAN DUJARDIN - "THE ARTIST" (The Weinstein Company)
BRAD PITT - "MONEYBALL" (Columbia Pictures)

Thoughts: Dujardin is probably the front-runner for the Oscars, but in this setting, Clooney is one of their own and a beloved actor within the organization. Nothing away from Dujardin, but I think Clooney wins the popularity contest here (still very worthy of the award though. In my opinion, one of the best performances of his career).


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role


GLENN CLOSE - "ALBERT NOBBS” (Roadside Attractions)
VIOLA DAVIS - “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)
MERYL STREEP - “THE IRON LADY” (The Weinstein Company)
TILDA SWINTON - “WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN” (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
MICHELLE WILLIAMS - “MY WEEK WITH MARILYN” (The Weinstein Company)

Thoughts: I could really see Streep snagging this one away even though Davis is doing everything right and just the right time. It's hers to lose, but don't be shocked if they give it to an old favorite (12 time nominee) in Streep.


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role


KENNETH BRANAGH - “MY WEEK WITH MARILYN” (The Weinstein Company)
ARMIE HAMMER - "J. EDGAR" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
JONAH HILL - "MONEYBALL" (Columbia Pictures)
NICK NOLTE - “WARRIOR” (Lionsgate)
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER - “BEGINNERS” (Focus Features)


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role


BÉRÉNICE BEJO - "THE ARTIST" (The Weinstein Company)
JESSICA CHASTAIN - “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)
MELISSA McCARTHY - “BRIDESMAIDS” (Universal Pictures)
JANET McTEER - "ALBERT NOBBS” (Roadside Attractions)
OCTAVIA SPENCER - “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)


Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture


THE ARTIST (The Weinstein Company)
BRIDESMAIDS (Universal Pictures)
THE DESCENDANTS (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
THE HELP (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Sony Pictures Classics)



Thoughts: The SAG Awards are the perfect venue for "The Help", which is an acting-driven movie. I expect it to clean up.




Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

LAURENCE FISHBURNE - “THURGOOD” (HBO)
PAUL GIAMATTI - “TOO BIG TO FAIL” (HBO)
GREG KINNEAR - “THE KENNEDYS” (REELZ CHANNEL)
GUY PEARCE - “MILDRED PIERCE“ (HBO)
JAMES WOODS - “TOO BIG TO FAIL” (HBO)


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries


DIANE LANE - “CINEMA VERITE” (HBO)
MAGGIE SMITH - “DOWNTON ABBEY” (PBS)
EMILY WATSON - “APPROPRIATE ADULT” (Sundance Channel)
BETTY WHITE - “HALLMARK HALL OF FAME: THE LOST VALENTINE” (CBS)
KATE WINSLET - “MILDRED PIERCE” (HBO)

Thoughts: I think I could easily go 0-2 in the Television Movie or Miniseries Category. I have to honestly say that only project I've seen of all of these is "The Kennedys", which I loved.


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series


PATRICK J. ADAMS - “SUITS” (USA)
STEVE BUSCEMI - “BOARDWALK EMPIRE” (HBO)
KYLE CHANDLER - “FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS” (DirecTV)
BRYAN CRANSTON - “BREAKING BAD” (AMC)
MICHAEL C. HALL - “DEXTER” (Showtime)



Thoughts: Overall, upset by the lack of love for one of my favorite drama series, "Mad Men".


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series


KATHY BATES - “HARRY’S LAW” (NBC)
GLENN CLOSE - “DAMAGES” (DirecTV)
JESSICA LANGE - “AMERICAN HORROR STORY” (FX)
JULIANNA MARGULIES - “THE GOOD WIFE” (CBS)
KYRA SEDGWICK - “THE CLOSER” (TNT)


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series


ALEC BALDWIN - “30 ROCK” (NBC)
TY BURRELL - “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)
STEVE CARELL - “THE OFFICE” (NBC)
JON CRYER - “TWO AND A HALF MEN” (CBS)
ERIC STONESTREET - “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

Thoughts: I'd really just love to see Carell win this at the end of his tenure with that show. It would be a very well deserved win to cap off a great run. They love Baldwin though. And "Modern Family" always gets a lot of love, but Burrll and Stonestreet may split the vote here.




Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series


JULIE BOWEN - “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)
EDIE FALCO - “NURSE JACKIE” (Showtime)
TINA FEY - “30 ROCK” (NBC)
SOFIA VERGARA - “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)
BETTY WHITE - “HOT IN CLEVELAND” (TV Land)

Thoughts: This category seems as much up in the air as any to me. It seems like all of them have one a few in the last couple of years..




Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
BREAKING BAD (AMC)
DEXTER (Showtime)
GAME OF THRONES (HBO)
THE GOOD WIFE (CBS)


Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

30 ROCK (NBC)
THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS)
GLEE (FOX)
MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
THE OFFICE (NBC)



SAG HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture


THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU (UNIVERSAL PICTURES)
COWBOYS & ALIENS (UNIVERSAL PICTURES)
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 (WARNER BROS. PICTURES)
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON (PARAMOUNT PICTURES)
X-MEN: FIRST CLASS (20TH CENTURY FOX)


Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series


DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
GAME OF THRONES (HBO)
SOUTHLAND (TNT)
SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA (STARZ)
TRUE BLOOD (HBO)



Thoughts: I have absolutely no idea on these final two. Not sure how the SAG will want to reward this one. This is a new category to me, and I don't know where the loyalties lie. I'd love to see "X-Men" take it home, but I'm not sure it garnered quite the respect that a couple of the others did this year. Come tomorrow night though, we'll know for sure. All will be revealed.