Backstage Magazine, Digital Edition: December 13, 2021 SAG Awards Film Issue

12.13.21

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F O R YO U R C O N S I D E R AT I O N

OUTSTANDING PE R F O R M A N C E

BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE BRADLEY COOPER CATE BLANCHETT TONI COLLETTE WILLEM DAFOE RICHARD JENKINS ROONEY MARA RON PERLMAN MARY STEENBURGEN DAVID STRATHAIRN

F O R YO U R C O N S I D E R AT I O N

OUTSTAN DIN G PE R F O R M A N C E

BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

BRADLEY COOPER

OUTSTAN DIN G PE R F O R M A N C E

BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE ROONEY MARA

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The 28th Annual

SAG Awards Outstanding performances by male actors in film

NEW YORK FILM CRITICS CIRCLE

W I N N E R

BEST DIRECTOR JANE CAMPION

BEST ACTOR

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR KODI SMIT-MCPHEE

FOR YOUR SAG AWARDS® CONSIDERATION

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH, KIRSTEN DUNST, JESSE PLEMONS, KODI SMIT-MCPHEE, THOMASIN MCKENZIE, GENEVIÈVE LEMON, KEITH CARRADINE, FRANCES CONROY

“A

NEW GOLD STANDARD FOR ENSEMBLE ACTING.” PETER TRAVERS, ABC NEWS

“A

POWERHOUSE ENSEMBLE..

ENSEMBLE

Thrives on having actors so submerged in the fiction that they are creating a reality.”

THEWRAP

“TRANSFIXING

PERFORMANCES

from Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee.”

THE HOLLY WOOD REPORTER

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

WINNER BEST DIRECTOR

JANE CAMPION

A FILM BY ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER

JANE CAMPION

FILM.NETFLIXAWARDS.COM

vol. 62, no. 34 | 12.13.21

Contents Awards Contenders 10 Outstanding Performance by BRADLEY COOPER IN “NIGHTMARE ALLEY”

a Male Actor in a Leading Role

22 Outstanding Performance by

a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Features 6 CHOICES, CHOICES

It’s time for nominators to ask themselves: What are the traits of award-worthy actors?

9 WHAT MAKES AN ACTOR: FILM EDITION Your favorite performers’ “I am an actor” speeches

20 DOUBLING UP “NIGHTMARE ALLEY”: KERRY HAYES; “SWAN SONG”: COURTESY APPLE TV+; “THE TENDER BAR”: CLAIRE FOLGER

Meet the entertainers who have won twice in the same year for different roles

32 FILM PERFORMANCES BY MEN MAHERSHALA ALI AND AWKWAFINA IN “SWAN SONG”

EVERY ACTOR SHOULD SEE Some of Hollywood’s most noteworthy performers reveal the male colleagues that inspire them

33 THE QUADRUPLE CROWN

The eight actors who are one trophy away from the coveted ESOT

34 THE MORE YOU KNOW

It’s time to test your knowledge of one of screen acting’s biggest nights: film edition!

37 THE RECORD HOLDERS

These nine performers have been recognized with the most individual male actor wins

38 ON THE RADAR

The best film acting moments of 2021 that demand your attention

BEN AFFLECK AND TYE SHERIDAN IN “THE TENDER BAR”

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Letter From the Editor

CAITLIN WATKINS

Hello again, film lovers.

Are you having trouble figuring out which actors gave the best performances this year? Fear not: We’ve created an entire issue to help you keep track. Here, we’re detailing the beats, line deliveries, and character work from this year’s male leading and supporting film performances that deserve fan (and awards) attention. Clifton Collins Jr.’s turn in “Jockey” and Kodi SmitMcPhee’s in “The Power of the Dog” are just two of this year’s standouts.

But we didn’t want to limit ourselves to this season alone.

On Page 37, take a look at who has notched the most SAG wins through the years. Plus, we’re highlighting actors on the cusp of

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MATERIALS DUE: FRIDAY, 12/3 ISSUE DATE: MONDAY, 12/13

winning the quadruple crown—an Emmy, SAG Award, Oscar, and Tony—for that elusive ESOT title.

Do you think you can name the actors who have reached the milestone? Find out if you’re right on Page 33.

As is tradition, Backstage is here to shed light on the artists who deserve your tweets, votes, and praise this season. If nothing else, you’ll have a list of incredible performers to check out!

See you at the movies!

Briana Rodriguez Editor-in-Chief

BSM1022

FINAL

Choices, Choices

It’s time for nominators to ask themselves: What makes for award-worthy acting?

By Jack Smart Dearest SAG Award nominator,

● Head and heart: Every actor uses both of these on camera, of course; but I like thinking about which actors are more obviously

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cerebral and which give in to their feelings. Sandra Oh shows us the wheels turning in her head on “Grey’s Anatomy,” making her the former; Jennifer Lawrence, swinging between euphoric highs and rageful lows in “Silver Linings Playbook,” feels more like the latter. Do you connect more with an intellectual or gut-based approach to a character?

Roy Cohn, with all his theatrical physicality, unlike anyone we would recognize in our daily lives. Either intimate or overthe-top can work, depending on the film or series, and a single performance can traverse both, depending on what the scene requires. Which should be employed where, and did the actor’s decision work?

● Naturalistic and conceptual: This duality appears every awards season. The actors of “Spotlight” played investigative journalists going about their dayto-day lives. Rather than adding affectation or transformation to their portrayals, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams relied on simplicity and mundanity to tell that story. Al Pacino on “Angels in America,” on the other hand, played the histrionic lawyer

● Recreation and invention: There’s a reason so many acting awards go to those playing real figures: Harnessing one’s star power to replicate another recognizable figure will never cease to amaze. So which should we honor—faithful imitation or bold riffs? The best biopic performances do both: Look at Judy Davis on “Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows,” Jamie Foxx in “Ray,” or Daniel Kaluuya in “Judas

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and the Black Messiah.” When actors are inventing a character from scratch, however, the power of imagination reigns. So lived-in are Viola Davis’ roles on “How to Get Away With Murder” and in “Fences” that you sense you could quiz her on any aspect of her characters’ histories.

