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For Your Consideration
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2020
outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture gary oldman • amanda seyfried • lily collins • arliss howard • tom pelphrey • charles dance
“★★★★★ a towering performance by gary oldman. a career-best for amanda seyfried. seyfried the film is stuffed full of great performances, from arliss howard to tom pelphrey and charles dance. dance lily collins is superb.” empire
“A Masterpiece. A Superb Ensemble.” deadline
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Contents LETTER FROM THE AWARDS EDITOR Dear SAG Awards Nominating Committee member,
Emma Corrin on “The Crown” | Photo: Des Willie
Omari Hardwick on “Power” | Photo: Cara Howe
Viola Davis in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” | Photo: David Lee
Tahar Rahim in “The Mauritanian” | Photo: Courtesy STXfilms
6 Outstanding Performance by a
18 Outstanding Performance by a
Female Actor in a Drama Series
Female Actor in a Leading Role
12 Outstanding Performance by a Male
26 Outstanding Performance by a Male
Actor in a Drama Series
Actor in a Leading Role
Jack Smart Awards Editor
Cover designed by Ian Robinson.
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Congratulations on being selected as a Screen Actors Guild Awards nominator. Of the approximately 160,000 active members in SAG-AFTRA, you’re one of a committee of only 2,500, either for film or television. According to the SAG Awards’ official website (this awards editor’s second-favorite site on the internet, after backstage.com), “Committees are selected by a random computer-generated lottery drawing of active, paid-up members,” and you won’t be eligible to be appointed again for eight years. So I hope you’re savoring the moment— and aren’t too overwhelmed by the task before you! On the one hand, nominating the year’s worthiest actors means having the privilege of accessing the most-talkedabout screen projects released between Jan. 1, 2020, and Feb. 28, 2021, which, during the pandemic, you can watch from the comfort and safety of your home. On the other hand, there is an expectation that nominators will be well-informed and will consider as many performances as possible. That’s no small feat, particularly for TV committee nominators in this golden age of the small screen; around 500 scripted series aired in 2020, and they’re all eligible for your guild’s honors. That’s where Backstage comes in. What we have for you, in these special issues of our magazine delivered to Nominating Committee members throughout January, is a guide to that treasure trove of content. You’re not the only ones keeping up with the year’s buzziest film and TV acting; the Backstage editorial team has been working (from home since March!) to see the output of and provide coverage for today’s most talented filmmakers, artisans, and stars. We’re as knowledgeable about great onscreen performances as we are enthusiastic about highlighting them. Starting with dramatic TV performances and leading film performances in this first of four special mailers, Backstage is presenting the strongest contenders in each SAG Awards acting category. Use our curated lists as a refresher on the year’s early contenders, a reminder to watch those that have yet to premiere, and an opportunity to champion more unfamiliar work. The latter is what I personally hope these issues provide; serving on this committee is a chance to stray off the beaten path of favorites and light the way for all SAG Awards voters. Whether it’s in a drama, comedy, sci-fi, or period piece, and whether it’s big and loud or small and subtle, great acting is great acting. And come Feb. 4, you get to point your fellow artists toward its best examples. Choose well! Happy nominating,
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FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN ALL CATEGORIES INCLUDING
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES
“THE CAST IS UNIFORMLY OUTSTANDING.” The New York Times
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Individuals in Film Television The time has come for Screen Actors Guild Awards nominators to consider the best on-camera work of the year. Ahead of the nominations announcement on Feb. 4, here are the top TV drama and leading film performances for your consideration!
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
GILLIAN ANDERSON, “The Crown” Anderson is virtually unrecognizable in her turn as Margaret Thatcher, which isn’t just remarkable for its contrast to any of her prior performances (including a steely sex therapist on “Sex Education”). As England’s first
female prime minister and this season’s foil to Olivia Colman’s Queen Elizabeth II, she introduces the most captivating politician-sovereign dynamic on “The Crown” to date. In all its restrained fury, their faceoff over the Commonwealth is a master class in quiet intensity.
America, Balfe’s Claire Randall remains one of TV’s most fascinating figures. There’s a reason the fan base of this Starz series remains so devotedly obsessed with her various romances and machinations— no one else can express yearning quite so exquisitely. We need more shows incorporating the female gaze and more leading actors like Balfe, who know instinctively how to level it.
CAITRIONA BALFE, “Outlander” Jumping back and forth in time from Scotland to France to
CHRISTINE BARANSKI, “The Good Fight” Diane Lockhart, everyone’s favorite chunky-necklacewearing power attorney, continues to slay in and out of the courtroom; and the diva playing her proves increasingly unafraid of pushing the character’s flaws to the forefront. For kick-ass feminist inspiration or tips on how to deliver a speech that will flatten any scene partner, visit literally any moment of Baranski’s fabulous
Caitriona Balfe on “Outlander” | Photo: Aimee Spinks
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performance on the CBS All Access hit. HELENA BONHAM CARTER, “The Crown” As Princess Margaret, Bonham Carter reminds us of her preternatural charm while also letting us see her sense of neglect, as she stands forever in the shadow of the monarchy’s power. Her immense love for her sister always shines through, with Bonham Carter maintaining her humanity (and humor) throughout, avoiding melodrama and unveiling layers of compassion. AYA CASH, “The Boys” Superhero may be a novel role in Cash’s oeuvre, but a firm grasp on character is one of her trademarks. Joining the robust ensemble of Eric Kripke’s hit drama on Season 2, she gives an unforgettable performance as the straight-talking Stormfront, stepping into the suit of the “super” without altering her appearance—yet still making
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FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN ALL CATEGORIES INCLUDING
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES
“POWER GARNERED BIG AUDIENCES BECAUSE… IT CARRIED LOTS OF FINE PERFORMANCES… THAT TREND CONTINUES WITH THE FIRST SEQUEL” Decider
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Television Individuals in Film
Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer on “Killing Eve” | Photo: Laura Radford/BBC America/Sid Gentle
you wonder how she disappears into every role. OLIVIA COLMAN, “The Crown” Colman excels at capturing Queen Elizabeth II’s stillness and composure down to the smallest gesture on Season 4 of Peter Morgan’s royal drama, set in the Buckingham Palace of the 1980s. Case in point: her vividly rendered conversation with Tom Brooke’s Michael Fagan, the working-class man who breaks into the queen’s bedroom to list his grievances. Colman’s silences express as much as a monologue. JODIE COMER, “Killing Eve” Villanelle kills people. She’s good at it. She’s gorgeous. She’s completely heartless. (Or is she?) This jet-setting assassin challenges our every preconception of psychopaths; she’s a character who both
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inflicts her deeply buried suffering on others and yearns for the unexpected. As portrayed by Comer in one of today’s gutsiest small-screen performances, Villanelle subverts our expectations at every twist and turn.
audiences on the edge of their seats in its final season, “Homeland” provided a fittingly explosive ending to the story of Danes’ Carrie Mathison, Mandy Patinkin’s Saul Berenson, and their world of international espionage and thrills. Having found ways to credibly illustrate the extremes of Carrie’s bipolar disorder across eight seasons, Danes deserves every acting trophy there is.
EMMA CORRIN, “The Crown” Stepping into an onscreen character who received almost as much scrutiny as her real-life counterpart, Corrin successfully captures something essential about Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales: her way of drawing you in and demanding you watch her. Between the spot-on makeup, hair, and wardrobe work and those eyes, conveying sorrow and shyness, Corrin pulls off the difficult task of stealing this show.
