The 31st SAG Awards: Full List of Film Nominees

"A Complete Unknown"

"Anora" 

"Conclave" 

"Emilia Pérez" 

"Wicked" 

Adrien Brody, "The Brutalist" 

Brody is in nearly every scene of Brady Corbet’s historical epic, which clocks in at a whopping three and a half hours; that in itself is a major accomplishment. But the Oscar winner’s turn is more than just a feat of endurance. In fact, it might just be one of the greatest performances of the modern age. He stars as László Tóth, a Hungarian Jewish Holocaust survivor who escapes to the United States, arriving completely destitute. Though he was a renowned architect before the war, his talent goes unrecognized in his new country. Brody vividly captures the frustrations of many refugees in America as László is built up and broken down over and over again. Ultimately, success becomes a curse he can’t escape. —Esther Zuckerman 

Timothée Chalamet, "A Complete Unknown" 

Bob Dylan is such a famously enigmatic figure that the last biopic about him, Todd Haynes’ 2007 “I’m Not There,” employed six different actors to play one man. In James Mangold’s “A Complete Unknown,” that task falls entirely to Chalamet. The Academy Award nominee smartly leans into Dylan’s winkingly impenetrable nature; in his hands, the folk legend is a closed book full of beautiful poetry we’ll never get to read. Hiding behind an omnipresent pair of sunglasses, Chalamet is all downturned looks and knowing grins. Appropriately, it feels like the only time we see the “real” Dylan is in the film’s musical numbers, performed—in as close an approximation of Dylan’s voice as humanly possible—by the actor himself. —Vinnie Mancuso

Daniel Craig, "Queer" 

Adopting a mumbling drawl, Craig is revelatory in Guadagnino’s adaptation of William S. Burroughs’ 1985 novel. The BAFTA winner plays William Lee, an American expat living in 1950s Mexico City. His days consist of downing tequila shots, cruising for fellow gay men, and, occasionally, managing to go home with one. All of that changes when he becomes infatuated with lithe U.S. Navy serviceman Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey). The problem is, William can’t tell whether Eugene shares his “proclivities,” which range from fellatio to heroin. Thanks to Craig’s committed performance, “Queer” brilliantly captures the audacious spirit of its source material. —Natalia Keogan

Colman Domingo, "Sing Sing"  

How do you follow up a historic Oscar nomination? With another award-worthy star turn in a drama that, like last year’s “Rustin,” is a compelling portrait of the Black experience in America. In Greg Kwedar’s stunning “Sing Sing,” Domingo plays John “Divine G” Whitfield, who’s serving time at the titular prison for a crime he didn’t commit. For years, he’s found solace and meaning in the facility’s theater program, both onstage as an actor and offstage as a playwright. Backed by an ensemble of real-life ex-cons making their screen debuts, Domingo is luminous as a man dedicated to fostering a sense of purpose and community among his fellow prisoners. Our hearts break alongside Divine G’s when he suffers a major setback that threatens to torpedo his heroic optimism. —Jenna Scherer

Ralph Fiennes, "Conclave" 

Fiennes leads Edward Berger’s conspiracy thriller as Thomas Lawrence, a high-ranking cardinal who’s charged with organizing the election of the next pope. But the more he digs into the candidates’ pasts, the more he uncovers insidious secrets. It’s a seedy political mystery masquerading as a prestigious drama, a duality that Fiennes’ performance helps shape as a man wrestling with his faith in the church he’s devoted his life to serving. Each scandal Thomas brings to light rattles him to the bone; but his investigations also strengthen his resolve to find the answer to an impossible question: Who’s the best man to lead a powerful institution that might be rotten to its core? —Siddhant Adlakha

Pamela Anderson, "The Last Showgirl" 

Gia Coppola’s latest is an intimate look at aging in the unforgiving entertainment industry. Anderson plays Shelly, a veteran showgirl with 30 years of experience behind her. But she’s forced to leave the feathers and rhinestones behind when the “Le Razzle Dazzle” topless revue, once a mainstay of the Las Vegas strip, prepares for its final curtain call. Anderson is at her most riveting in close-ups that capture her character’s raw vulnerability amid the chaos backstage. It’s a role defined by contradictions: Shelly is confident yet doubtful, energized yet weary, selfish yet selfless. Anderson’s performance speaks to both the glitter and grit of making it in showbiz.
—Emma Fraser

Cynthia Erivo, "Wicked" 

