SAG Nominations: Bless Them For 'Charlotte Bless'
Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 10:52AM The Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, now in their 19th year, are often a bipolar experience to read through. I'm annually enraged by the rules dictacting who receives a nomination when an ensemble nomination happens, but generally speaking there tends to one thing worth being super-thrilled about in the mix beyond all the sleep-inducing reiterations of every Oscar pundit's list.
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
BRADLEY COOPER / Pat - “SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK” (The Weinstein Company)
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS / Abraham Lincoln - "LINCOLN” (Touchstone Pictures)
JOHN HAWKES / Mark - "THE SESSIONS" (Fox Searchlight)
HUGH JACKMAN / Jean Valjean - "LES MISÉRABLES" (Universal Pictures)
DENZEL WASHINGTON / Whip Whitaker - "FLIGHT" (Paramount Pictures)
In with Bradley Cooper. Out with Joaquin Phoenix? The Master enters the Oscar nomination period looking shakier than ever. We could see a complete shut out or 4 or 5 nominations for the handsome, well acted but ultimately not too accessible film. It might just be the year's biggest wild card at this point.
It's worth noting that people often emphatically exaggerate the meaning of "snubs". For all we know Phoenix's no show here was a matter of one vote, rather than anything to do with the movie (though it probably isn't well enough loved) or his feelings about awards campaigns. MORE...
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
JESSICA CHASTAIN / Maya - "ZERO DARK THIRTY” (Columbia Pictures)
MARION COTILLARD / Stephanie - “RUST AND BONE” (Sony Pictures Classics)
JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Tiffany - “SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK” (The Weinstein Company)
HELEN MIRREN / Alma Reville - “HITCHCOCK” (Fox Searchlight)
NAOMI WATTS / Maria - “THE IMPOSSIBLE” (Summit Entertainment)
Foreign language and barely seen performances have a tougher time winning the attention of the more mainstream skewing SAG than they do winning over Oscar voters so we could attribute the presence of Marion Cotillard and the absence of Emmanuelle Riva and Rachel Weisz to be a simple affirmation of Marion Cotillard’s A list stardom, Weisz’s low profile film, and Riva’s absence from the campaign trail –her work hast to speak for itself whilst Cotillard travels the Globe to hit every red carpet.
It’s also worth noting that while SAG generally loves little girl actors even more than Oscar, Quvenzhane Wallis was not eligible for this prize. So with Wallis & Riva & Weisz all still very much in the discussion and the extreme longshot possibility that Oscar voters might reject category fraud in the case of Helen Hunt or Ann Dowd, it would be surprising if this list transfers 100% to Oscar Nomination Morning.
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
ALAN ARKIN / Lester Siegel - “ARGO” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
JAVIER BARDEM / Silva - "SKYFALL" (Columbia Pictures)
ROBERT DE NIRO / Pat, Sr. - "SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK" (The Weinstein Company)
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN / Lancaster Dodd - “THE MASTER” (The Weinstein Company)
TOMMY LEE JONES / Thaddeus Stevens - “LINCOLN” (Touchstone Pictures)
This might qualify as SAG’s most curious nominee-set this year: Hoffman shows up without his elevating scene partner Joaquin Phoenix or his screen wife or an ensemble nomination so did the other two just miss and he just barely qualified on name and general fellow actor’s worship?; Bardem is an oddity because outside of rare BAFTA nods, the 007 series rarely produces anything like an "awards" performance -- is it as simple as the bulk of voters actually SAW Skyfall (you’d be surprised how many voting members of various awards bodies don’t see very many movies before voting starts); Alan Arkin seems like the kind of nominee SAG would go for regardless of awards buzz – see also Betty White’s umpteenth nod for Hot in Cleveland – but then you remember that he’s had Oscar buzz all year and you wonder how that happened? The buzz not this nomination; DeNiro and Jones are the only two who feel like dead certain Oscar nominees. But we shall see... perhaps it's a 5/5 prophesy.
Contrary to popular belief which comes partly from lazy media blabbering SAG’s voting branch and Academy Acting’s Branch don’t really have that much of an overlap. SAG’s nominating committee changes regularly and is drawn randomly from their overall body which houses 100,000 members whereas there are only about 1,000+ actors that are members of the Academy’s Acting Branch.
The year's most unfortunate snub is surely Matthew McConaughey's great work as "Dallas" in Magic Mike. I've always cautioned that Oscar wouldn't take this fine film seriously enough despite McConaughey's ridiculously over-achieving peak year. I didn't want to be right! Hopefully this is a mere blip and I was wrong and he'll see his first Oscar nomination.
