Awards Watch: SAG Nominations Announced, ‘Lincoln,’ ‘Silver Linings’ Lead

Earlier this morning, the Screen Actors Guild nominations were announced at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, California. The room anxiously awaited as the nominations were announced for what most consider to be the first precursor to the Academy Awards.

The Screen Actors Guild, most commonly known as the SAG awards, pulled out some surprises as Cougar Town’s Busy Philipps and Private Practice’s Taye Diggs read the nominations. First, let’s discuss the no-brainers and address the predictable choices. Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln and David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook both tied with the most nominations.

For Silver Linings Playbook, the film that sees Bradley Cooper take a dramatic turn as compulsive and manic Pat, cleaned up with four nominations for male actor in a leading role, female actor in a lead role for Jennifer Lawrence, best ensemble, and best supporting actor for Robert DeNiro. Not far behind is Lincoln, who also scored four nominations including, male actor in a leading role for Daniel Day-Lewis, best supporting female for Sally Field, best supporting male for Tommy Lee Jones, and outstanding ensemble.

With the predictable choices out of the way, that left room for a few surprises. Fox Searchlight’s The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel nabbed a nomination for best ensemble, which is surprising since buzz has significantly died down for the film. Another surprise, but not one that’s undeserved, is Javier Barden’s nomination for best supporting actor for his villainous role in Skyfall, which proves that, if Hollywood needs a bad guy, you really don’t have to look any further than Javier Bardem.

While Bardem gained recognition, the SAG seemed to have turned their noses up at The Master. The Paul Thomas Anderson film, which got early Oscar buzz at the beginning of the year, only scored one nomination in the supporting category for Philip Seymour Hoffman. While everyone was raving about Joaquin Phoenix’s performance as wild boy Freddie, and giving praise to Amy Adams’ subtle performance as Hoffman’s wife, the two names were noticeably absent from the nominations.

In the female supporting category, Nicole Kidman’s nomination for The Paperboy came as a surprise. While critics weren’t wow’d by the Lee Daniels film, Kidman received the bulk of the praise. However, one can never be too sure if critical reception can hurt or save a thespian from getting nominated. Kidman proved that she prevailed the nasty write ups and will be going up against Maggie Smith (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Helen Hunt (The Sessions), Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables), and Sally Field (Lincoln).

If one things for certain, it’s that Daniel Day-Lewis is a shoe-in for taking home best performance by a male in the lead category, which will undoubtedly help his chances for Oscar night. However, the two supporting categories are absolutely stacked, and, if Hathaway wants her chances at gold, and it seems like she does, Universal will have to fight this one out to the bitter end.

The rest of the nominations, which include achievements in television, can be found here. Who’s your pick to win? Sound off here.