SAG Noms: Surprises, Snubs, Sexism, Stunts
Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at 8:40AM 
The nominations were announced live here (by Eva Longoria and Ansel Elgort) and on TBS & TNT. My wrong predictions were back here.
Though I have many pet peeves about the way the actors guild decides and divvies up its honor, here's one that's wildly underdiscussed online and I don't think it's at all insignificant or petty. Each year they refuse to alphabetize correctly, always listing Male Actor categories BEFORE Female Actor categories. That might make sense at the Oscars since "Actor" does comes before "Actress" in the alphabet if not in our hearts, but "Female" does not come AFTER "Male" when you alphabetize and yet SAG always lists the men first. Highly sexist if you ask me though they are obviously super self-righteous about not calling women "Actresses". Go figure.
If you don't think this is sexist consider this subliminal perhaps subconscious related value judgement: Drama is always listed before Comedy in their press releases though that's also not alphabetically justified.
So The Film Experience always course-corrects for SAG by listing female actors first. Of course we do that with the Oscars too which is alphabetically incorrect since we use "Actress" but in our case it isn't a subliminal but a purposeful value judgement. Duh! Women are better than men.
NOMINATIONS & COMMENTARY (ALL CATEGORIES) ARE AFTER THE JUMP
MOVIES
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE
- Birdman
- Boyhood
- Grand Budapest Hotel
- Imitation Game
- Theory of Everything
In my predictions I suggested that SELMA could win some "sight unseen" votes but I didn't know how right I was. Turns out sight unseen is a real problem. Notice the lack of Christmas films here. NOTHING that hasn't opened yet made it to the top category. Which is a plus in a way even if it's sad for those films. Studios need to get their movies out there earlier so that they're actually part of the film year, you know?
ANGER-MAKING SNUB: given the popularity of the film and that everyone has seen it by now and that the cast is fucking great, why isn't Gone Girl here?
BIZARRENESS: Theory of Everything? I actually like that movie but "ensemble"? No. Just no. Unless by ensemble you mean "Charlie Cox is so cute and he was good in it" but that's not what this award is really for. Even if you like the movie this is an absolute waste of a golden opportunity to reward a big generous gifted cast from dozens of other movies. I mean Pride, Love is Strange, Selma, the list could go on and on.
ABOUT THE SELMA SNUB: The internet was quick to deem it racism but to be fair to SAG they are historically quite an inclusive awards body. Certainly moreso than the Globes or Oscar. The problem is not Selma itself but it's late screenings. You can see that problem happening with a bunch of other white films that broke late, too.
LOTS MORE ON THIS CATEGORY OVER AT THE "ENSEMBLE SNUBBINGS" TWIN-POST
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
- Jennifer Aniston, Cake
- Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
- Julianne Moore, Still Alice
- Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
- Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Two qualifiers made the lineup: Jennifer Aniston and Julianne Moore but both started widely screening in September (unlike many of the snubs) but still... major prizes for qualifiers is not good for the health of moviegoing.
SURPRISE: my cat Monty is looking like a better Oscar pundit than you thought, right? He smelled Jennifer Aniston coming.
ANGER-MAKING SNUB: none really. It's SAG and a lot of the long-shot campaigns just haven't made any waves.
What does it mean for Oscar? It's certainly not a bad sign for Aniston but she's still going to have to break Oscar's Amy Adams addiction and intermittent Swank lust and the critically surging Marion Cotillard to make it. Do you think she will?
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
- Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
- Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
- Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler
- Michael Keaton, Birdman
- Eddie Redmayne, Theory of Everything
This MIGHT be our Oscar lineup. But surely David Oyelowo (Selma) can build and knock someone out. As long as it's not Gyllenhaal or Keaton that he bumps out, I'm perfectly okay with this.
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Naomi Watts finds this nomination just as surprising as you do!
- Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
- Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
- Emma Stone, Birdman
- Meryl Streep, Into the Woods
- Naomi Watts, St. Vincent
Anger Making Snub: None really but it would've been nice to pair up Russo with Gyllenhaal given his nomination.