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
SALLY FIELD / Mary Todd Lincoln - "LINCOLN" (Touchstone Pictures)
ANNE HATHAWAY / Fantine - “LES MISÉRABLES” (Universal Pictures)
HELEN HUNT / Cheryl - “THE SESSIONS” (Fox Searchlight)
NICOLE KIDMAN / Charlotte Bless - "THE PAPERBOY” (Millennium Entertainment)
MAGGIE SMITH / Muriel Donnelly - “THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL” (Fox Searchlight)
Even alphabetically speaking the top three are the actual top three in terms of awards buzz this annum. Otherwise the Supporting Actress field has remained elusive, foggy, and either barren or multi-headed depending on who you ask.. But I wouldn’t have it any other way because the general confusion created the extraordinary vaccum that sucked in the incomparable Nicole Kidman’s latest brilliant creation “Charlotte Bless”. This actress’s character gallery grows ever more diverse and crowded. Other actors really ought to bow down. And with SAG today, happily, some did.
"i can't believe we're doin' this"
I’ve heard a few random gripes on Twitter about this nomination, usually stemming from the consensus that The Paperboy is not a good film but no matter what one thinks of any particular film, the achievements WITHIN that film are the things you’re supposed to be talking about in any category outside of Best Picture.
What's your favorite and least favorite nomination here?
Reader Comments (82)
Sad that Tom Wilkinson isn't getting much recognition lately -- He was so good in Marigold Hotel!
filmboymichael, I fully agree with you about Jackie Weaver. She had so little to do (other than appear in the background) and say that I wondered if David O. Russell just didn't like her attempt at a Philly accent.
Add me to those who hate Arkin's nomination, and think that Phoenix should have made it in. I'd also have left out Helen Mirren...scene-stealing at its best, just as she did in "The Last Station."
The most exciting nomination is Charlotte Rampling!
The Nicole Kidman nomination is such a nice surprise and a brief glimmer of hope for a really bland category.
Helen Mirren's nomination feels...like such a default. Where's Riva, Keira, or even Rachel Weisz?
That supporting actor category feels the saddest to me maybe because of the list of possible contenders rather than this SAG list specifically. The lack of Mathew McConaughey and the continued inclusion of DeNiro and Arkin...unfortunate.
Plus as much as Phoenix's snub stings the most, I think it's the reality of the the tightness of the race. 6 spots, 5 men. And with both Jackman and Cooper in likely best picture nominees...Phoenix's support is going to have to really be passionate. I hope he makes it.
Hannibal -- He was! His monologue moved me.
I expect Bardem to receive a Golden Globe nom tomorrow and Baftas are likely to do the same.
A 4th Oscar nomination might happen.
Best - Cotillard
Worst - Anyone related to Hemingway & Gellhorn. Yes! That includes Nicole.
Ugh, I thought Helen Mirren's Oscar buzz was finally beginning to nosedive! I haven't even seen Hitchcock yet, nor do I really plan to, but I still cringe just thinking about the way she totally overdoes that "GREAT and GLORIOUS Alfred Hitchcock" line from the trailer...
Also, I'm growing a little delirious thinking about what clip they're going to show for Kidman! I'm guessing it'll be something probably tame, along the lines of that early conversation she has in the car with Zac Efron, even though I'm shamelessly hoping it's the golden shower.
The "Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries" category is such a gay cinephile's dream:
NICOLE KIDMAN / Martha Gellhorn - “HEMINGWAY & GELLHORN” (HBO)
JULIANNE MOORE / Sarah Palin - “GAME CHANGE” (HBO)
CHARLOTTE RAMPLING / Eva Delectorskaya - “RESTLESS” (Sundance Channel)
SIGOURNEY WEAVER / Elaine Barrish Hammond - “POLITICAL ANIMALS” (USA)
ALFRE WOODARD / Ouiser - “STEEL MAGNOLIAS” (Lifetime)
So much actressexuality.
The ensemble noms are meaningless without including the whole cast, does someone need to explain to them for the zillionth time that's what ensemble means!?
Sorry to see Rachel Weisz' excellent work not get in but still hoping Oscar corrects that.
In supporting actress I think Hunt will get a nom but she doesn't have a prayer of winning, it's a dead heat between Sally and Anne, so she should do what Glenn Close did last year-try and look her best and enjoy the circus. Same for whoever else gets in, I hope that includes Ann Dowd whose career would benefit most from a nomination.
^^ Here, here.. that lineup is to die for. All film goddesses that directors and producers should be paying more attention to.
Ecstatic for Kidman's nomination in The Paperboy. She's surely a wild card, but I hope she manages to sneak into the Oscar lineup.
And Matthew, you can't just pass a judgement on a performance based on a trailer (Mirren in Hitchcock). That's ridiculous.
As much as I admire Alan Arkin, he's just not award-worthy in Argo. I think SAD chose him because they realized they had to give the acclaimed movie an acting nod, and that's the only place they could find it.
I seriously believe Skyfall will get an acting nomination at this point, and I think it will probably get a PGA nod as well as a BAFTA nod for Best Film, putting it directly in the conversation for a Best Picture nomination (though I think it will ultimately fail to achieve that). I think it's especially true that if a consensus does not form around a Django supporting actor soon (like, tomorrow at the Golden Globes), then Bardem is getting that fifth slot in Best Supporting Actor. And I think Dench is one of the top contenders to replace Kidman's SAG slot at the Oscars. It'll either be her or Samantha Barks, I think (I'm just not feeling it for Amy Adams).