What do all of the performances I mentioned have in common?

They all earned SAG Awards.

This year’s winners will join their ranks, and whether they make the ballot is up to you.

Those are just some elements your humble awards editor examines when choosing between great on-camera performances.

What are yours? Come Jan. 12, 2022, SAG Award nominations day, I’ll be excited to find out.

Sincerely, Jack

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COURTESY 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS

As one of the 2,500 Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominating Committee members, you have the privilege of assessing the most compelling cinema of 2021. Who gave the best performances on the big screen? And which films showcased the strongest ensembles?

In a year full of films delayed due to COVID-19, this is a particularly fun challenge! ’Tis the season for big-budget spectacles, including “West Side Story,” “The French Dispatch,” “F9: The Fast Saga,” “No Time to Die,” and “Dune”—all hits that should have been in the running last year and instead are vying for statuettes now. Throw in the awards fare that arrived on time—buzzy biopics including “Spencer” and “King Richard,” stage-to-screen adaptations like “The Humans” and “Tick, Tick...Boom!” and period pieces “Belfast” and “The Last Duel”—and you’ve got your nominating work cut out for you.

So how will you choose? The pages of these special issues are here to guide you. But our selections for 2021’s most moving, impressive, and memorable actors are just your jumping-off point; how you whittle all of these contenders down to just five nominees per category depends entirely on your taste and instincts. After all, ask 100 movie buffs for their definition of SAG Award–worthy acting, and you’ll get 100 different answers.

Sure, we all know great acting when we see it. But particularly when voters must compare seemingly incomparable performances, it’s helpful to weigh a few factors to see which resonate most with you. Here are mine.

MATT DAMON AND JODIE COMER IN “THE LAST DUEL”

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What Makes an Actor: Film Edition

Everyone from the Dude to Austin Powers has introduced the SAG Awards. As is tradition, actors face the camera and share a story about their early days, concluding with the simple statement: “I am an actor.”

I was born in Canada, a country that heavily subsidizes their arts. When I was 17, the Canadian government had me fill out a vocational training test to see what it is that I should do for a living once I graduated high school.

I sent it to Ottawa, and two weeks later, the Canadian government determined that I should be a movie star. Absolutely true. I am the specter of big government.

Sports were my first love.

I went to college on a basketball scholarship, but I was never truly fulfilled. Then in my senior year in college, I had the opportunity to do a play called “Spunk,” and for the first time in my life, I felt like I was at home.

My name is Mahershala Ali, and I’m an actor.

On January 15, 2009, a US Airways pilot named Chesley Sullenberger performed an exacting, perfect emergency landing into the icy-cold waters of the Hudson River.

It’s a good thing I was not behind the controls of that plane, because

I’m Steve Carrell, and I’m an actor.

My name is Mike Myers, and I am an actor.

Being a successful actor, like so many things in life, depends so much on luck. And I’ve got to say: I’ve been very lucky to have worked with some wonderful artists and to have been born into the bed of Dorothy and Lloyd Bridges—so I guess you could say I’m a product of luck and nepotism!

I am a citizen of the world.

I’m a professional liar. I play pretend for fun. I’m afforded the opportunity to show the ugliest, most fearful, most vulnerable parts of myself publicly—because privately, someone loves me for those flaws.

I am Ashton Kutcher; I am an actor.

BRIDGES: JAGUAR PS/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; MYERS: KATHY HUTCHINS/ SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; ALI: EVERETT COLLECTION INC./ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; CARRELL: UPI/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; KUTCHER: KATHY HUTCHINS/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

FIRSTNAME/LASTNAME

I’m Jeff Bridges; I’m an actor.

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04.02.20 12.13.21 BACKSTAGE BACKSTAGE

● Male

Leading Role

FYC: Male Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture

Riz Ahmed

“Encounter” Malik Kahn is a Marine Corps veteran on a mission to protect his sons from an alien invasion…or is he? Michael Pearce’s sci-fi thriller

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relies on its leading actor to convince the audience of the film’s reality while inching the rug out from under us. Without Ahmed’s committed intensity—those eyes!—the story’s twists might not

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work. It’s further confirmation that Ahmed is one of our most riveting performers.

ranks of brilliant actors co-starring opposite themselves, he plays your heartstrings like a cello.

Mahershala Ali

Javier Bardem

“Swan Song” Ali can mold himself to the confines of any role, and Benjamin Cleary’s futuristic drama is no exception. His melancholy interior life sets the tone for a story about an ailing family man faced with the possibility of uploading his memories into a carbon copy of himself. In addition to joining the

“Being the Ricardos” As the right-hand man to Nicole Kidman’s Lucille Ball, Bardem’s Desi Arnaz is as charismatic and suave as you’d expect; here, the Oscar winner is in his most charming role since “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.” He also taps into his character’s trademark lightness and showmanship, backstage.com

COURTESY AMAZON STUDIOS

S

CREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS FILM NOMINATORS have the honor every year of selecting the best of the best leading performances. But in a season that featured more impressive, intimate fare than usual, narrowing down the contenders to only a few nominees is downright daunting. We’ve rounded up the men who most dazzled us on the big screen in 2021; read on for your SAG Awards contenders in a leading role.

“JOCKEY”: ADOLPHO VELOSO/COURTESY SONY PICTURES CLASSICS; “BLUE BAYOU”: FOCUS FEATURES

LUCIAN-RIVER CHAUHAN, RIZ AHMED, AND ADITYA GEDDADA IN “ENCOUNTER”

CLIFTON COLLINS JR. IN “JOCKEY”

countering the dark, brooding roles he’s best known for. It’s in the film’s exploration of Arnaz’s infidelity and high-stakes business savvy, however, that Bardem adds dramatic depth, showing us the slimy underbelly of his character’s likability.

Nicolas Cage

“Pig” Few recent cinematic images are simpler yet more profoundly resonant than that of a bedraggled Cage, blood matted in his hair and beard, calmly describing the end of the world as a blessing.

His turn as truffle forager Rob, who’s single-mindedly determined to track down the beloved pig that’s been stolen from him, might be the most mesmerizing performance of the year. Cage is charisma incarnate.