Weirdest nomination of whole day in any category: NAOMI WATTS AS PREGNANT RUSSIAN HOOKER IN MOVIE EVERYONE STOPPED TALKING ABOUT MONTHS AGO. (I wonder how close Bill Murray came in Actor and the movie in Ensemble? I'm guessing very very close.)
What does it mean for Oscar? Tough to say. Meryl Streep is literally the ONLY nominee from a Christmas time release that didnt' screen super early to make it. Selma & A Most Violent Year and American Sniper and Unbroken were all essentially punished for screening late. BUT... Meryl Streep probably got votes sight unseen because she's Meryl Streep. Unfair? Sure. But actors worship her. While it's no longer true that this is the SAG category with the least Oscar correlation it used to be true. I wouldn't count out either Laura Dern or Jessica Chastain yet. We could still see a shakeup.
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
- Robert Duvall, The Judge
- Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
- Edward Norton, Birdman
- Mark Ruffalom, Foxcatcher
- J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Can anyone knock Duvall out of that slot for Oscar? There are a lot of contenders for supporting but nobody seems to be campaigning hard. It's like there was this wide open window a month ago when it seemed like ANYONE with the right campaign could have the fifth slot and then nobody raised their hand and said "pick me". Strange that.
TELEVISION
Each year I wonder if SAG might switch up their rules to provide more parity with motion pictures -- they're weirdly stingy with television unlike their fellow awards shows like The Golden Globes and the Emmys -- forcing insane competition by comining supporting actors and lead into all their categories.
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES
- Big Bang Theory
- Brooklyn '99
- Modern Family
- Orange is the New Black
- Veep
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES
- Boardwalk Empire
- Downton Abbey
- Game of Thrones
- Homeland
- House of Cards
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
- Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black
- Julie Bowen, Modern Famnily
- Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
- Julia Louis Dreyfus, Veep
- Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation
Wow, the cult of "crazy eyes" is big if she managed to make it in this lead PLUS supporting category. Plus her inclusion has the added indirect bonus of shaming the Emmys for pretending she was a "guest" on her show. BLARGH. Category Fraud gets worse and worse all the time.
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
- Burrell, Modern Family
- Louis CK, Louis
- William H Macey, Shameless
- Jim Parsons, Big Bang Theory
- Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
I feel so oppressed by Modern Family and Big Bang Theory every year when awards shows happen. ENOUGH ALREADY. Is everyone everywhere at each organization voting on autopilot?
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
- Claire Danes, Homeland
- Viola Davis, How To Get Away With Being Acclaimed on a Terrible Series Because You're just Such a Damn Great Actress and Everyone Needs to Bow Down. Stupid Oscars. You had you're chance!
- Julianna Marguiles, Good Wife
- Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
- Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
- Robin Wright, Homeland
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
- Steve Buscemi
- Peter Dinklage
- Woody Harrelson
- Matthew McConaughey
- Kevin Spacey
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES
- Burstyn, Flowers in the Attic
- Gyllenhaal, Honourable Woman
- McDormand, Olive Kitteridge
- Roberts, The Normal Heart
- Tyson, Trip to Bountiful
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES
- Brody, Houdini
- Cumberbatch, Sherlock
- Jenkins, Olive Kitteridge
- Ruffalo, Normal Heart
- Thornton, I forget already. oopsie
STUNTS
An undersung and recent addition to the Screen Actors Guilds annual list of honors are prizes for stunt ensembles. This is a very good way to honor a profession rarely honored, and action films at the same time. Last year these prizes went to the stuntmen and women playing all those doomed people (soldiers, royals, and pawns, in high death count machines: Lone Survivor and Game of Thrones. Here's what's nominated this year
STUNTS ! They Feel Good.
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
Get On Up seems like an odd choice. Chadwick Boseman did his own splits. I know cuz I asked him. These same like reasonable nominees. I don't know why I keep forgetting that Fury existed this year and that SAG may well like it.
OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES
- 24: LIVE ANOTHER DAY
- BOARDWALK EMPIRE
- GAME OF THRONES
- HOMELAND
- SONS OF ANARCHY
- THE WALKING DEAD
Only show that got the boot from last year is Breaking Bad but maybe concerning eligibility dates it wasn't.
