“Wicked” emerged as a frontrunner at the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards, securing a remarkable five nominations, including Best Ensemble. The film garnered individual nominations for its stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and Jonathan Bailey, further enhancing its prospects leading up to the Academy Awards.
Due to severe wildfires that swept through Los Angeles and Southern California, the SAG was forced to cancel its live nominations announcement originally scheduled for Wednesday morning. Instead, the nominations were released through a press release, a decision that coincided with SAG’s recent agreement with Netflix to stream the awards ceremony.
The recognition of “Wicked” significantly boosts its Oscar hopes, positioning it as a strong contender among the SAG nominees, which traditionally serve as one of the most accurate indicators for the Academy Awards. The film celebrated its nominations after being honored by the National Board of Review Awards in New York just a night prior.
Alongside “Wicked,” the other nominees for Best Ensemble included “Anora,” “Conclave,” “Emilia Pérez,” and “A Complete Unknown,” which notably performed well with four nominations, including Best Male Actor honors for Timothée Chalamet.
In the Best Male Lead category, the nominees included Adrien Brody for “The Brutalist,” Daniel Craig for “Queer,” Colman Domingo for “Sing Sing,” Ralph Fiennes for “Conclave,” and Chalamet. Additionally, Demi Moore made a notable return, receiving a nomination for Best Female Actor in a Leading Role for “The Substance,” alongside Erivo, breakout star Karla Sofía Gascón from “Emilia Pérez,” Mikey Madison from “Anora,” and Pamela Anderson for “The Last Showgirl.”
Notable omissions from the nominations included Angelina Jolie for “Maria” and Nicole Kidman for “Babygirl,” as well as other acclaimed performers like Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Fernanda Torres.
Jeremy Strong gained a nod for his supporting role in “The Apprentice,” while his co-star Sebastian Stan was left out. Other nominees in the Best Supporting Male Actor category included Bailey, Edward Norton, Yura Borisov, and leading contender Kieran Culkin.
The SAG Awards are highly regarded for their predictive power regarding the Oscars. Historically, the winners of the past three Best Ensemble winners—“Oppenheimer,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” and “CODA”—have subsequently taken home the Best Picture Oscar. Despite stellar performances, some films like “The Brutalist,” which won big at the Globes, faced challenges without SAG nominations.
In the Directors Guild nominations, Sean Baker (“Anora”), Jacques Audiard (“Emilia Pérez”), Edward Berger (“Conclave”), James Mangold (“A Complete Unknown”), and Brady Corbet (“The Brutalist”) were recognized while notable filmmakers like Jon M. Chu for “Wicked” and Denis Villeneuve for “Dune: Part Two” were overlooked.
In television, FX’s “Shōgun” continued its winning streak, claiming five nominations, including Best Ensemble, while other series like “The Bear” and “Hacks” also earned recognition.
The Screen Actors Guild Awards will take place on February 23 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, with Kristen Bell set to host the event. Additionally, Jane Fonda will be honored with the guild’s Life Achievement Award, highlighting her outstanding contributions to the film industry.
This year’s nominations reflect a diverse pool of talent, ensuring an exciting and competitive lead-up to the Oscars, with strong performances paving the way for an uplifting celebration of the arts.
Summary:
“Wicked” led the nominations for the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards with five nods, bolstering its chances for Oscar recognition. The event faced disruption due to wildfires in California, resulting in a press release announcement. The SAG Awards show strong predictive power for the Oscars, making this year’s nominations critical for potential winners. The ceremony will be held on February 23, hosted by Kristen Bell and including a tribute to Jane Fonda.