Timothée Chalamet

“Dune” There are few sci-fi stories odder—or trickier to adapt for the screen—than Frank Herbert’s sprawling, allegorical epic. Denis Villeneuve hit the jackpot when he cast Chalamet as “Dune”

chosen one Paul Atreides. The four-time SAG Award–nominated dreamboat is cerebral and quietly captivating in the role—the perfect recipe for a budding messiah. At the same time, he never shies away from showing us the fact that Paul is, prophecies aside, still just a kid.

Justin Chon

“Blue Bayou” Disregarding the already impressive feat of writing and directing this story of a New Orleans tattoo artist who unexpectedly faces deportation, Chon must be commended for what he accomplishes as leading

COURTESY AMAZON STUDIOS

“JOCKEY”: ADOLPHO VELOSO/COURTESY SONY PICTURES CLASSICS; “BLUE BAYOU”: FOCUS FEATURES

SYDNEY KOWALSKE, JUSTIN CHON, AND ALICIA VIKANDER IN “BLUE BAYOU”

man. How does he sink so deeply into the sheer, raw-nerve emotion of the film’s final moments? The sentimentality works thanks to the precision of an actor in full command.

Clifton Collins Jr.

“Jockey” Specific yet timeless, simple yet grand, Collins delivers a performance for the ages as Jackson Silva, a semi-successful jockey nearing his last season on the equestrian circuit. This is an actor who not only knows his character down to the marrow, but brings his audience to that level of knowing, too. Especially in writer-director Clint Bentley’s unforgettable final shots, Collins’ facial expressions alone deserve an award.

Bradley Cooper

“Nightmare Alley” Cooper has played around in all sorts of sandboxes: the gritty 1970s in “American Hustle,” neonlit outer space in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” and now, the noirtinged 1940s in Guillermo del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley.” Cooper plays Stan Carlisle, a carnival barker who relies on charm to advance his lot in life and bites off more than he can chew. With his ability to make even the backstage.com

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● Male

Leading Role PETER DINKLAGE IN “CYRANO”

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH IN “THE POWER OF THE DOG”

slimiest characters endearing, we can’t think of a con man we’d rather be duped by.

Daniel Craig

Benedict Cumberbatch

“The Electrical Life of Louis Wain” Tired of typical Hollywood biopics? Filmmaker Will Sharpe’s approach freshens up the genre by selecting as its subject an eccentric who’s been largely lost to history: Louis Wain, a turn-of-the-century BACKSTAGE 12.13.21

British artist obsessed with electricity and, believe it or not, cats. Cumberbatch renders that strangeness believable without sacrificing any of the humor in this man’s affected mannerisms.

Anyone who can elevate feline scene partners to co-star status deserves awards attention.

Benedict Cumberbatch

Leonardo DiCaprio

“The Power of the Dog” Filmmaker Jane Campion has gotten award-winning lead performances out of her actors before, and she might do it again with Cumberbatch’s turn in “The Power of the Dog.” As the menacing Phil Burbank, a Montana cattle rancher circa 1925, he’s toxic masculinity incarnate, sanctimoniously sneering at anything and anyone he deems unworthy in the unforgiving frontier. We are powerless against him.

“Don’t Look Up” Have we as a viewing public done enough to appreciate DiCaprio’s comedic abilities? It’s thanks to the seriousness with which he approaches absurd material—in this case, conveying news of an Earth-destroying comet—that a role like his Dr. Randall Mindy works. Whether he’s contorted with anxiety or numb with alarm, playing this utterly overwhelmed astronomer must have taken a physical toll on the actor’s body.

Peter Dinklage

Matt Damon

“Cyrano” Entrances don’t get more exciting than Dinklage’s in this Joe Wright movie musical adapted from Erica

“Stillwater” Considering his history of collaborating with auteurs like

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Schmidt’s stage show. As the titular tragic fool, the actor’s resonant voice precedes his dramatic appearance, setting the stage for a true star turn. Edmond Rostand’s 1897 play has been interpreted in countless adaptations; but watching Dinklage, it’s easy to believe that his is the definitive take on the title character.

Adam Driver

“Annette” For years, Driver has been demonstrating that he’s one of his generation’s boldest, most versatile, left-of-center leading men. Look no further than “Annette,” the Cannes-winning musical tour de force from filmmaker Leos Carax. In the film, Driver tries his hand at standup comedy, with song-and-dance flourish to boot. He peppers his stoicism with just enough whimsy to keep us holding on for this wild ride—and holding our breath the whole way through.

Adam Driver

“House of Gucci” If you go to a movie theater these days, you’re more likely to see Driver on the big screen than not. His Maurizio Gucci should backstage.com

“THE POWER OF THE DOG”: KIRSTY GRIFFIN/NETFLIX; “CYRANO”: PETER MOUNTAIN

“No Time to Die” Craig deserves accolades for his expansion of a cinematic icon; over the course of five actionpacked flicks, his James Bond introduced vulnerability while remaining as thrillingly badass as his predecessors. It turns out tough guys can have feelings and still be tough! In the long-awaited final chapter of his tenure as the international spy, Craig delivers intensity, humor, and even poignancy, challenging both the franchise and himself as an actor.

Ridley Scott, Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh, Cameron Crowe, George Clooney, and now Tom McCarthy, what is it that makes Damon such a timeless, well-regarded, and reliable leading man? We’d bet it’s his corn-fed allAmerican appeal and everyman sensibility. That’s on full display in “Stillwater,” a film inspired by the Amanda Knox trial, about a father who just wants to bring his daughter home.

F O R Y O U R C O N S I D E R AT I O N I N A L L C AT EG O RI ES

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Outstanding Performance by a

Outstanding Performance by a

Nicole Kidman

Nina Arianda • Alia Shawkat

Female Actor in a Leading Role

Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Outstanding Performance by a

Outstanding Performance by a

Javier Bardem

Tony Hale • J.K. Simmons

Male Actor in a Leading Role amazonstudiosguilds.com

Male Actor in a Supporting Role

NOW PLAYING In Select Theaters

● Male

Leading Role

ADAM DRIVER IN “HOUSE OF GUCCI”

How I Got My SAG Card: Henry Golding “For any young, up-and-coming actor, it’s always a dream to be acknowledged as a peer; and for me, it was SAG. I went from ‘Crazy Rich [Asians]’ to ‘A Simple Favor,’ and then I did an indie called ‘Monsoon,’ so it was only [with] ‘Monsoon’ that I officially was welcomed into SAG.”

