OK, the Oscar finalists are really starting to formulate now. The Screen Actors Guild announced their 16th Annual SAG Award nominations this morning, and well, these nods are all a very strong indication on how the Academy members will vote come Feb. 2. Maybe a few inclusions or exclusions here and there, these are solid lists. Check it out:
MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart”
George Clooney, “Up in the Air”
Colin Firth, “A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman, “Invictus”
Jeremy Renner, “The Hurt Locker”
The upshot: For absolute certainty, Bridges, Clooney, Firth and Freeman will be the Best Actor contenders. The only swing vote might be Jeremy Renner. He could get bumped by Daniel Day-Lewis, for his role as the Italian director in Nine.
FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side”
Helen Mirren, “The Last Station”
Carey Mulligan, “An Education”
Gabourey Sidibe, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Meryl Streep, “Julie and Julia”
The upshot: I do believe you’re looking at the Best Actress nominees. I really don’t think anyone else could sneak in.
MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Matt Damon, “Invictus”
Woody Harrelson, “The Messenger”
Christopher Plummer, “The Last Station”
Stanley Tucci, “The Lovely Bones”
Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”
The upshot: The same goes for this rock solid list. Although, if the Academy loves Inglourious Basterds as much as I think they might, Brad Pitt MAY get rewarded for his hilarious turn as the Nazi-hunter Aldo Raine. That’s a big “if,” though.
FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Penelope Cruz, “Nine”
Vera Farmiga, “Up in the Air”
Anna Kendrick, “Up in the Air”
Diane Kruger, “Inglourious Basterds”
Mo’nique, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
The upshot: This lineup may vary a little come Oscar nominations time. Mo’Nique and Kendrick are shoo-ins. I guess, Farmiga, too, although that always sucks when two actresses from the same film get nominated in the same category. Cruz is the strongest performance from Nine, but Judi Dench might sneak in, too. Not sure about Diane Kruger for her portrayal of a German film actress working to take Hitler down. I truly believe Julianne Moore will get the fifth Oscar slot for her work in A Single Man.
CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE
“An Education”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Nine”
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
The upshot: Kinda surprising Up in the Air didn’t get a cast vote.
Here’s the TV nominees:
MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Simon Baker, “The Mentalist”
Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”
Michael C. Hall, “Dexter”
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”
Hugh Laurie, “House”
FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Patricia Arquette, “Medium”
Glenn Close, “Damages”
Mariska Hargitay, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
Holly Hunter, “Saving Grace”
Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”
Kyra Sedgwick, “The Closer”
MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”
Steve Carell, “The Office”
Larry David, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”
Tony Shalhoub, “Monk”
Charlie Sheen, “Two and a Half Men”
FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate, “Samantha Who?”
Toni Collette, “United States of Tara”
Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”
Tina Fey, “30 Rock”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “The New Adventures of Old Christine”
MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES
Kevin Bacon, “Taking Chance”
Cuba Gooding, Jr., “Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story”
Jeremy Irons, “Georgia O’Keeffe”
Kevin Kline, “Great Performances: Cyrano De Bergerac”
Tom Wilkinson, “A Number”
FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES
Joan Allen, “Georgia O’Keeffe”
Drew Barrymore, “Grey Gardens”
Ruby Dee, “America”
Jessica Lange, “Grey Gardens”
Sigourney Weaver, “Prayers for Bobby”
ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES
“The Closer”
“Dexter”
“The Good Wife”
“Mad Men”
“True Blood”
ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES
“30 Rock”
“Curb Your Enthusiasm”
“Glee”
“Modern Family”
“The Office”
STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
“Public Enemies”
“Star Trek”
“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” s
STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A TELEVISION SERIES
“24”
“The Closer”
“Dexter”
“Heroes”
“The Unit”
LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Betty White
The SAG Awards will be handed out Jan. 23.