VIOLA DAVIS, “How to Get Away With Murder” Right up to the series finale, Davis sank her teeth into the role of treacherous defense attorney Annalise Keating, carrying a show full of murderous twists cheesy enough to make you swear off lactose. In her Emmy- and SAGwinning performance, Davis portrayed a diva for the ages, as brash and ballsy an antihero as any of her white, male TV
CLAIRE DANES, “Homeland” Still finding ways to keep
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counterparts. We wish there were more characters—and performances—like hers. CYNTHIA ERIVO, “The Outsider” Erivo does the best work of her career (which, given her recent rise to superstardom, is saying something) as the meticulously odd Holly Gibney on this chilling Stephen King mystery series. Combining a clipped, clear delivery with an efficient sense of movement, Erivo’s physical embodiment of the investigator transcends a simple diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder or savant syndrome; Erivo also gives the character an all-toobreakable heart. JULIA GARNER, “Ozark” Season 3 of Netflix’s “Ozark” finds ample opportunity to explore its morally bankrupt core cast of characters, giving
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FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN ALL CATEGORIES INCLUDING
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES
“SOME OF THE MOST HEARTWRENCHING VISUALS AND POWERFUL PERFORMANCES OF THE SERIES TO DATE” SYFY Wire
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Television Individuals in Film
an actor of Garner’s wondrous skill level the juicy material she deserves. Her twice-Emmywinning Ruth Langmore is a survivor who’s prone to making dangerously criminal decisions, but there are always rational reasons behind them—even if Garner makes us guess what they are. LAURA LINNEY, “Ozark” Linney’s Wendy Byrde has gone from dissatisfied suburban housewife to money-laundering mastermind, and that sinister smile of hers proves she’s in her element at last. On Season 3 of this increasingly dark Netflix drama, the Emmy- and SAG Award–winning Linney excels at guiding us through everything on Wendy’s map: messiness, vulnerability, shrewdness, and, ultimately, devastating guilt. TATIANA MASLANY, “Perry Mason” As Sister Alice McKeegan on this hit HBO reboot, Maslany proves utterly captivating. Whether she’s sermonizing to the Radiant Assembly of God with terrifying grandiosity or discussing loneliness quietly on a beach, it’s impossible to look away. The Emmy winner
makes it easy to see why such a preacher would amass a cult following; who wouldn’t follow Maslany anywhere after this performance? SIMONE MISSICK, “All Rise” What makes Judge Lola Carmichael such a wonderful presence on network TV is her relatability; thanks to the versatile Missick, the character can both be taken seriously and appreciated as a bit of a goofball. Leading the (COVID-19 safety–compliant!) courtroom workplace drama as a likable, flawed, modernday woman, Missick shines, particularly whenever Lola’s progressive ideals are at odds with the all-too-real American justice system. MANDY MOORE, “This Is Us” So effortlessly charming and natural is Moore as matriarch Rebecca Pearson that it has become one of those longrunning TV performances whose subtlety could be taken for granted. The actor’s awards recognition is overdue partly because of the ease with which she plays multiple ages—more than any actor on the show must—and her ability to find where “loving”
Simone Missick on “All Rise” | Photo: Erik Voake and “overbearing” overlap in motherhood. THANDIE NEWTON, “Westworld” Newton has long showcased killer acting chops across film and TV, but she brilliantly bests herself again and again as fabulous super-host Maeve Millay on “Westworld.” Her progression from controlled to controller over the course of three tumultuous seasons, armed with a scornful smirk and a katana, makes for one of the sci-fi series’ most consistently satisfying arcs.
Tatiana Maslany on “Perry Mason” Photo: Merrick Morton/HBO
SANDRA OH, “Killing Eve” The four-time SAG Award– winning Oh’s critically hailed turn as the titular Eve Polastri reminds us why she’s so compelling to watch. We follow Eve’s ascent from disillusioned government employee to insatiable MI6 agent on the hunt, but her complicated relationship with Jodie Comer’s Villanelle is what makes this cat-and-mouse story anything but predictable. Oh’s Season 3 performance made us want to savor each and every suspenseful moment.
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SARAH PAULSON, “Ratched” Paulson instantly makes the iconic “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” character Nurse Mildred Ratched her own, then develops her with incredible care. A highlight of the season is Mildred’s relationship with Cynthia Nixon’s Gwendolyn Briggs, thanks to the heart and vulnerability Paulson brings to the (oyster) table. Only a star with her level of nuance and commitment could give a classic cinematic villain such humanity. JURNEE SMOLLETT, “Lovecraft Country” Smollett’s Letitia “Leti” Lewis suffers no fools, moving into a white Chicago neighborhood and fighting both supernatural forces and all-too-real racists without once wrinkling her fabulous frocks. Throughout Misha Green’s ambitious reframing of H. P. Lovecraft’s horror narratives within Black American stories, Smollett both has a blast and showcases Leti’s vulnerability, reminding us of the story’s emotional stakes. HILARY SWANK, “Away” “Away” juggles two compelling focal points: the science behind
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“TO M H A N KS I S M AG N I F I C E N T. H E E M B O D I E S T H E ST R E N GT H A N D W I S D O M O F A G R E AT A M E R I C A N O N P E R H A P S A F I N A L M I SS I O N.” – D E A D L I N E
O U T S TA N D I N G P E R F O R M A N C E B Y A C A S T I N A M OT I O N P I C T U R E TO M H A N K S • H E L E N A Z E N G E L • M I C H A E L A N G E LO COV I N O • R AY M c K I N N O N M A R E W I N N I N G H A M • E L I Z A B E T H M A RV E L • F R E D H E C H I N G E R • B I L L C A M P
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H A N K S
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“HELENA ZENGEL IS RIVETING;
RAW AND VULNERABLE BUT WITH SURPRISING STRENGTH AS SHE REVISITS THE TRAUMA OF HER PAST.” – T H E
H O L LY W O O D
R E P O R T E R
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drama as well as he can comedy; but his performance as Marty Byrde, a financial adviser whose idyllic family life turns into a money-laundering nightmare, was worth the wait. That classic Bateman dryness provides the perfect foil for the unsettling world of “Ozark,” where middle-class banality becomes menacing.
Individuals in Film
STERLING K. BROWN, “This Is Us” Playing the multifaceted Randall Pearson means that four-time SAG Award winner Brown gets to preach the truth, have mental breakdowns, and occasionally throw out solid one-liners that reveal his superb comedic timing. He’s created one of the most enthralling characters in TV drama. Throw in his comedy chops on “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and his domination of the small screen is complete.
Sterling K. Brown and Susan Kelechi Watson on “This Is Us” | Photo: Ron Batzdorff/NBC the first crewed expedition to Mars, and the very human struggles of both the crew and those they’ve left behind on Earth. Playing the commander of this NASA mission, Swank handles both as only a star of her caliber can, taking us into the dazzling stratosphere while never failing to ground the storytelling emotionally. SUSAN KELECHI WATSON, “This Is Us” Beth Pearson has become the glue that holds this series’ beloved, multigenerational family together. Her growing nuance, five seasons in, surely has everything to do with Watson’s work on the hit network drama. She is funny, warm, fierce, and restrained in her every scene, especially opposite Sterling K. Brown; the duo may be TV’s most realistic and relatable couple. RUTH WILSON, “His Dark Materials” The visual feast and highflying thrills on this TV adaptation of Philip Pullman’s much-loved novels wouldn’t dazzle as effectively without a cast dedicated to showcasing
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KEVIN COSTNER, “Yellowstone” The character of ranch owner John Dutton manages to encompass everything we love about Costner: He plays tough yet kindhearted, bringing nuanced depth and sheer entertainment value to the screen in equal measure. As John, the actor straddles the genres of twisty family drama and old-fashioned Western perfectly, fighting for his way of life with a righteousness that always feels earned. JOHN CUSACK, “Utopia” Cusack playing the supervillain at the center of a global conspiracy theory-turnedreality isn’t exactly familiar territory, considering his onscreen reputation as a lovable everyman. But on Gillian Flynn’s Amazon sci-fi venture “Utopia,” it’s precisely this dichotomy that makes the big
Jason Bateman on “Ozark” | Photo: Guy D’Alema/Netflix
true humanity amid the fantasy. Young star Dafne Keen, James McAvoy, and Lin-Manuel Miranda shine; but it’s Wilson who impresses most as the glamorous, nefarious Mrs. Coulter. Underneath the character’s wicked impulses lays, as we see in glimpses, true masochism. EVAN RACHEL WOOD, “Westworld” Wood has referred to working on this drama as the “acting Olympics.” After watching her as the fierce Dolores Abernathy across three seasons, her awards recognition is especially merited. Keeping track of her character’s mindboggling layers is enough to make you short-circuit. As Dolores becomes bent on revenge—possibly against all of humanity—on Season 3, Wood blends cool rage with an alluring sense of mystery.
