Page 29 - ATODAY

PEOPLE & ARTS A29
Thursday 10 December 2015

As awards season takes shape, Screen Actors Guild:
diversity is out of the running ‘Trumbo’ leads noms in murky awards season

JAKE COYLE LINDSEY BAHR season prospects were un- ed for “The Big Short,” Mark
AP Film Writer AP Film Writer known. On Monday, the Rylance for the Cold War
NEW YORK (AP) — Hollywood’s awards season is LOS ANGELES (AP) — The African-American Film Crit- thriller “Bridge of Spies,”
taking shape, but if early indications are anything Hollywood blacklist drama ics Association named the Michael Shannon for play-
to go on, the Academy Awards won’t be fielding a “Trumbo” scored a leading N.W.A drama their best ing a predatory real estate
much more diverse batch of nominees a year after three Screen Actors Guild of the year, but it’s been agent in “99 Homes” and
the academy was ridiculed for an Oscars featuring Awards nominations on mostly overlooked by other young star Jacob Tremblay
only white actors. Wednesday, and sleeper critics’ awards. for playing a child in cap-
It’s still early and the season is very much in flux, with contenders “Beasts of No The nominations helped tivity in “Room.”
some of the top contenders including the journal- Nation” and “Straight Out- bring a murky awards sea- Supporting actress con-
ism drama “Spotlight,” the sci-fi adventure “The ta Compton” entered the son into a bit more focus, tenders included Rachel
Martian” and the lesbian romance “Carol.” On awards conversation in a and SAG’s choices high- McAdams (“Spotlight”),
Wednesday, the Screen Actors Guild Awards __ an real way when both were lighted a few underdog Kate Winslet (“Steve Jobs”),
important Oscars predictor __ will present their nom- nominated for best ensem- performances. Alicia Vikander (“The Dan-
inees, with the Golden Globe nominations from the ble drama. Leading female perfor- ish Girl”) and Rooney Mara
Hollywood Foreign Press on Thursday. “Beasts of No Nation” star mance nominees included (“Carol”). Mara and Vikan-
But the whiteness of the season has already drawn
attention. Actors Anna Faris, left, and Anthony Mackie announce the nominations for the 22nd Annual
Surveying the 11 white nominees for best actor and Screen Actors Guild Awards on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, in West Hollywood, Calif. The show will
best actress at the Gotham Independent Awards be held on Jan. 30, 2016, in Los Angeles.
last week, co-host and “Broad City” star Ilana Glaz-
er commented: “You guys could open up a Williams (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Sonoma.”
Oscar prognosticators are by no means a sure bet, Idris Elba was also nomi- Cate Blanchett (“Carol”), der both have significant
but they offer a realistic gauge of what films and nated for best supporting Brie Larson (“Room”) and onscreen time in their re-
what performers are likely in the Oscar mix. Though actor, as well as for his role Saoirse Ronan (“Brooklyn”), spective movies, which
several awards contenders have not yet opened in in TV’s “Luther.” Other best all of whom have domi- has led some awards prog-
theaters, every film but “Star Wars: The Force Awak- ensemble nominees in- nated awards buzz, but nosticators to criticize their
ens” has been screened for press; for those follow- cluded “Spotlight,” which also Sarah Silverman for the “supporting actress” cam-
ing closely, much of the field is already established, is emerging as the stron- depression indie “I Smile paigns.
long before Oscar nominations are announced gest candidate for best Back,” and Helen Mirren for Nominees are selected by
Jan. 14. picture so far this season; “Woman in Gold,” about separate movie and TV
The latest predictions gathered from Oscar watch- “Trumbo”; and the housing an elderly Jewish woman nominating panels, each
ers in a regular poll by the movie blog Movie City bubble dramedy “The Big looking to reclaim art once comprised of over 2,000
News __ the “Gurus o’ Gold” — forecast only one Short.” stolen by the Nazis. Mirren randomly selected SAG
non-white nominee in all four acting categories: Idris The 22nd annual Screen was also nominated for a members.
Elba in “Beasts of Nation.” Outside chances include Actors Guild Awards hon- supporting performance Many members of the SAG
Will Smith (“Concussion”), Benicio del Toro (“Sicar- oring the best film and for “Trumbo.” movie panel also vote for
io”) and Samuel L. Jackson (“The Hateful Eight”). television performances of The lead actor nominees the Academy Awards and
When the Hollywood Reporter convened likely ac- the year will be presented were a bit more expected, as a result, the SAG nomi-
tress nominees like Cate Blanchett (“Carol”), Jenni- Jan. 30. Starry ensemble with recognition for Bryan nees have traditionally
fer Lawrence (“Joy”) and Brie Larson (“Room”) for its casts left out of the SAG Cranston (“Trumbo”), John- served as a helpful indica-
magazine cover round table — a regular glossy fea- nominations included Rid- ny Depp (“Black Mass”), tor of potential Oscar act-
ture of awards season — it acknowledged a lack ley Scott’s “The Martian,” Leonardo DiCaprio (“The ing nominees. Aside from
of diversity in its choices. Round table host Stephen Quentin Tarantino’s “The Revenant”), Michael Fass- “Spotlight” this season’s
Galloway faced the issue in a column, writing: “The Hateful Eight” and David bender (“Steve Jobs”), and main players should come
awful truth is that there are no minority actresses in O. Russell’s “Joy.” Eddie Redmayne (“The further into focus on Thurs-
genuine contention for an Oscar this year.” While “Straight Outta Danish Girl”). day when the nominees
The only best picture candidate with a non-white Compton” was a box office In the supporting category, are announced for the
protagonist comes in 10th from the Gurus, on the and critical hit, its award Christian Bale was nominat- Golden Globe Awards. q
cusp of making it into the category: “Creed,” the
acclaimed Rocky sequel starring Michael B. Jordan.
Best director, too, seems likely to include only males,
with most expecting nods for some combination of
Tom McCarthy (“Spotlight”), Ridley Scott (“The Mar-
tian”), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (“The Revenant”),
Todd Haynes (“Carol”), Steven Spielberg (“Bridge of
Spies”) and George Miller (“Mad Max: Fury Road”).
In a way, an Oscars that looks a lot like the previ-
ous Academy Awards wouldn’t be surprising. Holly-
wood’s deep equality issues, in front and behind the
camera, don’t get magically solved when Oscar
ballots get mailed. The academy can only nomi-
nate the films that get made, and criticism might be
best directed toward executives with the power to
greenlight.
Then, when changes do come, they could take
years to move through Hollywood’s production
pipeline to the big screen. q