Award-winning movies for artists, engineers, and performers are just a genre for marketing. Films that receive awards prestige were made specifically for that race. Sometimes talent attachments in the beginning of the process hinge on the team’s intention to finance an awards campaign. Those movies are not action, horror, or comedy by nature – they are often dramas which are considered awards contenders. YES, other genre films CAN win awards, many awards, but that’s not the genre of film. The marketing budget that goes into awards prestige IS the marketing campaign for the movie. It’s a bandwagoning FOMO approach that you may have missed ‘the best‘ this year without it actually being ‘the best.’ But the ‘vote’ is the measurement. The voters are usually voting for colleagues, I’m in the producer’s guild and once I get an opportunity to vote for my favorite colleagues’ films, I usually give them my vote. It’s not a popularity contest, though, it’s a balance between mainstream appeal (to get voters to actually watch the film) and a community campaign (to get the team to the next filmmaking tier, a group effort). Once a filmmaker wins a certain award, they take a step up in recognition, pay rate, and quality of job offers. So, the campaign for awards involves making something marketable enough for the voter to choose the screener out of the pile AND community oriented enough (or artistically brave enough) to get the vote.

The best picture is NOT the best picture, as it’s a genre of movie. Often drama or occasionally inspirational/adventure (or the rare musical), the best picture campaign must be approved by investors who already think it must have a good chance by the limited eye of the financial decision-maker. It’s a decision made before the final financing structure is in place. Casting is hinged upon which actors work well with certain audiences, award-winning actors are then cast in award-contending films just as action stars are then cast in future action films.

The best picture is NOT the best picture, as access to voting privileges (speaking as a member of the PGA and SAG – with family in the DGA and WGA) is costly, I have to pay a lot of money to stay relevant in my guilds and when AMPAS (Oscar voters) members get ready to vote, they are often invited to extravagant screenings all over Los Angeles (and a few other places) and the income inequality, privilege of flexible schedules, and literally the time it takes to consume 45 movies fairly is just beyond many whose opinions may be outside of the traditional privileged systems of Hollywood. Yes, I’m low-key calling out traditionally oppressed /the global majority is not afforded the same freedom within the film industry to participate in fair voting at different levels of career-building. A film that speaks to the traditionally oppressed /the global majority does not have a fair shot, in general.

The best picture is NOT the best picture. It really is an honor just to be nominated. The fight for best picture means that all of the nominated films will get a boost in marketing, once you’re nominated, you’ve won. Because your product and effort, skills and talent are good enough. You don’t get written down in history with the same ‘weight’ but you do get the work bump, a somewhat impressive bump.

However, … there are milestone bumps written into financing agreements and distribution deals that a ‘win’ definitely changes – the actual film’s back-end pay increases in some cases as well as the free marketing spotlight offered through the awards’ circuit that amounts to a lot more than just a name listed in an online article that many film professionals don’t check out in a timely manner. Winning in a sensational way – alla MOONLIGHT – solidifies a different kind of prestige (and you don’t technically need to ‘win’ for a sensational headline). The entire film industry does not remember BEST PICTURE, but everyone in town definitely remembers that MOONLIGHT won over LA LA LAND one year and the awards ceremony botched the announcement. I may not remember who wins, but I remember big events.

Although the general public believes the Golden Globes gives the best insight into the Oscars frontrunners, it’s actually an industry secret that the globes, although great marketing, is not great for award specific predictions.

“The [SAG] movie winners tend to be strong Oscar indicators, giving the large crossover of SAG-AFTRA votes with the Actors Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In 2020, Parasite took the SAG ensemble trophy on its way to the Oscar.”

Deadline

Here is the list of SAG nominees (the elite of internal industry prestige, just like the Director’s Guild, these awards hold more weight internally):

Theatrical Motion Pictures

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

BELFAST

CAITRÍONA BALFE / Ma
JUDI DENCH / Granny
JAMIE DORNAN / Pa
JUDE HILL / Buddy
CIARÁN HINDS / Pop
COLIN MORGAN / Billy Clanton

CODA

EUGENIO DERBEZ / Bernardo Villalobos
DANIEL DURANT / Leo Rossi
EMILIA JONES / Ruby Rossi
TROY KOTSUR / Frank Rossi
MARLEE MATLIN / Jackie Rossi
FERDIA WALSH-PEELO / Miles

