The film “One Battle After Another” has made history at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, securing a remarkable seven nominations, more than any film has ever achieved in the event’s 31-year history. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, this innovative revolutionary saga not only received recognition for the prestigious best ensemble award but also garnered individual nominations for its standout cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, and Benicio Del Toro.
This year’s nominations reflect a significant moment for the awards, previously known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards, as no film has previously received more than five nominations. The other contenders for best ensemble include “Sinners,” “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme,” and “Frankenstein.” The SAG Awards have historically been strong indicators for the Academy Awards, with a SAG ensemble nomination frequently correlating with an Oscar best picture win. Over the last three decades, only four films have won the Oscar without a SAG ensemble nomination.
Several notable films missed out on nominations this year, including “Sentimental Value,” “Wicked: For Good,” and “Train Dreams.” “Sinners” performed particularly well, collecting a total of five nominations, including a best male actor nod for Michael B. Jordan and supporting nominations for Miles Caton and Wunmi Mosaku.
Television Nominations Highlight Strong Contenders
In the television categories, Apple’s “The Studio,” HBO’s “White Lotus,” and Netflix’s “Adolescence” led the nominations. The SAG Awards are presented by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the nominees often foreshadow those that will appear at the Oscars. The nominees for best male actor include DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet for “Marty Supreme,” Jordan, Ethan Hawke for “Blue Moon,” and Jesse Plemons for “Bugonia.” The only unexpected name in this group is Plemons, with Chalamet remaining a favorite after winning the same award last year for “A Complete Unknown.”
For best female actor, the nominees are Infiniti, Jessie Buckley for “Hamnet,” Rose Byrne for “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” Kate Hudson for “Song Sung Blue,” and Emma Stone for “Bugonia.” In the supporting male actor category, the nominees include Del Toro, Penn, Caton, Jacob Elordi for “Frankenstein,” and Paul Mescal for “Hamnet.” The best supporting female actor nominees are Taylor, Mosaku, Ariana Grande for “Wicked: For Good,” Amy Madigan for “Weapons,” and Odessa A’zion for “Marty Supreme.” A’zion’s nomination is considered a surprise, while acclaimed Norwegian film “Sentimental Value” was snubbed entirely, despite expectations for Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård to receive nods.
SAG Awards as a Predictor for the Oscars
With over 122,000 voting members, the actors’ guild often leans towards popular choices and tends to overlook non-English language films. In contrast, the Academy has seen a growing international membership. Movies such as “It Was Just an Accident” from Iran and the Brazilian political thriller “The Secret Agent” are anticipated to perform better during the Oscar nominations on January 22, 2024.
The SAG and Oscar nominations have not always aligned. Last year, Chalamet won best male actor at the SAG Awards but lost the Oscar to Adrien Brody for “The Brutalist.” The papal drama “Conclave” won best ensemble, yet Sean Baker’s “Anora” took home the best picture award at the Academy Awards.
The SAG Awards ceremony is set to take place on March 1, 2024, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, with Netflix streaming the event live. This year, Harrison Ford will be honored with the guild’s life achievement award, further adding to the significance of the evening. As the anticipation builds, the nominations signal a competitive awards season ahead, with “One Battle After Another” leading the charge.