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series JASON BATEMAN, “Ozark” It may have taken Bateman most of his acting career to prove he can play (and direct)
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“THE INVISIBLE MAN OWES ITS POWER TO THE
UNCOMMON TALENT AND INGENUITY OF ELISABETH MOSS. SHE DELIVERS AN ELECTRIFYING PERFORMANCE AS A WOMAN PUSHED TO THE EDGE. SHE DIGS SO DEEPLY INTO THE HUMAN CONDITION THAT HER RAW-NERVED PORTRAYAL BURSTS THE BOUNDS OF THE HORROR GENRE.”
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
ELISABETH MOSS
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
STORM REID • HARRIET DYER
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
ALDIS HODGE • MICHAEL DORMAN • OLIVER JACKSON-COHEN OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE
ELISABETH MOSS • ALDIS HODGE • STORM REID HARRIET DYER • MICHAEL DORMAN • OLIVER JACKSON-COHEN
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Television Individuals in Film
reveal so damn surprising—and satisfying. In Cusack’s hands, pharmaceutical mogul Kevin Christie vacillates between tortured genius facing an impossible choice and supremely chilling sociopath. DAVEED DIGGS, “Snowpiercer” Diggs is masterful at conveying righteous indignation. As Andre Layton, a detective and budding revolutionary aboard this series’ titular train circling the frozen wasteland that Earth has become in the (not-sodistant) future, Diggs hints at a growing rebellion while maintaining a cool, curious exterior. There’s something so compelling about his voice, as if every word he utters has a hidden meaning. GIANCARLO ESPOSITO, “Better Call Saul” Esposito brings such delicious menace to the camera frame that it often feels like it can’t contain his power (see also this year: “The Boys” and “The Mandalorian”). Part of what makes drug lord Gus Fring on AMC’s “Breaking Bad” prequel so complex—and so terrifying—is that he’s unafraid to get his hands dirty and effortlessly commit violent acts. In fact, it seems like he’s not afraid, period. PAUL GIAMATTI, “Billions” A four-time SAG Award– winning powerhouse, only Giamatti could have tackled
Diego Luna on “Narcos: Mexico” | Photo: Courtesy Netflix the role of Chuck Rhoades, the viciously sharp New York attorney embroiled in a battle of wills opposite Damian Lewis’ scheming hedge fund manager. As he skirts the limits of the law for what he calls “the greater good,” we can’t help but root for Chuck, even as his tenuous claims to heroism start to crumble beneath his feet.
pulls every emotion to the fore, and Hardwick has carried that torch as the centerpiece of Starz’s ratings powerhouse. As James “Ghost” St. Patrick, Hardwick stays soft-bellied enough to keep us in his pocket; yet on the show’s final season, he remains a genuinely terrifying crime lord. FREDDIE HIGHMORE, “The Good Doctor” What makes “The Good Doctor” stand out isn’t just its refreshingly character-focused approach to the medical drama genre—it’s the sheer power of Highmore’s portrayal of autism and savant syndrome. He leads one of ABC’s most fascinating procedurals like the doctor he plays: reliably, with a sure hand. We’re betting this rising Hollywood star will only continue to ascend.
OMARI HARDWICK, “Power” Great stories speak to character evolution; in turn, great acting
Daveed Diggs on “Snowpiercer” | Photo: Justina Mintz
DIEGO LUNA, “Narcos: Mexico” Amid the edge-of-your-seat action on Netflix’s companion series to “Narcos,” which shifts from Colombia to the all-too-real drug wars of Mexico, Luna emerges as the
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most intensely menacing, yet least ruffled, cast member. As cartel founder Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, he’s suave and businesslike, a demeanor at odds with the surrounding chaos that the actor never lets us forget he’s orchestrating. JONATHAN MAJORS, “Lovecraft Country” Majors immediately establishes Atticus “Tic” Freeman as this horror extravaganza’s hero with a good heart, determined to protect his family from sinister occult forces and racist 1950s policemen alike. In addition to a sense of swashbuckling adventure, Majors brings dramatic heft to episode after episode, handling extreme scenarios (he’s constantly fighting back tears, covered in blood, or both) with ease. BEN MENDELSOHN, “The Outsider” From this series’ first stomachturning revelation, there’s a palpable sense that something is rotten in Stephen King’s Cherokee City. Portraying first a staunch denial of the supernatural, then a dawning
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BEST PICTURE OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE LAKEITH STANFIELD
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE DANIEL KALUUYA LAKEITH STANFIELD OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY JESSE PLEMONS A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE DOMINIQUE FISHBACK ASHTON SANDERS DANIEL KALUUYA ALGEE SMITH JESSE PLEMONS DARRELL BRITT-GIBSON OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY LIL REL HOWERY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE DOMINIQUE THORNE MARTIN SHEEN DOMINIQUE FISHBACK
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
W W W. W B AWA R D S . C OM
Television Individuals in Film
Timothy Busfield, Heather Simms, and Nicholas Pinnock on “For Life” | Photo: ABC/Giovanni Rufino
realization that he must overcome inner and outer demons, Mendelsohn’s Detective Ralph Anderson is his most magnetic character to date. He proves that refusing to give in to emotion can sometimes be more effective than showing it. TOBIAS MENZIES, “The Crown” Menzies’ role on “The Crown” somewhat parallels that of his real-life counterpart, Prince Philip. As he states matter-offactly in the season finale, all Elizabeth II’s family members must do is define themselves in relation to her. The same could be said of supporting cast members like Menzies, who elicits sympathy for a character who never seems content with the privilege he possesses. JOSH O’CONNOR, “The Crown” Alongside a cast of actors who feel more like magicians thanks to their flesh-and-blood
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REGÉ-JEAN PAGE, “Bridgerton” To call Shondaland’s first Netflix series buzzy would be the understatement of the season. This tale of 19th-century high British society—think Jane Austen meets “Gossip Girl”—features the most charismatic of casts. Most dashing of all is leading man Page as Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, who is uninterested in noble titles yet poised to give Regency London gossips plenty to talk about.
portrayals of public figures from increasingly recent history, O’Connor excels at both rendering a convincing impression of Prince Charles and putting his own spin on it. His tormented love triangle with Emma Corrin’s Diana Spencer and Emerald Fennell’s Camilla Parker Bowles feels, somehow, like an authentic recreation of actual events rather than scripted moments. BOB ODENKIRK, “Better Call Saul” As this riveting spinoff delves deeper into the thorny morality of ambition and survival, Odenkirk continues to show us streaks of the “Bad” habits that built his character’s rascally reputation. Even with the knowledge of that final meth-charged outcome in the back of our minds, Odenkirk gives an increasingly refined performance, adding new layers to the dodgy lawyer’s present tense.