Please do share your squeals of satisfaction and sorrow in the comments. Stay tuned for our annual Ensemble focused bitching about who got left out even when they got nominated!
Reader Comments (55)
wow Naomi Watts in St. Vincent! Who would have guessed that one? :)
I would say that the Naomi Watts nomination was the only major surprise on the film side. Once that happened, I was sure Bill Murray and the cast were going to be nominated, too.
nicee post
like it
Meryl Streep!!! But no Best Ensemble for Into the Woods from SAG????
LOVE that the actors recognized Jake Gyllenhaal !
Also pleased with the Jennifer Anistion nod.
Whoa, I would have never ever predicted Watts for St. Vincent.. I would have guessed Dern or Russo if they weren't going to go with one of the women in a late release.
UGH I was hoping this would be the first place where the two dull British biopics clashed and only one came out on top, but instead they BOTH got nominated in every conceivable category.
GRAND BUDAPEST FOR ENSEMBLE!!!!!!!!! Totally makes up for the inclusion of Theory of Everything (really, that "ensemble" is two, maybe three people) over Gone Girl.
Surprised by Gyllenhall, Watts and Aniston. It all feels a bit anti-climactic though with the big news being the Sony leaks today.
I haven't seen Cake and don't even expect to love Aniston's performance very much, but I'm finding myself SO happy for her. I'm really not a huge fan of her work, but this nomination makes me happy. Not only because I totally called it.
Also, I'm kind of surprised I didn't see this Robert Duvall nomination coming. The good news is that it probably won't translate into an Oscar nomination, right?
Really wishing Watts got nominated for Birdman instead......
Who else got really scared when Ansel got that goofy smirk on his face followed by a giddy laugh right before announcing Best Actress that Shaliene Woodly was about to be nominated?
Also, this is a pretty bad sign for Marion Cotillard, whose Rust and Bone nomination here wasn't enough to get her an Oscar nod, even with BAFTA, BFCA, and HFPA on board. She really can't afford to miss anything else to have a chance.
Ugh, Duvall... If Selma could ever solidify a campaign around Wilkinson or Roth maybe, but it looks like the old judge is in. This is one of the worst movies of the year - a throwback to the heavy-handed legal dramas of the 90's. It deserves Razzies, not Oscars.
I'm pleased to see Knightly back in the mix. With her recent mix of work, I want her to be encouraged and rewarded.
They have become so predictable. I miss the good old times when they nominated foreign ensembles or lovely off the radar movies such as Unhook the Stars.
SAG is going to have to increase its dues if OITNB wins tv comedy ensemble - that's a lot of statuettes to be handing out.
Let's break it down:
- Love the nod for The Grand Budapest Hotel. It did have one of the best ensembles of this year. Totally deserved.
- The five nominees for best actor are great although I don't Gyllenhaal or Carrell will both replicate come Oscar morning. This is the place to reward Selma. No other acting category will and that is the truth.
- Great to see Aniston but her spot is still shaky. Marion Cotillard is stronger with the guilds and that may help her.
- Nice to see Duvall but not a lock at all.
- Ok, whaaaaaat? Naomi Watts??? AND Meryl? No, sorry but no. Jessica Chastain NEEDED to be here. I hope this doesn't hurt her chances.
- Unbroken gets a stunt nod... So too weak in the acting fields. Will that affect an Angelina nod?
- X-men and The Hobbit seem to me like VFX nominees for sure. But then again, who really knows...
On the TV side just a couple of things to say:
- Love the love for OITNB :)
- Is Shameless as good as it was when it began? I lost interest for that show and now they are considering it.
Sawyer: I actually hope Selma gets 0 nominations and the Academy sends a public announcement that they instructed their members to put it on none of their ballots in any category due to Paramount seriously trying to push Men, Women and Children and Transformers: Age of Extinction for Best Picture. Yes, this has nothing to do with quality and everything to do with politics, but how does ANY studio have have the gall to push films with 18 and 32% Rotten Tomatoes scores for Best Picture? Sorry, but that should, realistically, be an "all Paramount films are now automatically disqualified from EVERYTHING this year" level screw-up.