DON’T LOOK UP

CATE BLANCHETT / Brie Evantee
TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET / Yule
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / Dr. Randall Mindy
ARIANA GRANDE / Riley Bina
JONAH HILL / Jason Orlean
JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Kate Dibiasky
MELANIE LYNSKEY / June Mindy
SCOTT MESCUDI / DJ Chello
ROB MORGAN / Dr. Teddy Oglethorpe
HIMESH PATEL / Phillip
RON PERLMAN / Benedict Drask
TYLER PERRY / Jack Bremmer
MARK RYLANCE / Peter Isherwell
MERYL STREEP / President Orlean

HOUSE OF GUCCI

ADAM DRIVER / Maurizio Gucci
LADY GAGA / Patrizia Reggiani
SALMA HAYEK / Pina Auriemma
JACK HUSTON / Domenico De Sole
JEREMY IRONS / Rodolfo Gucci
JARED LETO / Paolo Gucci
AL PACINO / Aldo Gucci

KING RICHARD

JON BERNTHAL / Rick Macci
AUNJANUE ELLIS / Oracene “Brandi” Williams
TONY GOLDWYN / Paul Cohen
SANIYYA SIDNEY / Venus Williams
DEMI SINGLETON / Serena Williams
WILL SMITH / Richard Williams

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

JAVIER BARDEM / Desi Arnaz
BEING THE RICARDOS

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH / Phil Burbank
THE POWER OF THE DOG

ANDREW GARFIELD / Jon
TICK, TICK…BOOM!

WILL SMITH / Richard Williams
KING RICHARD

DENZEL WASHINGTON / Macbeth
THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

JESSICA CHASTAIN / Tammy Faye Bakker
THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE

OLIVIA COLMAN / Leda
THE LOST DAUGHTER

LADY GAGA / Patrizia Reggiani
HOUSE OF GUCCI

JENNIFER HUDSON / Aretha Franklin
RESPECT

NICOLE KIDMAN / Lucille Ball
BEING THE RICARDOS

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

BEN AFFLECK / Uncle Charlie
THE TENDER BAR

BRADLEY COOPER / Jon Peters
LICORICE PIZZA

TROY KOTSUR / Frank Rossi
CODA

JARED LETO / Paolo Gucci
HOUSE OF GUCCI

KODI SMIT-McPHEE / Peter
THE POWER OF THE DOG

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

CAITRÍONA BALFE / Ma
BELFAST

CATE BLANCHETT / Dr. Lilith Ritter
NIGHTMARE ALLEY

ARIANA DeBOSE / Anita
WEST SIDE STORY

KIRSTEN DUNST / Rose Gordon
THE POWER OF THE DOG

RUTH NEGGA / Clare
PASSING

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

BLACK WIDOW
DUNE
THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS
NO TIME TO DIE
SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS

Television

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

THE HANDMAID’S TALE

ALEXIS BLEDEL / Emily Malek
MADELINE BREWER / Janine Lindo
AMANDA BRUGEL / Rita Blue
ANN DOWD / Aunt Lydia Clements
O-T FAGBENLE / Luke Bankole
JOSEPH FIENNES / Commander Fred Waterford
SAM JAEGER / Mark Tuello
MAX MINGHELLA / Commander Nick Blaine
ELISABETH MOSS / June Osborne/Offred
YVONNE STRAHOVSKI / Serena Joy Waterford
BRADLEY WHITFORD / Commander Joseph Lawrence
SAMIRA WILEY / Moira Strand

THE MORNING SHOW

JENNIFER ANISTON / Alex Levy
SHARI BELAFONTE / Julia
ELI BILDNER / Joel Rapkin
NESTOR CARBONELL / Yanko Flores
STEVE CARELL / Mitch Kessler
BILLY CRUDUP / Cory Ellison
MARK DUPLASS / Charlie “Chip” Black
AMBER FRIENDLY / Layla Bell
JANINA GAVANKAR / Alison Namazi
VALERIA GOLINO / Paola Lambruschini
TARA KARSIAN / Gayle Berman
HANNAH LEDER / Isabella
GRETA LEE / Stella Bak
JULIANNA MARGULIES / Laura Peterson
JOE MARINELLI / Donny Spagnoli
MICHELLE MEREDITH / Lindsey Sherman
RUAIRI O’CONNOR / Ty Fitzgerald
JOE PACHECO / Bart Daley
KAREN PITTMAN / Mia Jordan
VICTORIA TATE / Rena Robinson
DESEAN K. TERRY / Daniel Henderson
REESE WITHERSPOON / Bradley Jackson

