The film “One Battle After Another” has made history by securing a record total of seven nominations for the upcoming SAG Awards, announced on Wednesday. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, this revolutionary saga not only garnered the most nominations ever in the awards’ 31-year history but also includes a nod for the prestigious best ensemble category.
This remarkable achievement surpasses the previous record of five nominations held by other films. Among the nominated cast members are Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, along with recognition for the film’s stunt performers. The other contenders for best ensemble are “Sinners,” “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme,” and “Frankenstein.”
Historically, a nomination for best ensemble at the SAG Awards is crucial for a film’s chances at the Academy Awards. Only four films in the last three decades have won the Oscar for best picture without a SAG ensemble nomination. Notably absent from the nominations this year were “Sentimental Value,” “Wicked: For Good,” and “Train Dreams,” which had been expected to perform well.
The film “Sinners” also had a strong showing, earning five nominations in total. Michael B. Jordan received a nomination for best male actor, with supporting roles acknowledged for Miles Caton and Wunmi Mosaku.
Television Nominations and Oscar Implications
In the television categories, Apple’s “The Studio,” HBO’s “White Lotus,” and Netflix’s “Adolescence” led the nominations. The SAG Awards have consistently served as reliable predictors for the Oscars, particularly since actors represent the largest voting block within the Academy. Historically, nominees for the SAG Awards have overlapped with Oscar nominees about 80% of the time.
The nominees for the best male actor category include DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet for “Marty Supreme,” Michael B. Jordan for “Sinners,” Ethan Hawke for “Blue Moon,” and Jesse Plemons for “Bugonia.” The inclusion of Plemons came as a surprise, while Chalamet remains a favorite, having won this award the previous year for “A Complete Unknown.”
For best female actor, the nominees are Chase 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 categories, Del Toro, Penn, Caton, Jacob Elordi for “Frankenstein,” and Paul Mescal for “Hamnet” are in contention for best supporting male actor.
The nominees for best supporting female actor include Teyana Taylor, Wunmi Mosaku, Ariana Grande for “Wicked: For Good,” Amy Madigan for “Weapons,” and Odessa A’zion for “Marty Supreme.” The nomination of A’zion, at only 25 years old, was noted as a significant surprise.
Despite strong performances, Joachim Trier’s Norwegian drama “Sentimental Value” received no nominations, missing out on expected nods for both Renate Reinsve for lead female actor and Stellan Skarsgård for supporting male actor, the latter viewed as a potential winner.
The Actor Awards Ceremony Details
With over 122,000 voting members, the SAG-AFTRA guild tends to favor mainstream films, often overlooking non-English language entries. As the Academy’s membership becomes increasingly diverse, films like “It Was Just an Accident” from Iran and the Brazilian political thriller “The Secret Agent” may see more recognition with the upcoming Oscar nominations on January 22, 2024.
Differences between the SAG Awards and the Oscars can be notable. For instance, last year, Chalamet won best male actor at the SAG Awards but lost at the Oscars to Adrien Brody for his role in “The Brutalist.” Similarly, the film “Conclave” won best ensemble while “Anora” took home the best picture Oscar.
The Actor Awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, March 1, 2024, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, with Netflix providing a live stream of the event. The evening will also feature the presentation of the guild’s life achievement award to Harrison Ford, celebrating his significant contributions to the industry.
