SAG Awards nomination have been named, and excitement runs high for 12 Years a Slave, which leads with four. Named as a best picture nominee, Lee Daniels' The Butler also received a nod in the best movie category. But when it comes to acting nods, a number of black thespians shine. Forest Whitaker, who already has an Oscar for The Last King of Scotland, was nominated for best actor as Cecil Gaines in The Butler.
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And Chiwetel Ejiofor, no stranger to acting accolades or buzz this season, received a best actor nom for his performance as freeman kidnapped into slavery, Solomon Northup, in 12 Years a Slave.
RELATED: Reel Talk: 12 Years a Slave
The biggest surprise comes with Oprah Winfrey being nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Lee Daniels' The Butler as Whitaker’s depressed, alcoholic wife, Gloria. Newcomer Lupita Nyong'o was nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category for her role as tortured servant, Patsey, in 12 Years a Slave. This is Nyong’o’s first film role, straight out of college, and she is favored to win in the category.
Over in the TV world, Angela Bassett was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series for her role in the mini-series Betty & Coretta, where she was able to perfect her performance as Betty Shabazz in Spike’s Lee’s Malcolm X.
The 20th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be broadcast live, Jan. 18, 2014, on ABC. Below is an abbreviated list of all the lucky nominees. We've underlined those we like best.
Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Leading Role
Bruce Dern / Woody Grant – "Nebraska" (Paramount Pictures)
Chiwetel Ejiofor / Solomon Northup – "12 Years a Slave"
Tom Hanks / Capt. Richard Phillips – "Captain Phillips"
Matthew McConaughey / Ron Woodroof – "Dallas Buyers Club"
Forest Whitaker / Cecil Gaines – "Lee Daniels' The Butler"
Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Leading Role
Cate Blanchett / Jasmine – "Blue Jasmine"
Sandra Bullock / Ryan Stone – "Gravity"
Judi Dench / Philomena Lee – "Philomena"
Meryl Streep / Violet Weston – "August: Osage County"
Emma Thompson / P.L. Travers – "Saving Mr. Banks"
Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role
Barkhad Abdi / Muse – "Captain Phillips"
Daniel Brühl / Niki Lauda – "Rush"
Michael Fassbender / Edwin Epps – "12 Years a Slave"
James Gandolfini / Albert – "Enough Said"
Jared Leto / Rayon – "Dallas Buyers Club"
Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Supporting Role
Jennifer Lawrence / Rosalyn Rosenfeld – "American Hustle"
Lupita Nyong'o / Patsey – "12 Years a Slave"
Julia Roberts / Barbara Weston – "August: Osage County"
June Squibb / Kate Grant – "Nebraska"
Oprah Winfrey / Gloria Gaines – "Lee Daniels' The Butler"
Matt Damon / Scott Thorson – "Behind the Candelabra"
Michael Douglas / Liberace – "Behind the Candelabra"
Jeremy Irons / King Henry IV – "The Hollow Crown"
Rob Lowe / John F. Kennedy – "Killing Kennedy"
Al Pacino / Phil Spector – "Phil Spector"
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Angela Bassett / Coretta Scott King – "Betty & Coretta"
Helena Bonham Carter / Elizabeth Taylor – "Burton and Taylor"
Holly Hunter / G.J. – "Top of the Lake"
Helen Mirren / Linda Kenney Baden – "Phil Spector"
Elisabeth Moss / Robin Griffin – "Top of the Lake"
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Steve Buscemi / Enoch "Nucky" Thompson – "Boardwalk Empire"
Bryan Cranston / Walter White – "Breaking Bad"
Jeff Daniels / Will McAvoy – "The Newsroom"
Peter Dinklage / Tyrion Lannister – "Game of Thrones"
Kevin Spacey / Francis Underwood – "House of Cards"
Outstanding Performance By An Ensemble In A Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downtown Abbey
Game of Thrones
Homeland
Outstanding Performance By An Ensemble In A Comedy Series
30 Rock
Arrested Development
The Big Bang Theory
Modern Family
Veep
Lifetime Achievement Award
Screen Actors Guild 50th Annual Life Achievement Award
Rita Moreno