Idina Menzel’s Tony-winning turn as Elphaba, aka the Wicked Witch of the West, is on the Mount Rushmore of Broadway performances. So it’s no simple trick for Erivo to don the pointed hat in Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s 2003 musical. Anyone familiar with Erivo’s Tony-winning stage work knows she can sing—and Boq-damn, does she sing. Her vocals on “The Wizard and I,” “I’m Not That Girl,” and, of course, “Defying Gravity” are as soul-stirring as any put to tape. But the real magic of Erivo’s performance is the way she shows us the battle between self-doubt and ambition that’s raging beneath that green skin; it’s the kind of subtlety that can only be shown on camera. If the point of this story is for viewers to learn how Oz came to perceive this witch as wicked, the empathy underscoring Erivo’s performance ensures that we understand how she got there. —Vinnie Mancuso

Karla Sofía Gascón, "Emilia Perez" 

You likely hadn’t heard of Gascón before this year, since the Spanish actor was largely known for her work on Mexican telenovelas. But her turn in Jacques Audiard’s bold musical comedy is revelatory. And it’s certainly not an easy role to take on: The transgender actor stars as Emilia, a character who, at the beginning of the film, is still presenting as a male—and a fearsome cartel leader to boot. When Emilia finally emerges, she’s impossibly glamorous but weighed down by her estrangement from her wife (Selena Gomez) and children. Though she’s more comfortable in her own skin post-transition, she still must make amends for the violence she’s enacted, all while maintaining her mob-boss mentality. Gascón’s performance is a stunning study in contrasts. —Esther Zuckerman

Mikey Madison, "Anora" 

Madison’s Ani, a Brooklyn sex worker who impulsively marries the son (Mark Eydelshteyn) of a Russian oligarch, is a fierce, radiant woman caught in an extended comedy of errors. The allure of luxury is reflected in Madison’s expressive eyes, combined with her deep-seated fear that she might never escape her dire financial circumstances. Filmmaker Sean Baker is known for his neon-lit fairy tales about the constraints of class, and “Anora” is no exception. Through the course of the film, Madison slowly reveals the hidden vulnerabilities beneath Ani’s tough-as-nails exterior.
—Siddhant Adlakha

Demi Moore, "The Substance" 

Though this Coralie Fargeat film fits neatly in the body-horror genre, its most unsettling moments come when fading starlet Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore) slowly unravels in front of her bathroom mirror, increasingly anguished at the sight of wrinkles that spell the end of her screen career. Her fears lead her to inject a mysterious drug that creates a younger version of herself (Margaret Qualley), birthed from her own body. The thrills and chills are visceral, but “The Substance” stays grounded thanks to Moore’s resonant depiction of a self-loathing woman burdened by the passage of time. —Siddhant Adlakha

Jonathan Bailey, "Wicked" 

Bailey is best known for his TV work, breaking out on Netflix’s “Bridgerton” and later earning an Emmy nomination for Showtime’s “Fellow Travelers.” But his performance in Jon M. Chu’s big-screen Broadway adaptation proves that the guy’s also a movie star. Fiyero Tigelaar runs on megawatt charm, which Bailey delivers in spades; the way he plays up the prince’s caddish nature feels both campy and controlled. He’s the driving force behind “Dancing Through Life,” an extended set-piece number that moves through multiple settings. Even amid all the complex choreography and costume changes, you can’t take your eyes off him. —Vinnie Mancuso

Yura Borisov, "Anora" 

Sean Baker’s class comedy centers on Ani (Mikey Madison), a Brooklyn sex worker who lands in hot water after impulsively marrying the son (Mark Eydelshteyn) of a Russian oligarch. When his family finds out, the task of restraining Ani until her rich in-laws arrive falls to Igor (Borisov), a henchman imbued with unexpected depth. His initial reluctance to exert force is both a hilarious character quirk and a wordless commentary on how much the working class is forced to swallow at the behest of the wealthy and powerful. Though “Anora” is riotously funny, it’s always thoughtful about the imagery it employs—no better expressed than in the diehard sincerity Borisov layers beneath Igor’s gruff exterior. —Siddhant Adlakha

Kieran Culkin, "A Real Pain" 

Culkin became a perennial awards favorite thanks to his turn as underachieving rich kid Roman Roy on HBO’s “Succession”; but his character in Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain” is a different kind of screwup. The film follows Benji Kaplan (Culkin) and his cousin David Kaplan (Eisenberg) as they travel through Poland to learn about the experiences of their late grandmother, who was a Holocaust survivor. Culkin plays Benji as an irrepressible charmer whose depression rears its head at the most unexpected moments, imbuing Eisenberg’s family dramedy with both volatility and tragedy. —Esther Zuckerman