TOM PELPHREY, “Ozark” Pelphrey is proof that a great actor can be considered a scene stealer without diverting attention away from a story’s main characters. Making a memorable debut on “Ozark” Season 3 as Ben Davis, Wendy’s (Laura Linney) brother who is struggling with bipolar disorder, Pelphrey takes your breath away with his naked vulnerability and believable emotional extremes.
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It’s a jaw-dropping performance in a series full of them. NICHOLAS PINNOCK, “For Life” Pinnock brings his full humanity—his voice, his beating heart, his innermost thoughts—to this illustration of the deep flaws embedded in the American justice system. As Aaron Wallace, a wrongfully convicted prisoner-turnedlawyer, he keeps things on an even keel most of the time, only revealing the heartbreaking effects of his unjust imprisonment in stunning flashes. Pinnock’s performance is hard to watch, yet he dares you not to look away. MATTHEW RHYS, “Perry Mason” If Rhys’ work on “The Americans” posited that he’s one of our best dramatic actors, “Perry Mason” cemented the theory. Rhys takes on the show’s titular investigator with
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Patrick Stewart and Isa Briones on “Star Trek: Picard” | Photo: Trae Patton/CBS
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DAVID THEWLIS, “Barkskins” Thewlis has been exploring his dark side lately, and audiences are all the richer for it. Having recently played repulsive on “Fargo” and unsettling in “I’m Thinking of Ending Things,” he blends eccentricity and detachment in the role of New France colonist Claude Trepagny on Elwood Reid’s National Geographic saga. Strange as his performance is, it’s right at home in this dangerous, forested world of possibilities.
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ease, creating his own gritty version of the TV icon while sidestepping genre cliches. The Emmy winner balances that grit with vulnerability and restrained emotion, effortlessly embodying a character who is thrilling to watch. MICHAEL SHEEN, “Prodigal Son” Amid a recent surge of interest in the psychology of murderous criminals, Sheen seems conscious of the need to offer a new perspective on an overplayed trope. He brings equal parts compassion and horror to the role of serial killer Dr. Martin Whitly, aka “The Surgeon,” on this Fox hit. Sheen personifies both a deranged killer and a repentant father. PATRICK STEWART, “Star Trek: Picard” Are Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s biggest adventures truly behind him? That’s the question at the center of this CBS All Access hit, which restores a “Star Trek” icon to the small screen. Fitting right back into the role and playing everything from drama to comedy to action, Stewart as Picard ably puts together a new
Radha Blank in “The Forty-Year-Old Version” Photo: Jeong Park/Netflix
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team of adventurers despite their lack of history. It’s exciting to see the actor take this iconic character to places where he hasn’t gone before.
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AMY ADAMS, “Hillbilly Elegy” Playing chain-smoking Appalachian heroin addict Bev Vance, Adams swivels from raw vulnerability to shaking ferocity on a dime in this Netflix original from director Ron Howard. She brings her character’s narcissism and keen desperation to the screen as only she can. It’s like the actor is digging into every nook and cranny of her own soul to produce this aching portrait of someone who has been robbed by circumstance. RADHA BLANK, “The Forty-Year-Old Version” Feature directorial debuts don’t get more thrilling than Blank’s semi-autobiographical, painfully hilarious cinematic outing, filmed in gorgeous black and white. As struggling New York City playwright Radha, aka burgeoning rapper RadhaMUS Prime, the writerdirector-producer backs up her incisive depiction of art versus commerce with comedic bona fides. Give her awards just for the final freestyle—and mic drop—that gives this film its triumphant conclusion. RACHEL BROSNAHAN, “I’m Your Woman” Set in the 1970s and inspired by dark crime epics from that era,
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Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Andra Day in “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” | Photo: Takashi Seida Julia Hart’s housewife-on-therun thriller makes us wonder what other narratives could benefit from a feminine spin. Brosnahan’s portrayal of Jean, who evolves from helpless to headstrong amid her husband’s world of shady dealings and mob bosses, stands as proof that women can lead any film genre. It’s also proof that Brosnahan can do it all. CARRIE COON, “The Nest” If there is anything on earth better than Coon delivering devastating drama, it’s Coon delivering devastating drama while sobbing over a horse. Which is to say, she is at the height of her considerable acting powers in “The Nest,” Sean Durkin’s tale of transatlantic class anxiety that allows Coon to run the gamut from exquisite restraint to allout mania. VIOLA DAVIS, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” What’s the best part of Davis’ performance as the titular crooner in her latest August
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Wilson adaptation? Is it her husky voice, her swiveling hips, or the fire in her eyes? The five-time SAG Award winner uses her bone-deep physical performance to convey the rich interiority of the real-life Ma Rainey, Mother of the Blues and sufferer of no fools.
mostly for her work onstage in her native Ireland, the actor lights up the screen even in her character Sandra’s most despondent moments; the more the world stands in her way, the more we root for her to truly find herself. SIDNEY FLANIGAN, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” Less is often more when it comes to acting, especially when playing a quiet teenager on an arduous mission to get an abortion. Flanigan reveals next to none of Autumn’s thoughts or emotions—until the scene in which the film title’s meaning is revealed, and she opens the floodgates. It may be the most devastating onscreen moment of the year.
ANDRA DAY, “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” The task facing Day in Lee Daniels’ ode to one of America’s most iconic singers would intimidate any star, let alone a first-time actor: She must recreate Billie Holliday’s oneof-a-kind stage presence and remind us that she was both an unsung civil rights hero and a flawed human being. Watching Day rise to the occasion with such a technically and emotionally calibrated execution is a treat.
that Garner can relay so much while saying so little makes her performance in the title role opposite a Harvey Weinstein– esque producer all the more impressive—and eerily, painfully realistic. YERI HAN, “Minari” The best depictions of rage are the least obvious. As Monica, a Korean-American matriarch who’s resistant to her husband’s dream of farming in a small
Yeri Han in “Minari” | Photo: Josh Ethan Johnson/A24 Films
JULIA GARNER, “The Assistant” In a stark departure from her Emmy-winning work as the fast-talking Ruth on “Ozark,” Garner barely speaks in “The Assistant,” Kitty Green’s subtle and devastating depiction of workplace abuse. The fact
CLARE DUNNE, “Herself” Dunne will break your heart in this story of a single mother building her daughters a house, which she co-wrote with Malcolm Campbell. Known
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Arkansas town, Han runs the gamut of actorly emotions: grim desperation, tentative hope, and maternal warmth. But bubbling under it all, like the water beneath the family’s ill-fated farm, is an outrage that makes this one of the year’s most riveting turns. RASHIDA JONES, “On the Rocks” Jones proves a perfect fit for Sofia Coppola’s directorial style, which centers nuanced, naturalistic performances that audiences can instinctively relate to. As Laura, Jones’ comic timing remains, yet is admirably restrained; concern for her marriage guides her actions, but never overtly so. Most of all, Jones generates effortless chemistry with Bill Murray as her father, Felix, conveying a lifetime of unspoken resentments—and, ultimately, real love. VANESSA KIRBY, “Pieces of a Woman” If you didn’t know Kirby’s name before, you will after this awards season thanks to her stunning, wrenching, beautiful work in Netflix’s “Pieces of a Woman,” which sees the Emmy nominee (for “The Crown”) working through the aftermath of losing a baby in agonizing emotional detail. It’s the kind of role that requires so much of an actor that it boggles the mind.
holder for most SAG Award wins, turns this depiction of a family traumatized by an avalanche into an opportunity to use all of her actorly tricks. She mutters under her breath, builds rage that’s both believable and hilarious, and portrays silent moments so precisely that they speak volumes. As her character Billie’s marriage to Will Ferrell’s Pete shatters like thin ice, the comedic maestro plays every emotion along the spectrum between shock and despair.
of her powers, finessing every onscreen moment. CRISTIN MILIOTI, “Palm Springs” Sarah, the sister of a hipster bride who gets caught in an infinite time loop, is, on paper, a fun character for any actor to play. But it takes someone like Milioti—probably only Milioti, with her cartoonishly darting eyes and bone-deep cynicism— to give the character both laugh-out-loud spontaneity and also pathos in this unlikely love story opposite Andy Samberg’s Nyles. It’s hard to imagine anyone more perfect for the role.