I'm happy for Aniston but something tells me this is a 'Conviction' or 'Memoirs of a Geisha' nomination. I'm concerned.
That fifth spot is between her and Swank. Cotillard can get all the guild and critics wins but that doesn't really resonate well with Academy members.
Emily Watson getting nominated for The Theory of Everything is the new Evangeline Lilly/The Hurt Locker... ok, maybe not *quite* that ridiculous, but very close.
If any group was going to nominate Duvall for The Judge, it was SAG. Their nominations are usually the lamest. I do think he'll be knocked out of the Oscar lineup like with Get Low, though.
Naomi Watts' performance in Birdman is so superior to her cartoon in St. Vincent.
SAG always throw out a WTF nom, and I'm thinking Watts in St. Vincent is it. (Cloris Leachman in "Spanglish"?!) I doubt we hear this performance again. And hopefully Duvall too.
This year there'll be little overlap between the precursors and the Oscars.
For fun, take a look at Game of Thrones' huge list of nominated actors in the Ensemble category, and then consider all the regulars who didn't have enough episodes this year to qualify:
Alfie Allen (Theon), Iwan Rheon (Ramsay), Isaac Hempstead-Wright (Bran), Stephen Dillane (Stannis), Liam Cunningham (Davos), Carice van Houten (Melisandre), Rose Leslie (Ygritte), Hannah Murray (Gilly), Sibel Kekilli (Shae), Kristofer Hivju (Tormund), Jerome Flynn (Bronn), Jack Gleeson (Joffrey), and Aiden Gillen (Littlefinger).
Too bad for them, because I think GOT can win that award this year.
The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game....YAWN.
Seriously what is everyone's obsession with these boring, oscar-bait biopics?
Marion Cotillard should be there.
I like the Ethan Hawke nom for Boyhood. Difficult character, very layered performance, very nuanced. Ethan conveyed the facade, defensiveness, insecurity, competition, letting go, but not really not changing much etc very well. It also helps that it was superbly directed. I wish TFE gets behind this instead other more showy performances or prestige roles - typical Oscar baits.
KD-I don't think anyone here has a problem here with Ethan Hawke?
ST VINCENT screener showed up in the mail just yesterday, which was oddly premonitory. Maybe I should actually watch it?
Queen Anuston shitting all over your shitty faves <3
Jeez, could they have nominated more stars?
What the hell is Jessica Chastain out of the supporting actress category?!?!?!
I hear your rant about qualifiers getting nominations, but both these films should have opened by the time of the ceremony so they won't be the unknown quantity they are now.
Also, it just proves once again that if you don't get your film in front of voters, they can't vote for it. Disney was very mean about getting Mr. Banks out last year, and all the publicity up until the last couple of weeks for Into the Woods was Meryl, Meryl, Meryl (who could be nominated for opening a can at this point) so I'm not surprised at the lack of love there.
It would help in criticizing the nominations if we knew what format, what date and what promotion was done with each submission. In my experience, first out of the gate is always most fondly remembered even if they don't always land the prize. Ease of viewing trumps all and quality of the viewing material is another big plus.
Really glad to see Maslany on the TV side (6 nominees in that category) but sad to see Good Wife not in ensemble.
Jake and Maggie representin' at the SAGs. Can't wait.
I don't think Anniston's nomination here will translate to anything (maybe the Globes, but that was a given since they nominate stars - even if a TV star like her - whenever they can). The SAG members are made up of mostly struggling working actors and they probably have more respect for Anniston than the elite of selected actors who vote for the Oscars. That is my perception.
Yes, Glenn, you should watch St. Vincent. But not necessarily for Naomi Watts' performance. I'm not entirely shocked by her nomination, since I've been banging the drum for McCarthy and Lieberher since seeing the film at a SAG screening in October. If Watts got in, I have to wonder how close McCarthy was. SAG members liked (and remember) this film.
Nat:
"ANGER-MAKING SNUB: given the popularity of the film and that everyone has seen it by now: GONE GIRL."