Clint Eastwood

“Cry Macho” In his latest self-directed Western, Eastwood stars as an aged cowboy who’s hired to bring a man’s son home from Mexico.

Eastwood displays a precisely rendered charm here that he has perfected over the course of his long career; even in the film’s quieter moments, he projects screen presence with just a stoic stare. There’s a reason he’s a cinema icon.

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Andrew Garfield

“Tick, Tick...Boom!”

At certain points in “Tick, Tick...

Boom!” Garfield looks so much like this musical’s central figure, late composer Jonathan Larson, that it’s startling. It’s a testament to how deeply the actor commits to honoring his character’s legacy. In contrast to his other film performance this year as televangelist Jim Bakker in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” Garfield’s innate ability to externalize the internal is on full display here.

ANDREW GARFIELD AND ALEXANDRA SHIPP IN “TICK, TICK...BOOM!”

most underrated leading men.

He can convey bone-chilling terror exceptionally well, yet he brilliantly calibrates his Makwa’s repressed pain, embedded deep within him. It’s an unforgettably haunting performance.

Jake Gyllenhaal

Michael Greyeyes

“The Guilty” Anyone who saw him in Broadway’s “Sea Wall/A Life” knows Gyllenhaal has the Tonynominated chops to ground a solo show. He essentially repeats the feat in Antoine Fuqua’s “The

“Wild Indian” Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr.’s bleak, powerful study of two Native American boys and the men they become is a reminder that Greyeyes is one of today’s

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Guilty,” both by necessity (it was filmed in the early days of the pandemic) and form: He plays a 911 dispatcher with only Zoomenhanced voiceovers for scene partners. Tapping into the anger, fear, and guilt of a cop with a violent past, Gyllenhaal is the rare actor who can make you empathize with even the most difficult characters.

Tom Hanks

“Finch” When you’re the lone man on camera—the last man on Earth, backstage.com

“HOUSE OF GUCCI”: COURTESY METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER; “TICK, TICK...BOOM!”: MACALL POLAY/NETFLIX

not be overlooked. Aside from the fabulous costuming (that knit sweater!), he’s expanded his repertoire: Driver finds vulnerability in the inherently macho Gucci, and he’s shrewd enough to bring that to the surface when necessary.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN ALL CATEGORIES

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Tye Sheridan

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Ben Affleck Christopher Lloyd • Daniel Ranieri

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Lily Rabe

“THE TENDER BAR HITS YOU RIGHT IN THE HEART.

Ben Affleck is unforgettable in his best performance. Tye Sheridan is terrific and Lily Rabe is luminous. Daniel Ranieri is an irresistible newcomer, while Christopher Lloyd takes a rich turn”

AMAZON ORIGINAL MOVIE Based on the best-selling memoir

Directed by

George Clooney Screenplay by

William Monahan amazonstudiosguilds.com

IN SELECT THEATERS

DECEMBER 17

● Male

Leading Role

TOM HANKS IN “FINCH”

Tim Blake Nelson in fact—you’d better be enjoyable enough company to hold our attention. Hanks, of course, is as likable as an actor can get, so “Finch” hooks us right from the start. Starring as an ailing inventor who builds an android (voiced by Caleb Landry Jones) to protect his beloved dog, Hanks puts his movie stardom to ideal use.

Cooper Hoffman

“Licorice Pizza” It’s unnerving how much Hoffman resembles his late father, Philip Seymour Hoffman—but in the best way. He’s inherited the ability to showcase emotional heft, awkwardness, charm, and smarm, as evidenced by his debut performance as 15-year-old actor and entrepreneur Gary Valentine.

While chasing the heart of Alana Haim onscreen (with both heartrending and hilarious results), he may just win over yours.

Oscar Isaac

“The Card Counter” Working with a strong script and solid direction from Paul Schrader, Isaac delivers perhaps the most dynamic performance of his career in this character piece about a card counter with a haunting past. Taking his side may prove difficult as the film explores where he came from (no spoilers), but Isaac puts in the work to make this character endearing and fascinating to follow.

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Amir Jadidi

history’s real-life Black cowboys in the spotlight, the actor breathes life into Nat Love, both naturalistically and cinematically. Majors paints a detailed portrait of the roughand-tumble Old West life. But he also serves sheer Grade-A entertainment, fighting for justice and braving bullets as the bigscreen hero he was born to play.

“A Hero (Ghahreman)” As Rahim, Iranian actor Jadidi carries the weight of the world on his shoulders—along with the weight of his lies. A desperate man imprisoned for owing a debt, Rahim mysteriously comes upon a bag of gold that could help him out of his plight. Instead, it takes him down a winding, unexpected path in filmmaker Asghar Farhadi’s latest moral knot of a feature. Jadidi captures Rahim’s oscillating relief and dread perfectly, leaving you wondering whom to root for.

“Old Henry” In a performance that’s been compared to Clint Eastwood’s in “Unforgiven,” Nelson rightfully gets the leading role treatment at long last. Resuscitating the American Western in this gritty, minimalist exploration of greed, sacrifice, and false identity, the character actor plays a farmer with a penchant for gunslinging.

He simply astounds.

Zachary Levi

“American Underdog” With “American Underdog,” Levi just might deliver the year’s best feel-good performance. The crowd-pleasing film tells the true story of NFL star Kurt Warner, who famously went from stocking supermarket shelves to becoming one of the league’s preeminent quarterbacks. (Warner is a twotime NFL MVP, a Super Bowl MVP, and a Hall of Famer.) Levi’s demanding performance inspires audiences by amplifying the power of the human spirit.

