How do you like your lady ensembles: sassy and united in gentle defiance, or a wee bit smutty and competitive? That seems to be the question posed by this year’s Screen Actors Guild awards, where the nominations for Outstanding Performance By A Cast In A Motion Picture seems like a dead-heat race between the summer’s two hit comedies, The Help and Bridesmaids—especially given that the other most-recognized acting ensemble of awards season, Margin Call, found itself completely shut-out in all categories. (Other snubs: Shame’s Michael Fassbender, The Descendants’ Shailene Woodley, anyone from Drive but especially Albert Brooks.)
For actor-types, of course, the ensemble award is the SAG equivalent of the Oscars’ Best Picture, and while that probably won’t translate when the Academy finally announces its own list, it’s worth noting that frontrunners The Artist and The Descendants continue to turn up just about everywhere. Meanwhile, the nominations for TV performances offer next-to-no surprises: Other than the influx of newer dramas like Game Of Thrones and American Horror Story, most of this list could have come from 2010, which continues to be good news for the casts of Modern Family and 30 Rock. Here’s the complete list of nominees.
FILM
Outstanding Performance By A Cast In A Motion Picture
The Artist
Bridesmaids
The Descendants
The Help
Midnight In Paris
Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Leading Role
Demián Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Leading Role
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton, We Need To Talk About Kevin
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Armie Hammer, J. Edgar
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners