The Help, a film about black servants in the pre-civil rights US south, topped Hollywood’s first main prize shortlist as Tinsel Town gears up for its annual awards season.
The movie received four nominations from the Screen Actors Guild, the union representing 200,000 film and television performers. Unlike the more famous Oscars, SAG awards are handed out to both film and TV shows.
The Artist, a tribute to the silent movie era, was in second place with three SAG award nods, including for outstanding cast performance – which has in the past led to the ultimate prize, the best picture Academy Award.
On the small screen, Emmy-winning sitcom Modern Family won five nominations including best ensemble cast in a TV comedy, while there were nods also for British actresses Kate Winslet and Maggie Smith.
Actors George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Glenn Close are also among stars tipped for prizes from the Guild. For outstanding cast performance, Disney’s The Help is up against The Descendants, The Artist, girls’ night favourite Bridesmaids and Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, hailed by many as a long overdue return to form.
For best actor, Mr Clooney – playing a single father in The Descendants – faces competition from Mr DiCaprio, for his portrayal of legendary FBI director J. Edgar Hoover in J. Edgar and Mr Pitt in baseball movie Moneyball. Also in the running for the male prize are Demian Bichir for his role as an immigrant in a A Better Life and Jean Dujardin, who made a big splash with the homage to silent movies, The Artist.
For best actress, Meryl Streep, playing Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, is up against Ms Close in Albert Nobbs, Ms Davis in The Help, Tilda Swinton in We Need To Talk About Kevin and Michelle Williams as Monroe in My Week With Marilyn.
The SAGs shortlists were notable for some absentees, including Martin Scorsese’s Hugo and Steven Spielberg’s War Horse, which many have tipped for possible awards over the next few months.
The SAG awards will be held on January 29, while Hollywood has to wait until February 26 for the Academy Awards, to be hosted by Oscars veteran Billy Crystal, after Eddie Murphy pulled out amid a row.
Here are the nominees in other key SAGs categories:
Best supporting actor: Nick Nolte in Warrior, Kenneth Branagh in My Week With Marilyn, Armie Hammer in J. Edgar, Jonah Hill in Moneyball and Christopher Plummer in Beginners. Best supporting actress: Octavia Spencer in The Help, Berenice Bejo in The Artist, Jessica Chastain in The Help, Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids, Janet McTeer in Albert Nobbs.