Jonathan Majors

“The Harder They Fall” Majors’ ascent from quirky supporting actor to leading man is complete. In Jeymes Samuel’s shoot-’em-up Western, which puts

JONATHAN MAJORS AND DAMON WAYANS JR. IN “THE HARDER THEY FALL”

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backstage.com

“FINCH”: KAREN KUEHN; “THE HARDER THEY FALL”: DAVID LEE/NETFLIX

“Coming 2 America” Murphy can be counted on for legitimate belly laughs, especially when reprising one of his many iconic roles. This riotous sequel reunites audiences with Prince Akeem of Zamunda more than 30 years after the first film. As always, the legend’s comic timing and commitment to the most outlandish situations make for effortless entertainment. But it’s Murphy’s dramatic chops that elevate a satisfyingly silly performance like this one.

“THE GREEN KNIGHT”: ERIC ZACHANOWICH

Eddie Murphy

DEV PATEL IN “THE GREEN KNIGHT”

Alessandro Nivola

Dev Patel “THE GREEN KNIGHT”: ERIC ZACHANOWICH

“FINCH”: KAREN KUEHN; “THE HARDER THEY FALL”: DAVID LEE/NETFLIX

“The Many Saints of Newark” Nivola stars as Dickie Moltisanti, the guiding influence behind Tony Soprano, one of television’s most iconic antiheroes. In this ’60s-set offshoot of HBO’s hit “The Sopranos,” we witness for the first time all that truly constitutes the legend. Nivola evokes both the kindness and charm we’ll hear about in Dr. Melfi’s therapy office years later; he also has a vicious edge that shows why Dickie is the boss.

“The Green Knight” David Lowery’s medieval fantasia is visually ravishing throughout. But even stunning vistas and giants tromping through the mist don’t hold a candle to the planes and shadows of Patel’s face as emotions move across it like weather. The Oscar nominee’s turn as a fumbling knight errant on a strange quest carries this dream of a movie, grounding us even as it spins off into trippier and trippier territory.

Joaquin Phoenix

“C’mon C’mon” Phoenix joins the ranks of actors who have found their most compellingly naturalistic modes under Mike Mills’ masterful direction. As a radio journalist taking care of his nephew, the Oscar winner (only two years ago, for the starkly different “Joker”) finds beauty in simplicity and meaning in silence. He illustrates the overlap between artistry and parenting: Both encompass heartbreak and hope, requiring relentless work and improvisation.

Anthony Ramos

“In the Heights” The film treatment of this Broadway smash requires a true leading man, and Ramos proves he fits the bill with his Usnavi. Playing the bodega owner and narrator of this tale, the rising star serves up charisma, choreography, and a velvet voice—all while looking effortlessly fly. We weren’t backstage.com

ready, but Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Washington Heights musical sure was, and we’re so grateful.

Keanu Reeves

“The Matrix Resurrections” In this era of revivals, sequels, and all manner of extended intellectual property, is there any franchise return more anticipated than Lana Wachowski’s? There’s something awe-inspiring about an actor of Reeves’ stature reprising his most iconic role, as if he shouldn’t still be as good as he is at keeping us guessing. Forget that Neo is an action hero, and that “The Matrix” is the height of sci-fi dazzle; let’s get Reeves the awards attention he deserves.

Simon Rex

“Red Rocket” Sean Baker’s distinct filmmaking style isn’t for everyone; his palette is basically neon and sadness. But when he finds a muse that meets him there—one who exudes despair, however

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unknowingly—it creates a kind of authenticity and tension you’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere in scripted film. Which is to say, Rex’s wild performance in “Red Rocket” will nestle beneath your skin and stay there.

Filippo Scotti

“The Hand of God (È Stata la Mano di Dio)” Perhaps the most personal film yet from acclaimed writerdirector Paolo Sorrentino, “The Hand of God (È Stata la Mano di Dio)” stars Scotti as the semi-autobiographical Fabietto Schisa. Set in 1980s Naples, the film is a showcase for its young star’s natural talent, as Fabietto navigates his coming-of-age journey in the aftermath of a tragedy. There are moments that will simply leave you breathless.

Will Smith

“King Richard” As Richard Williams—father to legendary tennis players Venus 12.13.21 BACKSTAGE

● Male

Leading Role

and Serena—Smith does some of his greatest screen work to date. The character’s tireless commitment to his daughters moves us to tears, and Smith plays every beat beautifully. He holds Richard’s essence through every emotional high and low, creating a moving portrait of a Black man who will stop at nothing to build his family’s legacy in a whitedominated sport.

Dan Stevens

“I’m Your Man (Ich Bin Dein Mensch)” This story of a German scientist (Maren Eggert) undertaking an experiment with a humanoid robot (Stevens) designed to fulfill her romantic fantasies must be seen to be believed. As the film’s dynamics find poetry in the robotic, so do its stars; Stevens BACKSTAGE 12.13.21

“I’M YOUR MAN (ICH BIN DEIN MENSCH)”: COURTESY BLEECKER STREET; “THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH”: ALISON COHEN ROSA; “KING RICHARD”: CHIABELLA JAMES

DAN STEVENS AND MAREN EGGERT IN “I’M YOUR MAN (ICH BIN DEIN MENSCH)”

DENZEL WASHINGTON IN “THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH”

must deliver profound revelations about humanity without becoming too human himself.

Only an actor of his caliber could turn such a challenge into effortless fun.

WILL SMITH IN “KING RICHARD”

Denzel Washington

“The Tragedy of Macbeth” What a treat to hear Shakespeare’s words coming from Washington’s mouth. That alone is reason enough to see—nay, experience— Joel Coen’s starkly dramatic adaptation of the Scottish Play, in which the masterful actor illuminates the line between ambition and madness brilliantly.

To see his Macbeth evolve from the former to the latter, one need only gaze into his deadened eyes as he descends a staircase, muttering, “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow….”