Jeremy Strong, "The Apprentice" 

Portraying the mentor of a reviled figure demands a special kind of repulsiveness. Strong has it in spades in Ali Abbasi’s biopic as ruthless New York lawyer and fixer Roy Cohn, who infamously took Donald Trump (Stan) under his wing. Speaking in a sinister rasp peppered with amphetamine tics, Strong plays the man as something of an extortion addict. The Emmy winner effectively uses voice and posture to create a caricature that’s rooted in a recognizable ethos. Prick Strong’s Cohn, and he bleeds; he’s a monster driven by vice who’s nonetheless searching for something like absolution. —Siddhant Adlakha

Edward Norton, "A Complete Unknown"

James Mangold’s “A Complete Unknown” paints Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet) as an enigma. On the other hand, you always know where Edward Norton’s Pete Seeger stands. Playing the folk music legend, Norton warms the screen and provides contrast to Chalamet’s performance. He’s sincere, earnest, and quite knowable. He recognizes genius in a young Bob and invites him into the folk music fold; then, he crumples when the protege outgrows his mentor and goes electric. Norton’s gentle work coaxes humanity out of music mythology. — Eric Webb

Danielle Deadwyler, "The Piano Lesson" 

In Malcolm Washington’s adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize–winning 1987 play, Deadwyler keeps her character Berniece’s motives close to the vest. She’s perturbed by the arrival of her impulsive brother, Boy Willie (John David Washington), and frustrated by his insistence on selling a beloved piano that’s been in their family for generations. Deadwyler digs into the roots of her character’s intransigence as she’s haunted by the ghosts of her family’s past. In the end, she undergoes something close to an exorcism; in this actor’s hands, the experience feels utterly invigorating.
—Esther Zuckerman 

Ariana Grande, "Wicked" 

This international pop star has been pursuing the pink bubble of Galinda the Good Witch ever since producer Marc Platt acquired the movie rights to the Tony-winning musical back in 2012. You can feel that decade-long dedication in the actor’s performance as a bubbly young woman who strikes up an unlikely friendship with the outcast Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo)—there in the way Galinda moves, talks, and, of course, flips her hair. It’s a remarkably confident piece of on-camera work from an actor taking on her first major screen role. In Jon M. Chu’s adaptation, Grande understands that Galinda is a supernova of broad comedy concealing profound insecurities beneath her sunny exterior. Don’t be surprised if her performance is (ahem) popular with awards voters this season. —Vinnie Mancuso

Zoe Saldana, "Emilia Pérez"

Since the 2000s, Saldana has been the reigning queen of sci-fi thanks to her roles in blockbusters like “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Star Trek,” and “Avatar.” So it’s impressive to watch her come down to Earth in Audiard’s musical comedy. The actor portrays Rita Moro Castro, a lawyer whom cartel leader Manitas (Gascón) hires to facilitate her secret gender transition into the fabulous Emilia. Early in the film, Saldana evokes her character’s exhaustion and professional frustration, all while singing and dancing her way through complex production numbers. When Emilia brings Rita back into her life post-transition, Saldana communicates how her former client’s influence has both softened and challenged her. —Esther Zuckerman

Jamie Lee Curtis, "The Last Showgirl" 

Early in Gia Coppola’s exploration of aging Las Vegas entertainers, Curtis’ Annette says she will never retire. As a showgirl-turned-bevertainer (casino cocktail waitress), Annette is all hustle, perseverance, and a permanent orange spray-tan. In one of the movie’s most heartbreaking scenes, SAG-winner Curtis imbues this character with raw vulnerability, dancing like everyone is watching—even if precisely no one in the casino gives Annette attention. Opposite Pamela Anderson’s showgirl Shelly, it is a tender friendship that feels lived in and vibrant even if the lights continue to dim on their glitzy stage.—Emma Fraser

Monica Barbaro, "A Complete Unknown" 

Folk queen and antiwar activist Joan Baez has rarely held her tongue. That bracing, ballsy spirit flows through Monica Barbaro in James Mangold’s “A Complete Unknown.” Every time the actor appears on screen, she’s a bolt of righteous lightning sent to put lover/professional frenemy Bob Dylan (Timotheé Chalamet) in his place. Barbaro plays Joan’s complexities close to the surface; insecurity creeps over her face when she sees Bob play for the first time. Barbaro’s most impressive feat: the diamond-clear vocals she channels to recreate some classic performances. —Eric Webb

"Deadpool & Wolverine" 

"Dune: Part Two" 

"The Fall Guy" 

"Gladiator II" 

"Wicked"