You know I see everything in contention in major categories, but I haven't seen this one (or Birdman) yet. Screenings so far were either scarce or filled up really quickly, and this is not the time of year when I would consider paying to see a movie. But now I'll be seeing both of them very soon – screener or -ing. ;-)
"How To Get Away With Being Acclaimed on a Terrible Series Because You're just Such a Damn Great Actress and Everyone Needs to Bow Down. Stupid Oscars. You had you're chance!"
And I don't think Davis is guaranteed to win here either. The competition is stiff this year, with Mislany plus all the default nominee-winners.
Not to sound mean, but what world are we in when Anniston gets in and Cotillard does not. WTF.
Glenn, I think you'll like St. Vincent. Hopelessly mainstream but in a good way.
A Good Girl Reunion @SAG, what is not to like!!!
VOLVAGIA -- all studios do that. It's just that you noticed with Paramount. Usually including films in your FYC guild sites is a contractual obligation if you're the company paying for it.
PAUL -- but that's on you! Gone Girl opened early and was a huge hit ;)
HENRY -- well that's always the case with qualifiers. But i still think, for the health of film culture, movies should be available for people to see. It is THE WORST when a movie premires and i can tell all the readers have had their fill of it or have missed out on the netire conversation because critics were done discussing it about 6 months earlier (like oh Maps to the Stars. Boy did they fuck up that one by not releasing it when people were discussing it. That's practically its only marketing hook is the conversation around it)
Memo -- just the same problem as SELMA . started screening very late. didnt' get screeners out for nominating committee many of whom do not live in LA or NY since SAG has a random pull for the nominating committee and they ahve members all over the place.
Ok, David Oyelowo will not be "pushing out" Jake or Michael. If anything, Jake should be lucky to push him out. David has this nomination.. well I really do hope so or that would just be messed up.
Interstellar also missed the boat (not that it really stood much of a chance here), but Anniston has been beating the pavement for weeks and it paid off.
I'm really curious about Watts. Was it because they could nominate her for a different film than Birdman? Spread the wealth so to speak? (Doesn't make a lot of sense. But then the nom is so out of the box, so who knows.) It could be that St. Vincent was very high on everyone's list. As you said, McCarthy and Murray are well loved and respected in the Union and the reviews for their work have been good, it's the script that is letting them down.
Foxcatcher certainly fits the bill of "sick of it before it opened." They really needed to open right after Cannes before anything negative could come out.
All I can say is MASLANY!!!!!
Also, Uzo Aduba's nomination has nothing to do with all the category fraud whatever business... she was nominated because she deserved it!! So glad it was her instead of Taylor Schilling, although had they both been nominated that would've been nice.
The good… Jake Gyllenhaal! Pike! Birdman love! “Crazy Eyes”!
The bad… The Theory of Everything for ensemble?!? Come one. Gone Girl should have been there.
The ugly… the baffling Watts nom. I known its Weinstein’s doing but seriously, WTF? The accent was awful. Plus she was far more worthy in Birdman. Chastain’s still getting her spot come Oscar nomination morning.
I think some Oscar and Globe voters will nominate Anniston and Jolie this year - just to see what Brad Pitt would do.
Personally I can't see Anniston being nominated since a lot of the reviews for the film have been awful.
Cotillard however has received raves for her two films this year and it would be a shame if she got snubbed AGAIN.
She really should have been nominated for Rust and Bone.
I just want to state for the record that I posted back when I saw it that the pundits were underestimating St. Vincent's awards chances. My audience loved that movie. I'm sure Murray was close to a nod. (Didn't it finish third in Toronto?)
Wish Naomi had been nom'd for Birdman instead. I thought she was heartbreakingly good in it. I honestly thought she stole the show from Emma Stone in terms of supporting actress.
Uzo was nominated as Guest Actress at the Emmy's because that's what she was. She was not in the main credits for season one and is thus a guest. SAG nominated her for season 2 when she was in the main credits and thus either lead or supporting. Emmy's will follow suit due to her inclusion in the main credits and put her in supporting.
Maybe SAG just really like when Aussie actresses play floozies? They were the first to bite on Kidman in THE PAPERBOY, too.
I love how they couldn't decide between either of the mediocre male-centered British biopics about WW2-adjacent scientists... so they went with BOTH.