FRANCES MCDORMAND, “Nomadland” Calling McDormand’s “Nomadland” performance her most understated one yet feels redundant, given the documentary-like quality of Chloé Zhao’s study of vandwelling nomads. It’s like the actor lived for months as the determinedly grieving Fern, and Zhao’s camera simply captured her everyday movements. But make no mistake: The fourtime SAG Award–winning McDormand is at the height
SIENNA MILLER, “Wander Darkly” Miller gives a quite literally dizzying performance in “Wander Darkly,” disorienting both herself and the audience. Playing the concussed Adrienne, who may, in fact, be dead, the actor takes us directly inside her character’s mesmerizing journey through the highest highs and lowest lows with Diego Luna’s Matteo,
the love of her life. It easily ranks among the best work of Miller’s career. ELISABETH MOSS, “The Invisible Man” The “unhinged woman” archetype that Moss has honed across her recent roles comes to fruition in this hit horror reboot. As the abused ex-lover of a wealthy scientist whose bodysuit renders him invisible, Moss moves throug the action like a balled-up fist—tense and ready to strike—as she tries
Frances McDormand in “Nomadland” Photo: Courtesy Searchlight Pictures
Sophia Loren and Iosif Diego Pirvu in “The Life Ahead” | Photo: Courtesy Netflix
SOPHIA LOREN, “The Life Ahead” Some actors are so charismatic and so naturally skilled at illuminating the screen that they remind us where the term “star” originates. Throughout her long and prosperous film career, Loren has existed as a celestial being, bringing life to characters both glamorous and ordinary. As Holocaust survivor Madame Rosa in “The Life Ahead,” she’s both; regarding 12-year-old street kid Momo (Ibrahima Gueye), her eyes convey both weariness and inner fire. JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS, “Downhill” Louis-Dreyfus, the record
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FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FROM “ANTHONY HOPKINS IS UNFORGETTABLE. A TOWERING PIECE OF ACTING THAT IS AS PRECISE AND EXACTING AS IT IS ENVELOPING.” -Richard Lawson, VANITY FAIR
“OLIVIA COLMAN GIVES AN AFFECTING AND TENDER PERFORMANCE.” -Kevin Fallon, DAILY BEAST
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“MICHELLE PFEIFFER DELIVERS A ROLE FOR WHICH SHE’LL BE REMEMBERED.” -Peter Debruge, VARIETY
“PFEIFFER AND HEDGES SHINE TOGETHER. WITH ITS ELEGANCE, QUIRKINESS, AND SARDONIC HUMOR, THIS HAPPENS TO BE A BEAUTIFUL LOVE STORY BETWEEN MOTHER AND SON THAT FIND EACH OTHER AND NEVER LET GO.” -Alessandra Rangel, IN SESSION FILM.COM
“VALERIE MAHAFFEY NEARLY STEALS THE FILM AND GETS HERSELF A BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS SLOT ALMOST EFFORTLESSLY.” -Roger Friedman, SHOWBIZ 411
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and ditching Manhattan for Paris is so flawless and fun that it makes us feel like the Pfeiffer we know and love never really left the screen. It’s the kind of performance that serves up a delicious three-course-meal of acerbic acting.
Eva Noblezada in “Yellow Rose” | Photo: Courtesy Stage 6 Films
to convince everyone of her sanity. We watch with bated breath until she finally lets herself unclench. CAREY MULLIGAN, “Promising Young Woman” Mulligan’s turn as Cassandra Thomas in “Promising Young Woman” is like the film itself: Don’t let her character’s sunny styling and California surroundings fool you. Her measured portrayal of a woman on a mission—revealed gradually by writer-director Emerald Fennell—surprises until the very last moment. If the sinister way Cassandra toys with handsy men weren’t so delightfully thrilling, it would be terrifying.
MICHELLE PFEIFFER, “French Exit” Pfeiffer’s performance in “French Exit” is a long-awaited return to form for the threetime Oscar nominee. Her rendering of a washed-up socialite filing for bankruptcy
MARGOT ROBBIE, “Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn” Robbie’s winning Harley Quinn is the glue that holds this rambunctious, campy, female-led vehicle together. Could anyone else make a sociopath this charming? Her take is a welcome departure from the tried-and-true DC superhero movie formula; Harley’s rapturous ode to a bacon-egg-and-cheese breakfast sandwich is more emotive than the entirety of most “Batman” movies. MERYL STREEP, “The Prom” We’ve seen Streep have her share of movie-musical fun before, but never quite on this level. As weathered Broadway diva and coastal elite Dee Dee
Allen in Ryan Murphy’s stageto-screen adaptation of “The Prom,” she takes no prisoners. Her rendition of “It’s Not About Me” is a musically astounding showstopper performed the way that only Streep can: flawlessly. ANYA TAYLOR-JOY, “Emma.” Taylor-Joy’s stellar performance on “The Queen’s Gambit” may be one of the year’s highlights, but her turn as this classic literary heroine should not be overlooked. Witty, flirty, clever, and scene-stealing are just a few descriptors of her take on a character who could easily skew toward petulant and nosy. She shoulders the titular role with such ease that you may even wish Jane Austen had written a sequel. CHARLIZE THERON, “The Old Guard” Theron has officially entered the action hero phase of her career, and unlike many (male) stars who’ve done the same, she’s not selling out for cheap thrills. Gina PrinceBythewood and Greg Rucka’s pulse-pounding drama about
Kiki Layne and Charlize Theron in “The Old Guard” | Photo: Aimee Spinks/Netflix
EVA NOBLEZADA, “Yellow Rose” Noblezada wears her heart on her sleeve in Diane Paragas’ searing ode to—and diatribe against—the American dream. As Rose Garcia, a Texas teen and aspiring songwriter whose mother (Princess Punzalan) is deported back to the Philippines, she channels that heart into country music. Broadway audiences have heard firsthand how the actor infuses her every note with palpable emotion; that skill is no less felt onscreen.
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a team of immortal warriors is the latest example of not only Theron’s badass bona fides, but also her determination to infuse what could be two-dimensional superhero fare with threedimensional nuance. KATE WINSLET, “Ammonite” Winslet plays Mary Anning, England’s famously self-taught paleontologist, in this tale of romance—first resolutely repressed, then explosively passionate—opposite another woman, played by Saoirse Ronan. Scouring the frigid coastline of Lyme Regis for washed-up fossils, brow furrowed in distinctly Winsletian fashion, the three-time SAG Award winner reminds us of the nearly endless depths of meaning that a microexpression can bring to the camera lens.
ROBIN WRIGHT, “Land” For such a quiet film, “Land” sure packs a punch. You can feel Wright’s passion in every frame—and not just in her capacity as a first-time feature director. We’ve never seen the veteran actor mine the depths of a lost soul quite like she does as Edee Mathis, a bereaved mother and wife who escapes to the Rocky Mountains to live off the grid. ZENDAYA, “Malcolm & Marie” Fresh off a historic Emmy win, this young star is the talk of Hollywood. Fittingly, Zendaya’s follow-up to teen series “Euphoria” pairs her again with writer-director Sam Levinson. “Malcolm & Marie,” his two-hander romantic drama filmed under COVID-19–safe conditions, showcases the actor’s ability to share intimacy
Robin Wright in “Land” | Photo: Daniel Power/Focus Features
Kingsley Ben-Adir in “One Night in Miami” Photo: Patti Perret/Amazon Studios
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onscreen—or suddenly withdraw it, as she does to gutwrenching effect in this film.
look at life as a newly deaf person transitioning out of a hearing world.
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
BEN AFFLECK, “The Way Back” Reminding us he has the chops to play heavy, nuanced material, Affleck gives his all to this sports drama and character study on addiction. As an alcoholic construction worker tasked with coaching his alma mater’s high school basketball team, Affleck conveys the extremes of a man struggling toward recovery—haggard helplessness, all-encompassing self-hatred, and hope—without steering into melodrama.
SACHA BARON COHEN, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” Baron Cohen reprises his iconic, moronic Kazakh journalist with renewed verve 14 years after “Borat” upended mockumentary filmmaking. He’s already proven there’s little he won’t do for a bit; but in an election year, the actor outdoes himself—as Rudy Giuliani can attest. Baron Cohen is a master of improvisation designed to suss out what’s driving his scene partners’ deepest impulses, whether they’ve been knowingly cast or not. Isn’t that the definition of great acting?
RIZ AHMED, “Sound of Metal” As Ruben, a heavy metal drummer and recovering addict who discovers that he’s going deaf, Ahmed paints a devastating portrait of dependency in all its forms. Brilliantly underscored by the film’s sound design, his choice notes of wide-eyed fear or quiet discontent at a loud party provide a visceral, tragic
KINGSLEY BEN-ADIR, “One Night in Miami” Ben-Adir is utterly unforgettable playing two major historical figures this year: President Barack Obama on Showtime’s “The Comey Rule” and Malcolm X in Regina King’s feature directorial debut, “One Night in Miami.” The actor deserves all the buzz he’s earned for the latter, in which he brings newly
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Colin Firth, “Supernova” When Stanley Tucci’s Tusker tells his devoted life partner Sam, as played by Firth, “You just sit there doing nothing, propping up the entire world,” it’s a description you feel in your bones. On a road trip with Tusker, watching helplessly as the man he loves slips into early onset dementia, Sam must traverse every extreme—embarrassment, fury, adoration—as they face this new chapter in their life together. Firth lets us experience those feelings firsthand. TOM HANKS, “News of the World” Traveling from town to town reading newspaper stories in the years after the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd genuinely believes in collective humanity more than antebellum Southern values. Only an actor with Hanks’ charismatic power could convince us of such repentance. He’s also wondrous at conveying this widower’s resistance to grief; Hanks suggests that it’s not only the
Chadwick Boseman in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” | Photo: David Lee/Netflix
excavated vulnerability to a man who’s otherwise been known as the lacerating demagogue of the civil rights movement. CHADWICK BOSEMAN, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” There’s a raw wound underneath the suave, cocky demeanor that Boseman gives Levee, a rebellious trumpeter who flies too close to the sun. Delivering one of August Wilson’s biggest monologues, a tirade against God suffused with pain and outrage, Boseman lets the words pour out of him like a jazz solo. It’s the film performance of the year, and a tragic reminder of this late actor’s skill and irrepressible humanity.
post-apocalyptic Earth. Certain stars can make a gesture as simple as staring upward at the heavens feel weighted with meaning, and he is one of them.
perils of his journey that the captain is running from. TOM HOLLAND, “Cherry” What this young “SpiderMan” star delivers in “Cherry” (directed by “Avengers” masterminds Anthony and Joe Russo) is the kind of performance that could notch him awards gold. Playing a PTSD-addled army vet milking a heroin addiction by robbing banks, there’s a lot the actor must calibrate emotionally, psychologically, and morally. By not missing a beat, Holland proves more than ready for prestige drama. ANTHONY HOPKINS, “The Father” A character losing his grip on himself requires, paradoxically, an actor with the utmost self-awareness. Hopkins gives a master class in using precision to depict a lack of mental precision in Florian Zeller’s stage-toscreen adaptation about a father experiencing dementia. It’s one of the most poignant performances yet from this awards-dominating legend,
Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel in “News of the World” | Photo: Bruce Talamon/Universal Pictures
GEORGE CLOONEY, “The Midnight Sky” Equal parts dystopian speculation, wondrous science fiction, and edge-of-your-seat thrill ride, “The Midnight Sky” again finds Clooney proving that he can act—and direct—anything. This time, he’s a cancer-ridden scientist journeying through the Arctic to warn a team of astronauts against returning to a
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“An exquisite film. Nomadland takes you somewhere you’ve never been, introduces you to marvelous people you knew little or nothing about, and leaves you full of feelings you may not have known you had, but glad to have taken the journey and changed by it.” Joe Morgenstern,
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Orion Lee and John Magaro in “First Cow” | Photo: Allyson Riggs/A24 Films who has notably never won a SAG Award. DELROY LINDO, “Da 5 Bloods” “I see ghosts.” As Vietnam War vet Paul, Lindo plays every bit of the emotional spectrum as a traumatized, MAGA-hatwearing curmudgeon reuniting with his three brothers-in-arms and his semi-estranged son for one final mission in the jungle. Amid Spike Lee’s narrative tonal shifts—from buddy adventure comedy to wartime drama—Lindo elevates both subtle choices and stunning direct-to-camera monologues to Shakespearean proportions. JOHN MAGARO, “First Cow” As a cook eking out a living in the 19th-century Oregon Territory, Magaro delivers a refreshingly gentle performance, bringing an incongruous tenderness to an otherwise rough-andtumble pioneer town. His easy chemistry with co-star
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Orion Lee is the heart of Kelly Reichardt’s delicate, moving film, which offers an unforgettable meditation on the true cost of the entrepreneurial American spirit.
like Oldman. In “Mank,” he steps into the shoes (and prosthetics) of another Oscar winner, Herman J. Mankiewicz, disappearing into the alcoholic screenwriter’s bedclothes and memories of old Hollywood. Ornery, intoxicated, and tucked away in a desert cottage writing “Citizen Kane,” Oldman’s turn just might put even more gold on his mantle.
MADS MIKKELSEN, “Another Round” Playing drunk can be one of an actor’s trickiest tasks. As Mikkelsen illustrates in Thomas Vinterberg’s Danish hit about a group of depressed teachers experimenting with upping their blood alcohol levels, it requires a careful calibration of comedy, tragedy, and, always, believability. Watching Mikkelsen’s Martin performing a raucous jazz ballet or upending his marriage, you’d be forgiven for thinking he spent most of the filming inebriated himself.
JIM PARSONS, “The Boys in the Band” For those who know the award-winning Parsons for his nerdy character work on “The Big Bang Theory,” buckle up. Neurotic is an understatement for the way he renders Michael, the host of a 1968 Upper East Side party, in Joe Mantello’s Netflix adaptation of Mart Crowley’s boundary-pushing queer drama. Drunkenly maudlin, self-hating, and gifted with a venomous viper’s tongue, this is Parsons like you’ve never seen him before.
