The origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked, dominates this year’s Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards with five nominations, including individual recognitions for Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and Jonathan Bailey.
Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown follows closely with four nominations, one of which honors lead actor Timothée Chalamet.
Three nominations each went to Anora, a tale of a New York stripper’s whirlwind romance with a wealthy Russian heir, and Emilia Pérez, a musical about a drug lord’s gender transition.
As a significant precursor to the Oscars, the SAG Awards often provide insight into potential Academy Award contenders.
On the television front, Shogun, a standout at the Golden Globes and Emmys, leads with five nominations, while The Bear follows with four.
The winners will be determined by the 130,000-strong membership of the Sag-Aftra union.
This year’s best actress category is notably competitive, leaving some high-profile names out.
Angelina Jolie was overlooked for her portrayal of opera singer Maria Callas in Maria, marking a notable loss of momentum following her exclusion from the BAFTA longlist.
Nicole Kidman (Babygirl), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths), and recent Golden Globe winner Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here) also missed out.
One of the biggest surprises in the category was Pamela Anderson, who secured a nomination for her role in The Last Showgirl.
Anderson delivers a vulnerable performance as an ageing Las Vegas dancer grappling with unemployment after her show’s sudden closure.
While solid, the film was not expected to push her into this crowded field, despite her Golden Globe nomination.
In the supporting actress category, surprises included Jamie Lee Curtis (The Last Showgirl) and Danielle Deadwyler (The Piano Lesson), whose nomination revitalizes her awards campaign.
Notably absent were Isabella Rossellini (Conclave) and Margaret Qualley (The Substance), both considered strong Oscar contenders.
The supporting actor category saw a major shock with the omission of Denzel Washington for Gladiator II.
However, favorites like Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) and Yura Borisov (Anora) secured expected nominations.
The biggest overall disappointment was for The Brutalist, with both Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce missing out on supporting nods despite being strong Oscar hopefuls.
Meanwhile, the leading actor category played out predictably, with the anticipated Oscar frontrunners making the SAG list, and Golden Globe winner Sebastian Stan notably failing to disrupt the lineup.
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