SQUID GAME

HEO SUNG-TAE / Deok-su
JUN YOUNG-SOO / Game Operator Voice
JUNG HO-YEON / Kang Sae-byeok
KIM JOO-RYOUNG / Mi-nyeo
LEE BYUNG-HUN / Front Man
LEE JUNG-JAE / Seong Gi-hun
OH YOUNG-SOO / Oh Il-nam
PARK HAE-SOO / Cho Sang-woo
ANUPAM TRIPATHI / Ali
WI HA-JUN / Hwang Jun-ho

SUCCESSION

NICHOLAS BRAUN / Greg Hirsch
JULIANA CANFIELD / Jess Jordan
BRIAN COX / Logan Roy
KIERAN CULKIN / Roman Roy
DAGMARA DOMINCZYK / Karolina Novotney
PETER FRIEDMAN / Frank Vernon
JIHAE / Berry Schneider
JUSTINE LUPE / Willa
MATTHEW MACFADYEN / Tom Wambsgans
DASHA NEKRASOVA / Comfrey Pellits
SCOTT NICHOLSON / Colin
DAVID RASCHE / Karl Muller
ALAN RUCK / Connor Roy
J. SMITH-CAMERON / Gerri Kellman
SARAH SNOOK / Shiv Roy
FISHER STEVENS / Hugo Baker
JEREMY STRONG / Kendall Roy
ZOË WINTERS / Kerry Castellabate

YELLOWSTONE

KELSEY ASBILLE / Monica Dutton
WES BENTLEY / Jamie Dutton
RYAN BINGHAM / Walker
GIL BIRMINGHAM / Thomas Rainwater
IAN BOHEN / Ryan
EDEN BROLIN / Mia
KEVIN COSTNER / John Dutton
HUGH DILLON / Sheriff Donnie Haskell
LUKE GRIMES / Kayce Dutton
HASSIE HARRISON / Laramie
COLE HAUSER / Rip Wheeler
JEN LANDON / Teeter
FINN LITTLE / Carter
BRECKEN MERRILL / Tate Dutton
WILL PATTON / Garrett Randle
PIPER PERABO / Summer Higgins
KELLY REILLY / Beth Dutton
DENIM RICHARDS / Colby
TAYLOR SHERIDAN / Travis
FORRIE J. SMITH / Lloyd
JEFFERSON WHITE / Jimmy Hurdstrom

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

THE GREAT

JULIAN BARRATT / Dr. Vinodel
BELINDA BROMILOW / Aunt Elizabeth
SACHA DHAWAN / Orlo
ELLE FANNING / Catherine
PHOEBE FOX / Marial
BAYO GBADAMOSI / Arkady
ADAM GODLEY / Archbishop
DOUGLAS HODGE / Velementov
NICHOLAS HOULT / Peter
FLORENCE KEITH-ROACH / Tatyana
GWILYM LEE / Grigor Dymov
CHARITY WAKEFIELD / Georgina

HACKS

ROSE ABDOO / Josefina
CARL CLEMONS-HOPKINS / Marcus Vaughan
PAUL W. DOWNS / Jimmy Lusaque, Jr.
HANNAH EINBINDER / Ava Daniels
MARK INDELICATO / Damien
POPPY LIU / Kiki
CHRIS McDONALD / Marty Ghilain
JEAN SMART / Deborah Vance
MEGAN STALTER / Kayla Schaeffer

THE KOMINSKY METHOD

JENNA LYNG ADAMS / Darshani
SARAH BAKER / Mindy Kominsky
CASEY THOMAS BROWN / Lane
MICHAEL DOUGLAS / Sandy Kominsky
LISA EDELSTEIN / Phoebe
ASHLEIGH LaTHROP / Breana
EMILY OSMENT / Theresa
HALEY JOEL OSMENT / Robbie
PAUL REISER / Martin
GRAHAM ROGERS / Jude
MELISSA TANG / Margaret
KATHLEEN TURNER / Roz

ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING

AARON DOMINGUEZ / Oscar
SELENA GOMEZ / Mabel Mora
JACKIE HOFFMAN / Uma Heller
JAYNE HOUDYSHELL / Bunny
STEVE MARTIN / Charles-Haden Savage
AMY RYAN / Jan
MARTIN SHORT / Oliver Putnam