GARY OLDMAN, “Mank” One Academy Award–winning, appearance-altering turn isn’t enough for a chameleon
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DEV PATEL, “The Personal History of David Copperfield” Giving Charles Dickens’ coming-of-age classic a wild and wonderful spin, Armando Iannucci makes brilliant casting choices, populating his Victorian England with eccentric character actors. That’s especially true of Patel in the title role; few other stars can simultaneously play both a dashing leading man and a fascinating oddball. He captures every step of David Copperfield’s journey, from youthful naivete to shrewd curiosity to gentlemanly charm. JESSE PLEMONS, “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” Plemons has been heralded as his generation’s Philip Seymour Hoffman, and we can’t disagree. In Charlie Kaufman’s breathtaking deep-dive into a collective psyche that includes a relationship on the rocks, two parents, and a school janitor, Plemons showcases just how a
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“ VIOLA DAVIS DELIVERS THE MOST ENGROSSING, INSPIRED TRANSFORMATION OF HER CAREER. Her performance is magnetic.” INDIEWIRE
“UNQUESTIONABLY CHADWICK BOSEMAN’S FINEST PERFORMANCE,
crackling with passion, intelligence and anger, and delivered with an eyeball-magnetizing feline grace.” THE TELEGRAPH
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The incomparable actors drive home August Wilson’s enduring themes of race, religion, exploitation and the reality of the American Dream.” PARADE
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character actor can bring his everyman charisma to the fore as a lead. He guides us on this unassumingly moving, wintry ride, breaking our hearts in the process. TAHAR RAHIM, “The Mauritanian” After compelling turns in “A Prophet,” “The Past,” and miniseries “The Looming Tower,” Rahim is no longer one of Hollywood’s best-kept secrets. His chameleonic skills, especially when it comes to accents and physicality, are on display in Kevin Macdonald’s retelling of Mohamedou Ould Slahi’s unjust Guantanamo Bay captivity. But it’s Rahim’s ability to tug at our heartstrings with the subtlest glance that makes this one of the year’s most affecting performances. LAKEITH STANFIELD, “Judas and the Black Messiah” Stanfield once told Backstage that his “whole existence is about doing whatever I want, and the moment I’m not allowed to do that, I get really antsy.” This personal and professional M.O. is evident in the instinct-based, raw-nerve screen performances he’s delivered since his “Atlanta” breakout in 2016. It’s never been more on display than in
Jessie Buckley and Jesse Plemons in “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” Photo: Mary Cybulski/Netflix his turn as William O’Neal, the titular real-life Judas and FBI informant against the late civil rights leader Fred Hampton.
tantalizing gray area, inviting us to ask both the character and ourselves difficult questions. DENZEL WASHINGTON, “The Little Things” The title of this John Lee Hancock thriller refers to the details that a determined detective can find in a crime scene, but it could also apply to Washington’s fastidious approach to building characters. His turn as traumatized deputy Joe
MARK WAHLBERG, “Joe Bell” Despite establishing his dramatic credentials years ago, Wahlberg’s acting chops still feel fresh and surprising. In the title role of a real-life father suffering through a parent’s worst nightmare, he harnesses his outrage over anti-gay bigotry— and ours. He leaves us in a
Denzel Washington and Rami Malek in “The Little Things” | Photo: Nicola Goode
“Deke” Deacon reminds us yet again that there are few other actors whose natural yet compelling choices can both propel a story forward and anchor it emotionally. JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON, “Malcolm & Marie” Opposite only one other actor, Washington proves his star power once again. “Malcolm & Marie” is the strongest of his recent leading man turns, following “BlacKkKlansman” and this year’s epic “Tenet.” There’s a vivid present tense to his Malcolm, a filmmaker on the verge of rising through the Hollywood ranks. Throughout the titular couple’s every unsettling revelation, he commands our attention. STEVEN YEUN, “Minari” No dream—especially the American dream—can be achieved without a cost. As Jacob, a Korean immigrant father and husband who determinedly moves his family to an Arkansas farm plot, Yeun demonstrates first the blind optimism of what he sees as success, then the crushing weight of what he considers failure. He also beautifully charts his character’s fullcircle journey away from selfishness and back toward what really matters.
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BEST SEASON YET. “ THE Olivia Colman, Gillian Anderson and Emma Corrin deliver three of the best performances of the year. AWARDS DAILY
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Television Individuals in Film
Cho Yeo-jeong in “Parasite”
The Actor Family
Looking back on the January 2020 SAG Awards ceremony By Jack Smart
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De Niro, accepting the guild’s Life Achievement Award after an adoring introduction from Leonardo DiCaprio. “We depend on each other for collaboration in our work, and support and fellowship both onscreen and off. And for that, I am so grateful.” Laura Dern continued her victory lap for her supporting role in “Marriage Story,” as did Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice winners Joaquin Phoenix and Renée Zellweger for their leading roles in “Joker” and “Judy,” respectively. Phoenix called out each of his fellow nominees, praising their work, and dedicated his win to Heath Ledger, the late star who previously played the Joker onscreen. “Hello, my family…. What an honor from my actor family,” Zellweger said in her acceptance speech. She closed by saying, “Judy Garland—50 years later, your community is thinking of you tonight.” Amazon Prime Video’s hit comedy “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” repeated the previous year’s victories for Tony Shalhoub and the show’s ensemble, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge won one last honor for Amazon Studios’ and the BBC’s second season of “Fleabag” in the female comedy actor category. The drama prizes spread the love between the ensemble of Netflix’s “The Crown,” Jennifer Aniston for Apple TV+’s freshman series “The Morning Show,” and Peter Dinklage for HBO’s final season of “Game of Thrones”; both Aniston and Dinklage earned individual outstanding actor statues for the first time. The SAG Awards, presented by SAG-AFTRA and benefiting the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, are the industry’s only accolades given to and voted upon by actors. For a full list of winners and nominees, stats, and more, visit sagawards.org. And stay tuned with Backstage’s coverage for more from the front lines of the awards race!
THE WINNERS OF THE 2020 SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS—AS chosen exclusively by working actors—represented the very best performances on screens big and small. Here’s a refresher on last year’s ceremony results. The 26th annual SAG ceremony, held on Jan. 19, 2020, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, crowned South Korea’s “Parasite” as the year’s big winner with the top prize for outstanding cast in a film. Only the second non-English-speaking film to ever receive a nomination in the SAG Awards category’s history, “Parasite” proceeded to earn four top Oscars at the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony on Feb. 9. Writer-director Bong Joon-ho became the first Korean filmmaker to compete in and win the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences’ foreign film category, and the film became the first-ever project not in the English language to claim best picture. Throughout the 2020 SAG ceremony and in multiple acceptance speeches, a theme emerged: Acting is a group effort. Brad Pitt, winning the supporting film actor prize for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” said in his speech, “We all know what we do is a team sport, and we elevate each other…. I love our community so much.” Michelle Williams, winning yet another trophy for her work as Gwen Verdon on FX’s “Fosse/Verdon,” thanked her co-star and fellow winner Sam Rockwell as Bob Fosse, and recalled once hearing Ben Kingsley say, “I don’t like to act; it is very lonely. I like to react.” She then added, “Sam, I found Gwen by looking at Bob. There he was, looking back at me, always telling the truth, and in exquisite detail.” “We as actors don’t do it all alone. We can’t do it alone,” said Robert
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Television Individuals in Film
Got ESOT?
