The Screen Actors Guild Awards spread the wealth when the organization announced nominations for its 27th edition on Thursday, and could not indicate that there were clear forerunners in the film or television competitions.
‘Minari’, the story of an immigrant family trying to build a life in the rural south, ‘Da 5 Bloods’, a Vietnamese epic,’ The Trial of the Chicago 7 ‘, a courtroom drama and’ Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom ‘an adaptation of an August Wilson play, all of which received top three nominations. The recognition feels like karmic justice for ‘Minari’ and ‘Da 5 Bloods’ after the films were largely closed outside of Wednesday’s Golden Globe nominations. It could also breathe fresh life into their Oscar prospects after their awards just seemed shaky 24 hours ago.
In a bittersweet moment, Chadwick Boseman made history and became the first person to achieve four SAG nominations for his lead performance in ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’, his supporting role in ‘Da 5 Bloods’, and for his work in the ensembles of both films. Boseman died of colon cancer in September. He was 43.
On the television side of the spectrum, ‘Schitt’s Creek’, the story of a wealthy family losing their fortune, and ‘The Crown’, a lush historical drama about the Queen of England, received five leading nominations. ‘Ozark’, a grim crime saga, was close with four nods.
Click here for a complete list of nominations
Unlike other awards, SAG does not honor the best film of the year. However, it recognizes the best ensemble, with the award of last year’s award for best picture winner, “Parasite”. Of this year, the best participants in the film ensemble are ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’, ‘Minari’, ‘One Night in Miami’, ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ and ‘Da 5 Bloods’. ‘Nomadland’, which received the best reviews of the year and looked like an Oscar lock, could not get an award for its ensemble, although star Frances McDormand received a nomination.
The best TV drama ensemble will award awards, “Better Call Saul,” “The Crown” and “Ozark,” with newcomers, “Bridgerton” and “Lovecraft Country,” two busy series in their first season.
The best TV comedy category is a race between ‘Dead to Me’, ‘The Great’ and ‘Schitt’s Creek’, as well as ‘Ted Lasso’ and ‘The Flight Attendant’, which comes from two new contestants in the stream space, Apple TV and HBO Max.
SAG, decided by the industry’s leading trade union, has a large overlap with the voters for the Academy Awards. Many guild members are also part of the acting branch of the Academy, which makes the awards very predictable for future Oscars. All four of last year’s SAG winners – Brad Pitt, Renee Zellweger Joaquin Phoenix and Laura Dern – won Oscars.
In addition to Boseman, the lead actors include Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”), Anthony Hopkins (“The Father”), Gary Oldman (“Mank”) and Steven Yeun (“Minari”). In the lead role, McDormand has to compete “Nomadland” with Viola Davis (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”), Vanessa Kirby (“Pieces of a Woman”), Carey Mulligan (“Promising Young Woman”) and Amy Adams (“Hillbilly”). ”). Adams’ inclusion came as a surprise because the film was critically acclaimed, and her co-star, Glenn Close, was nominated for her supporting cast.
‘The Crown’, Olivia Colman, was a double-nominated candidate for her leading turn in historical drama, as well as for her supporting work in ‘The Father’. She joins a Best Actress in a TV drama race that includes two of her co-stars from the series, Gillian Anderson and Emma Corrin, as well as Laura Linney and Julia Garner of Ozark.
The best actor in a TV drama race is between Jason Bateman, starring “Ozark”, “The Crown”, Josh O’Connor, “Better Call Saul”, Bob Odenkirk, Sterling K. Brown, “This is Us” and Rege -Jean. Page, the leading man of the current water cooler sensation “Bridgerton.”
The father-son “Schitt’s Creek” duo of Dan Levy and Eugene Levy are both nominated for Best Actor in a TV Comedy Category. They join a contingent that includes Nicholas Hoult (‘The Great’), Jason Sudeikis (‘Ted Lasso’) and Ramy Youssef (‘Ramy’).
Kaley Cuoco, who anchored HBO Max’s breakthrough hit “The Flight Attendant”, will compete for Best Actress in a TV Comedy Award against “Dead to Me” duo Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini, as well as “Schitt’s Creek “Team of Annie Murphy and Catherine O’Hara.
This year’s nominations had some surprises and bottlenecks. Delroy Lindo, who anchored the ensemble of “Da Five Bloods”, was overlooked, as was Andra Day for her chameleon turn as a tough diva in ‘The United State vs. Billie Holiday ‘. And ‘Lovecraft Country’ may have received an ensemble nomination, but its stars, Jurnee Smollett and Jonathan Majors, were overlooked. Perhaps the strangest designation of the day is the stunt cast of “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” a historical drama set largely in courtrooms and anterooms. The pair of fixed pieces are much smaller than the size of ‘Tenet’ or ‘Birds of Prey’, both of which beat to get into the last five.
This year’s nominations were announced on Instagram Live by Lily Collins and Daveed Diggs, who was also nominated for his performance in ‘Hamilton’. The couple’s sometimes uncomfortable jokes drew mixed reviews on social media.
The awards show will be broadcast on Sunday, April 4, 2021 on TNT and TBS.