TED LASSO

ANNETTE BADLAND / Mae
KOLA BOKINNI / Isaac McAdoo
PHIL DUNSTER / Jamie Tartt
CRISTO FERNÁNDEZ / Dani Rojas
BRETT GOLDSTEIN / Roy Kent
BRENDAN HUNT / Coach Beard
TOHEEB JIMOH / Sam Obisanya
NICK MOHAMMED / Nathan Shelley
SARAH NILES / Dr. Sharon Fieldstone
JASON SUDEIKIS / Ted Lasso
JEREMY SWIFT / Leslie Higgins
JUNO TEMPLE / Keeley Jones
HANNAH WADDINGHAM / Rebecca Welton

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

BRIAN COX / Logan Roy
SUCCESSION

BILLY CRUDUP / Cory Ellison
THE MORNING SHOW

KIERAN CULKIN / Roman Roy
SUCCESSION

LEE JUNG-JAE / Seong Gi-hun
SQUID GAME

JEREMY STRONG / Kendall Roy
SUCCESSION

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

JENNIFER ANISTON / Alex Levy
THE MORNING SHOW

JUNG HO-YEON / Kang Sae-byeok
SQUID GAME

ELISABETH MOSS / June Osborne/Offred
THE HANDMAID’S TALE

SARAH SNOOK / Shiv Roy
SUCCESSION

REESE WITHERSPOON / Bradley Jackson
THE MORNING SHOW

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

MICHAEL DOUGLAS / Sandy Kominsky
THE KOMINSKY METHOD

BRETT GOLDSTEIN / Roy Kent
TED LASSO

STEVE MARTIN / Charles-Haden Savage
ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING

MARTIN SHORT / Oliver Putnam
ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING

JASON SUDEIKIS / Ted Lasso
TED LASSO

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

ELLE FANNING / Catherine
THE GREAT

SANDRA OH / Ji-Yoon Kim
THE CHAIR

JEAN SMART / Deborah Vance
HACKS

JUNO TEMPLE / Keeley Jones
TED LASSO

HANNAH WADDINGHAM / Rebecca Welton
TED LASSO

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series

MURRAY BARTLETT / Armond
THE WHITE LOTUS

OSCAR ISAAC / Jonathan
SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE

MICHAEL KEATON / Dr. Samuel Finnix
DOPESICK

EWAN McGREGOR / Halston
HALSTON

EVAN PETERS / Det. Colin Zabel
MARE OF EASTTOWN

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series

JENNIFER COOLIDGE / Tanya
THE WHITE LOTUS

CYNTHIA ERIVO / Aretha Franklin
GENIUS: ARETHA

MARGARET QUALLEY / Alex
MAID

JEAN SMART / Helen Fahey
MARE OF EASTTOWN

KATE WINSLET / Mare Sheehan
MARE OF EASTTOWN

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series

COBRA KAI
THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER
LOKI
MARE OF EASTTOWN
SQUID GAME

Nominations Scorecard

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Noms By Films (2 or more)

HOUSE OF GUCCI – 3
THE POWER OF THE DOG – 3
BEING THE RICARDOS – 2
BELFAST– 2
CODA – 2
KING RICHARD – 2

Studios/Streamers (2 or more)

NETFLIX – 7
MGM / UNITED ARTISTS RELEASING – 6
WARNER BROS – 4
AMAZON STUDIOS – 3
APPLE TV+ – 3 (one with A24)
WALT DISNEY STUDIOS – 3
FOCUS FEATURES – 2
SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES – 2
A24 – 1 (with APPLE TV+)

TELEVISION

Noms By Series (2 or more)

SUCCESSION – 5
TED LASSO – 5
MARE OF EASTTOWN – 4
THE MORNING SHOW – 4
SQUID GAME – 4
ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING – 3
THE GREAT – 2
HACKS – 2
THE HANDMAID’S TALE – 2
THE KOMINSKY METHOD – 2
THE WHITE LOTUS – 2

Networks/Streamers (2 or more)

HBO/HBO MAX – 14
NETFLIX – 10
APPLE TV+ – 9
HULU – 8
DISNEY + – 2
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC – 1
PARAMOUNT NETWORK – 1