The SAG Awards deserve to be included among actors’ most coveted honors By Jack Smart
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are one of the industry’s only accolades to honor both film and TV, and ensemble as well as individual performances. Amid the frenzy of film celebrations at the beginning of the calendar year, it is the biggest night of the awards season solely for actors, and a solid predictor of Oscar results to come. Compared with the many categories at the Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice Awards, Oscars, Daytime Emmys, Primetime Emmys, and others, the SAG Awards present only 15 trophies total per year, making them difficult to win. Beyond just turning in a terrific performance, SAG winners are beloved by their fellow actors and prized for their talent and perseverance. What performer wouldn’t want such a distinct honor? Viola Davis, Jeremy Irons, Jessica Lange, Frances McDormand, Helen Mirren, Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer, Vanessa Redgrave, Geoffrey Rush, and Maggie Smith are the 10 exclusive members of the competitive ESOT club (the latest being Davis, who won her Oscar in 2017). Technically, the club has 12 members: Rita Moreno and Audrey Hepburn also have all four statues to their names, but their SAG honors are Life Achievement Awards rather than competitive ones. Of the above list, the earner of the most acting awards (and therefore the champion of acting champions!) is Smith with 12. On the cusp of inclusion: Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, and Kate Winslet, who all only need a Tony to complete the acronym; John Lithgow, who only needs an Oscar; and Ellen Burstyn and Glenda Jackson, who have completed the triple crown of competitive acting and only need an accompanying SAG Award. Who will be next to join this most exclusive of groups? (Is it you?)
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE PINNACLE OF your acting career, what do you imagine? Is it accepting the biggest honors of stage and screen, the indicators that critics and fellow artists alike respect and admire your work? Don’t lie—you’ve practiced your ideal awards acceptance speech in the mirror. For years now, the acronym “EGOT”—a title bestowed on an individual who has claimed an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony— has been hailed as the most coveted honor in show business, the grand slam for any entertainer. The term was coined by, of all people, “Miami Vice” actor Philip Michael Thomas, who so desired the four trophies that he went as far as to engrave “EGOT” on a gold pendant that he wore on a necklace. (Thomas has been nominated for a Golden Globe, but has not yet won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, or Tony.) In a brilliant piece of Hollywood satire, Thomas’ move was parodied by Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan on “30 Rock.” But with all due respect to the Grammys, those awards have very little to do with an actor’s career. Many stage and screen stars in contention for the EGOT hold Grammys for a theatrical cast recording, comedy album, or audiobook—acting feats, to an extent, but not true markers of talent as determined by their peers. In our mission to champion actors and acting, Backstage proposes swapping in a different ingredient to the greatest achievement of a performer’s career: the Screen Actors Guild Award. Instead of an EGOT, the honor that actors should aspire to is the ESOT: an Emmy, SAG Award, Oscar, and Tony all on the proverbial mantle. Decided entirely by members of SAG-AFTRA, the SAG Awards
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To get all the details and view the full schedule, please visit backstage.com/magazine.
Television Individuals in Film
Frances McDormand in “Nomadland”
Canada Kicks Off Awards Season A largely virtual 45th Toronto International Film Festival anointed 2021 contenders By Emily Grossman
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fourth acting Emmy Award win: “One Night in Miami,” based on a play by Kemp Powers. Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, and Leslie Odom Jr. star as Malcolm X, Cassius Clay, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke, respectively, celebrating one of Clay’s boxing wins on a night in 1964. The second runner-up was the Canadian drama “Beans” from director Tracey Deer, who also received the Emerging Talent Award. The fest’s tribute awards ceremony streamed internationally and was broadcast across Canada on CTV. The one-hour event awarded actors Kate Winslet and Sir Anthony Hopkins with Tribute Actor honors. Both stars had films that were screened at the festival: Winslet was in Neon’s “Ammonite” opposite Saoirse Ronan, and Hopkins was in Sony Pictures Classics’ “The Father” alongside Olivia Colman. Of this year’s unusual festival, artistic director and co-head Cameron Bailey said, “TIFF 2020 was a year we won’t soon forget. Over the last 10 days, we have experienced community in the truest sense. The pandemic hit TIFF hard, and we responded by going back to our original inspiration—to bring the very best in film to the broadest possible audience and transform the way people see the world through film. We heeded the urgent calls for greater representation of under-represented voices. And we watched as audiences embraced cinema’s ability to transport them through screens of all sizes by joining us online from all over this country.” TIFF executive director and co-head Joana Vicente said in a statement, “In a time where the very future of our beloved art form was in question due to cinema and production shutdowns and film festival cancellations, we have seen a tenacity of spirit.” She also mentioned one of the 2020 fest’s biggest achievements: 46% of all titles screened were either directed, co-directed, or created by women.
THE TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ENDED ON SEPT. 20, 2020, after a special awards ceremony that combined socially distanced and streaming events. The scaled-down 45th iteration of TIFF screened around 50 features compared with last year’s 333, but that didn’t stop the Canadian festival from providing a bustling marketplace for film acquisition and honoring 2021 awards season hopefuls. Even in the hybridized digital version of the festival, the Grolsch People’s Choice Award still offers a glimpse into awards season glory; this year’s coveted first place position went to Searchlight Pictures’ “Nomadland” from writer-director-editor Chloé Zhao. The Toronto screening featured leading actor Frances McDormand introducing the project (based on Jessica Bruder’s nonfiction book of the same name), which follows a modern-day nomad living out of a van in the wake of her town’s economic collapse. Zhao’s film also picked up TIFF’s Ebert Director Award in addition to the Golden Lion Award at the Venice International Film Festival, marking the first time a film has taken home both accolades. It is TIFF’s People’s Choice Award that places “Nomadland” in contention at this stage of the season. Last year’s winner, “Jojo Rabbit,” received six Academy Award nominations; the second runner-up, “Parasite,” went on to win four Oscars, including best picture. Over the past eight years, every winner of the People’s Choice Award has gone on to receive an Oscar nomination for best picture. “Nomadland” screened in Toronto on Sept. 11 in collaboration with the festivals of Venice, New York, and Telluride. Although the latter was canceled this year, Zhao’s film screened to public audiences at the Rose Bowl Drive-In in Los Angeles. The runner-up at this year’s People’s Choice honors was the feature film directorial debut from Regina King, fresh off her
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2020–21 Film Awards Season Calendar January 2021 THROUGH JAN. 12 JAN. 11
Golden Globe Awards TV nominating period 30th annual IFP Gotham Awards ceremony
JAN. 11–FEB. 1 JAN. 13–30
Screen Actors Guild Awards nominating period Golden Globe Awards film nominating period
JAN. 26
Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations announced
JAN. 26
National Board of Review Awards honorees announced
March 2021
February 2021 FEB. 3
Golden Globe Awards nominations announced
FEB. 3
Writers Guild of America Awards TV nominations announced
MARCH 7
26th annual Critics’ Choice Awards ceremony
FEB. 4
SAG Awards nominations announced
MARCH 8
FEB. 9
Academy Awards shortlists announced
Producers Guild of America Awards film and TV nominations announced
FEB. 10–23
Golden Globe Awards voting period
FEB. 10–MARCH 10
MARCH 5–10
MARCH 8–9
Academy Awards nominating period
Directors Guild of America Awards film and TV nominations announced
SAG Awards voting period
MARCH 14
27th annual SAG Awards ceremony
FEB. 16
WGA Awards film nominations announced
MARCH 15
Academy Awards nominations announced
FEB. 26
21st annual American Film Institute Awards ceremony
MARCH 21
73rd annual WGA Awards ceremony
FEB. 28
78th annual Golden Globe Awards ceremony
MARCH 24
32nd annual PGA Awards ceremony
April 2021 APRIL 10 APRIL 11
74th annual British Academy Film Awards ceremony
APRIL 15
36th annual Artios Awards ceremony
APRIL 15–20
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73rd annual DGA Awards ceremony
Academy Awards voting period
APRIL 24
36th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremony
APRIL 25
93rd annual Academy Awards ceremony
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