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FOR YOUR SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS® CONSIDERATION

Outstanding Performance By

A Male Actor In A Supporting Role ANDREW GARFIELD VINCENT D’ONOFRIO

“ANDREW GARFIELD IS NOTHING LESS THAN SENSATIONAL.” Rex Reed,

JESSICA CHASTAIN ANDREW GARFIELD

SearchlightPictures.com/FYC

Doubling Up

Meet the actors who won two SAG Awards in the same year for different roles

Helen Mirren (2007) “MOONLIGHT”

Mahershala Ali (2017)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: “Moonlight” Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: “Hidden Figures”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: “The Queen” Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series: “Elizabeth I”

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: “Black Panther” Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series: “This Is Us”

“THE OFFICE”

Steve Carell (2007) Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: “Little Miss Sunshine” Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series: “The Office” BACKSTAGE 12.13.21

“THIS IS US”

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“MOONLIGHT”: DAVID BORNFRIEND; “THE QUEEN”: COURTESY MIRAMAX; “THE OFFICE”: NBCUNIVERSAL; “THIS IS US”: NBC

Sterling K. Brown (2019)

“ERIN BROCKOVICH”: COURTESY UNIVERSAL PICTURES; “BREAKING BAD”: URSULA COYOTE/AMC; “APOLLO 13”: COURTESY UNIVERSAL PICTURES; “BEASTS OF NO NATION”: COURTESY NETFLIX

“THE QUEEN”

“BREAKING BAD”

“ERIN BROCKOVICH”

“MOONLIGHT”: DAVID BORNFRIEND; “THE QUEEN”: COURTESY MIRAMAX; “THE OFFICE”: NBCUNIVERSAL; “THIS IS US”: NBC

“ERIN BROCKOVICH”: COURTESY UNIVERSAL PICTURES; “BREAKING BAD”: URSULA COYOTE/AMC; “APOLLO 13”: COURTESY UNIVERSAL PICTURES; “BEASTS OF NO NATION”: COURTESY NETFLIX

Albert Finney (2001)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: “Traffic” Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: “Erin Brockovich”

Gary Sinise (1996)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: “Apollo 13” Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series: “Truman”

Bryan Cranston (2013)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: “Argo” Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series: “Breaking Bad”

Idris Elba (2016)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series: “Luther” Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: “Beasts of No Nation” “BEASTS OF NO NATION”

“APOLLO 13”

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12.13.21 BACKSTAGE

● Male

Supporting Role

FYC: Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Ben Affleck

“The Tender Bar” Trading his Boston townie credentials for the Yanks of Long Island, Affleck easily slides into the “Wonder Years” tone of this coming-of-age feature, adapted BACKSTAGE 12.13.21

Clooney’s film centers Affleck’s world-weary Uncle Charlie as its wise (and wisecracking) heart.

Jon Bernthal

“King Richard” Bernthal is exceptional as tennis coach Rick Macci. The chameleonic actor is believable in every mode, whether he’s acting as a proxy for the doubt and frustration over Richard’s (Will Smith) unusual approach to managing his daughters’ careers,

from the memoir by Pulitzer Prize winner J.R. Moehringer.

The film is based on the author’s own fatherless upbringing as he attempts to break free from his working-class roots, setting his sights on Yale University. George

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or simply as the comic relief. He emerges as a true standout in an all-around stellar ensemble cast in this story following the rise of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams.

Reed Birney

“Mass” It’s about time the Tony-winning Birney got the dramatic screen material he deserves. As the father of a school shooter, he uses the tension in his eyes and body backstage.com

COURTESY WARNER BROS. PICTURES

B

ROWSING THIS LIST OF SCENE STEALERS WHOSE onscreen performances were among 2021’s most delightful or devastating (or both), it’s hard not to wish there were more than five SAG Award slots in the category. For your consideration before the Jan. 12, 2022, nominations announcement: this year’s best male supporting film stars!

“CONCRETE COWBOY”: AARON RICKETTS/NETFLIX; “ZOLA”: ANNA KOORIS/A24

WILL SMITH AND JON BERNTHAL IN “KING RICHARD”

IDRIS ELBA AND CALEB MCLAUGHLIN IN “CONCRETE COWBOY”

to demonstrate the character’s central conundrum: How does one make sense of a senseless act?

Most impressive is how Birney embodies a man attempting to resist defensiveness while trying to salvage what’s left of his son’s reputation.

Bradley Cooper

“Licorice Pizza” It’s been too long since we’ve seen Cooper put his leading man chops on the back burner to play a capital-C Character and supporting scene stealer.

His take on film producer (and former hairdresser) Jon Peters is a return to over-the-top comedic form for the maestro behind “A Star Is Born.” The fact that he portrays a Barbra Streisand lover is winkingly played for laughs.

Colman Domingo

“Zola” Domingo gives a thrilling performance as Abegunde “X” Olawale, one of the most chaotic elements in this already chaotic true(ish) story. He makes his mark in one of the most stunning bait-and-switches in memory.

His rapid shift in demeanor and

accent makes it suddenly clear that Taylour Paige’s Zola is at the mercy of forces as dangerous as they are absurd. Domingo is chillinducingly good.

Jamie Dornan

“Belfast” Kenneth Branagh’s story of remembrance blends a fraught

period of Irish history with the dreamy romanticism of Hollywood’s golden age. How fitting that the man playing the filmmaker’s cinematic father is Dornan, whose movie-star visage and inherent sense of heroism makes this 2021 film feel like a vintage classic. You’ll swoon when he grabs a microphone and sings, a

COURTESY WARNER BROS. PICTURES

“CONCRETE COWBOY”: AARON RICKETTS/NETFLIX; “ZOLA”: ANNA KOORIS/A24

COLMAN DOMINGO IN “ZOLA”

moment made even more powerful amid Troubles-era Belfast.

Idris Elba

“Concrete Cowboy” Elba is having (yet another) prolific year, but we wanted to single out his best performance.

He’s terrifying in “The Harder They Fall” and comedically weary in “The Suicide Squad.” But it’s this subtle portrayal of an urban horseman reconnecting with his estranged son that resonates most. Opposite Caleb McLaughlin, he drifts compellingly from dismissive gruffness to real fatherly affection.

Andrew Garfield

“The Eyes of Tammy Faye” It’s fun to watch actors play good people; it’s even better to watch them play evil people.

Here, Garfield portrays reallife televangelist Jim Bakker, a skeevy religious leader who cons his congregation of their money.

Garfield’s performance is so good that it will make audiences feel like they need a shower just for having watched it.