Hey Nathaniel,
Have you seen this interview with Nicole Kidman?:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzvwoI7MYjE
So great! Now, just waiting for yours! ;)
In addition to the absence of talk surrounding the largely marvelous performances in Cloud Atlas, I'm surprised to see no chatter here about the omission of Moonrise Kingdom. Another ensemble that at least matches Lincoln's, if not surpasses it.
Edwin, IMO Adams was seriously miscast in The Master. She's much better in Trouble With the Curve.
any1 feel bardem is award worthy i for 1 do not or dench or is it just time due to the 50th anniversary year skyfalls pocketfuls of cash,seems that way.
@Jason Cooper - - I agree in regards to the Cloud Atlas ensemble, but I think we are far and away in the minority. :D
Just realized that Charlotte Rampling scored her first SAG nod...yay!
SO excited for Nicole Kidman. Very refreshing to see a genre performance nominated, and particularly one from a master-class actress! Very ballsy move from SAG. Bravo!
However, I do not understand for the life of me how Joaquin Phoenix missed out for The Master. F*^%*#& crazy! I can deal with an Amy Adams snub, considering I don't think it's remotely her best work, but Phoenix gave a revelatory, committed, fully alive performance. It's still my favorite of the year.
As much as I like Helen Mirren, I pray to god that the Academy doesn't get lazy and just check her name off this year. It's funny how people claim every year that the best actress category is so weak and sparse every year, yet when it starts boiling to the wire they start shouting that their favorites are getting snubbd. But I really feel like Mirren will be replaced by Emmanuelle Riva come Oscar time. I really feel like Quvenzhane Wallis may be sitting this one out, which is fine by me. I guess this means that Keira Knightley is dead and buried now, which is sad cause I really thought she was quite special in Anna Karenina.
Honestly, this awards season is pretty exciting. Lots of unexpected nominations and there are still tight races. Between Bond getting acting nominations, foreign language performances being acknowledged, and there still being a sense of mystery, I'm liking this season for at least those reasons.
Supporting actor is such a mess though ... but isn't it always?
Weird thing happened to TV category too. Sophia Vergara was nominated and Julie Bowen was not?
Happiest ... Naomi Watts
Unhappiest; Nicole Kidman inclusion
I was a little sad not to see the Moonrise ensemble and Phoenix. I'd even nursed a hope that the Cloud Atlas ensemble would be appealing to actors.
I guess Django is being released too late. I also wonder if maybe it just isn't finished yet. I'd think that the editing process would take 3 times as long this year, as Tarantino is missing his longtime editor and colleague, Sally Menken, who is no longer here. Even if the new person is really good, it's hard to come in after someone who really gets QT and has had practice editing his kind of film. Anne Thompson in TOH mentioned that the DiCaprio parts needed to be edited, and I just wonder if they shouldn't have released next spring/summer after figuring out how to cut it. I haven't seen it, so it's just speculation of course. I may love it the way it is.
amir and brooksboy gave 2 explanations on the arkin mistake. especially amir. i ve seen so many better supporting performances by far( mc conaughey, henry, ezra ), not seen django's, could definitely add even broadbent in atlas, even walken in psychopaths, willis twice (lot better btw), fassbender (prometheus), murray, so many. ANY OBJECTIONS? plz
I have seen The Paper Boy and I am sorry, but I do not believe that Nicole Kidman deserves that nomination. Really. Sometimes you have to be more objective, Nat. We know you love her and I do too, but is it really neccessary to campaign for her too much? Methinks no.
Anyway, I was extremely disappointed that Matthew McConaughey.
If the world did not know Nat is obsessed with Nicole Kidman, I would believe she gave a sterling performance in The Paper Boy. Ann Dowd and Amy Adams deserve that slot.
I am really happy to see Bradley Cooper nominated. He deserves it.
Ralphfelix
I agree that kidman does not deserve the nom .... but I would give her the nom over Amy Adams.
Rick, but you never liked Nicole Kidman anyway, no matter how good she is
HORRAY FOR CHARLOTTE BLESS!
I could NOT be happier about this news. I ran to the theaters to see The Paperboy without apology and loves every sweaty, pulpy, obscene second of it (despite its flaws). And Nicole, of course, continued to do the kind of fearless and provocative work I love her for.
I'm wondering if she can pull out a Globe nomination tomorrow, or if I'm just high on this surprise. But the Globes love a big star and it was my impression that the film was received much better overseas (at Cannes specifically?) - and we all know the HFPA....
Crossing my fingers!
For the life of me, I don't understand Javier Bardem's nomination for his work in Skyfall. It's not bad by any stretch, but seriously? Didn't he WIN an Oscar for a far superior portrayal of a psychopath?
Come on folks.
Nicole's nomination made my day! And all the Kidman maniacs should send Nathaniel a thank you card cause he championed her the whole time. So, thank you, Nathaniel :)
@Nicole Kidman
How wrong you are (3rtful) I wanted her to win for The Rabbit Hole"
I have championed her for many performances .. To Die For, The Others, etc.