Kelvin Harrison Jr.

“Cyrano” Are we allowed to call Harrison adorable? In this tale of swooning love both expressed backstage.com

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12.13.21 BACKSTAGE

● Male

Supporting Role

KELVIN HARRISON JR. IN “CYRANO”

CIARÁN HINDS IN “BELFAST”

How I Got My SAG Card: Jonathan Majors “My final semester at Yale, I was picked by Gus Van Sant to play one of the leads in the miniseries he and Dustin Lance Black were collaborating on [‘When We Rise’]. They were like, ‘If you want this job, you’ve got to join SAG.’ My manager paid for it because I had no money.”

Corey Hawkins

“The Tragedy of Macbeth” We raise a glass to anyone who can pull off a soaring musical like “In the Heights,” then pivot to “Macbeth.” Hawkins solidified himself as a veritable star this year; his Macduff provides the moral backbone of a literally BACKSTAGE 12.13.21

and figuratively dark tale. In the bloody final act of this tragedy, Hawkins crosses unthinkable emotional territory, his grief as pure as his vengeful rage.

Ciarán Hinds

“Belfast” As the grandfather of young Buddy (Jude Hill), Hinds is all gruff warmth and cheekiness; it’s a persona he inhabits brilliantly.

What takes this supporting performance to the next level is the way he attunes to Judi Dench, subtly hanging on every word from the love of his life. Look at the way he gazes at his co-stars; Hinds is one of the best in-themoment actors around.

Jason Isaacs

“Mass” There are limitless ways to portray grief as an actor. Isaacs, with his intimidating-yet-quiet intensity, can turn such extreme emotions into a performance that will leave

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you at the edge of your seat. Is this father of a school shooting victim going to erupt into outrage at any moment, or is he feeling his way toward something like peace? All we as an audience know is that we’re putty in his hands. backstage.com

“CYRANO”: PETER MOUNTAIN; “BELFAST”: ROB YOUNGSON/FOCUS FEATURES

and unexpressed, his Christian falls into the latter category.

Though the character is unable to articulate his true feelings for Haley Bennett’s Roxanne, this actor says so much with his body language and anguished, awestruck facial expressions. He’ll have you chuckling until, by the end of his arc, you’re crying.

-Peter Debruge, VARIETY

“CLIFTON COLLINS JR. IS SIMPLY SUPERB. A GEM. ” -Todd McCarthy, DEADLINE

“CLIFTON COLLINS JR.’S SUNDANCE BEST ACTOR-WINNING PERFORMANCE IS MORE THAN JUST A CAREER-BEST — IT’S A CAREER-REDEFINING PERFORMANCE. DIRECTOR CLINT BENTLEY MAKES HIS DEBUT WITH A RESPLENDENT AND TOUCHING CHARACTER PIECE. ”

WINNER

WINNER

CLIFTON COLLINS JR.

CLIFTON COLLINS JR.

BEST ACTOR

BEST ACTOR

CELEBRATION OF LATINO CINEMA

F O R

Y O U R

C O N S I D E R AT I O N

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE

BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Clifton Collins Jr.

C

-Carlos Aguilar, THE WRAP

SONY-JOMI-25_FullPg_Backstage_SAG-Actor_121321 (Due 120321)

“CLIFTON COLLINS JR. IN THE ROLE OF HIS CAREER. A REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION. AN EXCEPTIONAL DRAMA.”

● Male

Supporting Role JARED LETO IN “HOUSE OF GUCCI”

RICHARD JENKINS AND JAYNE HOUDYSHELL IN “THE HUMANS”

Richard Jenkins

EMILIA JONES AND TROY KOTSUR IN “CODA”

Troy Kotsur

“CODA” There’s a moment in “CODA” between deaf father Frank (Kotsur) and his hearing daughter Ruby (Emilia Jones) that we wouldn’t dare spoil here; but it features some of the most beautiful acting in recent memory.

That Kotsur delivers one of the year’s most revelatory, touching, funny acting performances wordlessly is a shining example BACKSTAGE 12.13.21

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of both his skill and the world of possibilities that opens up when storytelling becomes more inclusive.

Jared Leto

“House of Gucci” Leto has frequently been celebrated for his physical transformations onscreen, in films like “Dallas Buyers Club” and “The Little Things.” He loses himself once again in Ridley Scott’s “House of Gucci.” Just try to recognize him as Paolo Gucci in this long-awaited crime saga, disguised as he is by prosthetics, extra weight, facial hair, and a bald cap. It helps that he’s got the crisp technique and actorly bona fides to match.

Tony Chiu-Wai Leung

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” Leung is one of the most recognizable and celebrated actors in China; thanks to his stellar performance as the villain in Marvel hit “Shang-Chi,” that backstage.com

“THE HUMANS”: COURTESY A24; “HOUSE OF GUCCI”: FABIO LOVINO; “CODA”: COURTESY APPLE TV+

“The Humans” As patriarch Erik Blake in Stephen Karam’s film adaptation of his Tony-winning “The Humans,” Jenkins thrives where others falter: the creeping close-ups, the elongated silences, the solitary blank stares out of dust-clouded windows. His interior life is so entrancing and his self-loathing is so contradictory that you’ll begin to feel as claustrophobic inside his mind as the central family feels inside the film’s single-setting Chinatown apartment.

“

ONE OF THE BEST PICTURES OF THE YEAR .

ANDREW GARFIELD IS A REVELATION .

Strong supporting turns from Alexandra Shipp, Robin de Jesús and Vanessa Hudgens.

Together, you realize just how talented this ensemble is.

”

DIGITAL SPY

“ANDREW

GARFIELD PULLS OFF ONE OF HIS BEST PERFORMANCES, and the fact that he learned to sing and play piano for this role makes it impossibly impressive.

”

USA TODAY

“ THIS

IS ANDREW GARFIELD AT HIS BEST. EVER.

He bounces off of his co-stars with ease, and sprawls himself over every piece of his set — but is never overbearing.

It’s a glorious thing to behold.

EXPRESS

”

FOR YOUR S A G AWARDS ® C ONSIDERATION OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE ANDREW GARFIELD | ALEXANDRA SHIPP | ROBIN de JESÚS JOSHUA HENRY | BRADLEY WHITFORD | TARIQ TROTTER VANESSA HUDGENS | JUDITH LIGHT

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE ANDREW GARFIELD

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ROBIN de JESÚS

FILM.NETFLIXAWARDS.COM

● Male

Supporting Role

Ray Liotta

“The Many Saints of Newark” There’s a twist to Liotta’s appearance in this “Sopranos” prequel that we’ll have to spoil here. Introduced as first the father of Alessandro Nivola’s Dickie Moltisanti and then as his imprisoned twin brother, Liotta reminds us that he’s more than a staple of tough-guy Italian American cinema. Sitting in the prison visiting room and lecturing with very little affectation, he conveys true wisdom—even, perhaps, a shrewd detection of lies—as a man who’s seen it all and accepted his fate.

Woody Norman

“C’mon C’mon” So much of this portrait of children and the adults caring BACKSTAGE 12.13.21

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for them hinges on the 12-yearold Norman. If we ever detected a whiff of capital-A Acting, the film’s entire naturalistic illusion would collapse. Instead, this spoiled but sweet modern-day kid, whose emotional intelligence is both a blessing and a curse, proves as nuanced as he is entertaining; Norman has a career ahead of him of making us both laugh and cry.

Jesse Plemons

“The Power of the Dog” Playing opposite his real-life partner Kirsten Dunst, the alwaysgreat Plemons brings a soft, sturdy sense of support to 20th-century ranch hand George Burbank.

Plemons plays the opposite of his onscreen brother’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) menacing machismo. He counterbalances this Western’s building dread by portraying someone who actually believes that good trumps evil.

Benny Safdie

“Licorice Pizza” While his performance as an unfit politician borrows more than a few notes from “Veep,” backstage.com

“SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS”: COURTESY MARVEL STUDIOS; “C’MON C’MON”: PATTI PERRET

acclaim now extends worldwide.

Leung brings humanity to the antagonistic Wenwu, exploring his motivation through a strong sense of pathos that isn’t often seen in supervillains. He’s setting the bar high for the next Avengers’ set of foes.

WOODY NORMAN AND JOAQUIN PHOENIX IN “C’MON C’MON”

“THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK”: BARRY WETCHER; “THE POWER OF THE DOG”: KIRSTY GRIFFIN/NETFLIX

TONY CHIU-WAI LEUNG IN “SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS”

Safdie’s spin on real-life Los Angeles City Council member Joel Wachs is more grounded and empathetic than first meets the eye. Wachs didn’t come out of the closet until his mayoral run in 1999, so Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1970s rendering shows a novice campaigner whose secret risks unraveling the work he does for the community. Safdie hits all the right notes.

J. K. Simmons

“SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS”: COURTESY MARVEL STUDIOS; “C’MON C’MON”: PATTI PERRET

“THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK”: BARRY WETCHER; “THE POWER OF THE DOG”: KIRSTY GRIFFIN/NETFLIX

“Being the Ricardos” Simmons is no stranger to playing a gruff but well-intentioned supporting character who ultimately provides a film its heart. (Here’s looking at you, “Juno”!) In “Being the Ricardos,” his turn as storied “I Love Lucy” co-star William Frawley, a prickly alcoholic, provides all that and more opposite Nina Arianda’s Vivian Vance. He’s just about perfect while giving no-bullshit advice to Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) during a week that finds her at a historic, careerthreatening crossroads.

Kodi Smit-McPhee

“The Power of the Dog” In his 1967 book “The Power of the Dog,” Thomas Savage wrote of his character Peter that “no one could close a door more quietly than he.” In Jane Campion’s Netflix adaptation, Smit-McPhee uses this telling description as his guiding light. Gentle and mousey, with a looming air of cunning, he never lays all of Peter’s cards on the table—which is what keeps us in the game until the end.

Timothy Spall

“Spencer” Kristen Stewart’s early scenes as Diana Spencer make a case for girls just wanting to have fun, as the princess takes long drives in a convertible with the wind in her hair; Spall’s Major Alistair Gregory is her wet-blanket foil. Throughout Pablo Larraín’s psychological study, he makes sure that, in fact, no fun is to be had at all. With pursed lips and a country-first attitude, he communicates his masterful, dictatorial presence with as little as a side-eye.

RAY LIOTTA IN “THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK”

KODI SMIT-MCPHEE IN “THE POWER OF THE DOG”

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● Male

Supporting Role

Alex Wolff

“Pig” Wolff is rising through Hollywood’s ranks—and rightly so, thanks to captivating performances in “Hereditary,” the “Jumanji” films, and this year’s “Old.” It may take a beat to recognize him in “Pig,” considering how deeply he sinks into the role of the slick Amir, the buyer of Nicolas Cage’s prized truffles. Even while going toe-totoe with a megawatt star, Wolff holds his own, surfacing the character’s need for a father figure to heartbreaking effect.

Benedict Wong

“Nine Days” Employing a dreamy, contemplative sci-fi concept, Edson Oda’s feature directorial debut imagines a pre-existence BACKSTAGE 12.13.21

realm where souls are played by some of today’s most intriguing character actors. Among them is Wong as Kyo, an irrepressibly optimistic presence and assistant to Winston Duke’s Will. Wong turns the portrayal of joy into high art; there’s poetry in his smiles.

JEFFREY WRIGHT IN “THE FRENCH DISPATCH”

Jeffrey Wright

“The French Dispatch” There are so many great performances in Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch”—and so many performances, period—that it’s nearly impossible to single one out from the others. But when push comes to shove, Wright’s portrayal of a food writer (which the eminent actor has said was inspired by both James Baldwin and Tennessee Williams) makes an impact that will subtly prod at you for days after exiting the theater.

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backstage.com

“PIG”: COURTESY NEON; “NINE DAYS”: MICHAEL COLES/SONY PICTURES CLASSICS; “THE FRENCH DISPATCH”: COURTESY SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES

BENEDICT WONG IN “NINE DAYS”

ALEX WOLFF IN “PIG”

For Your Consideration in All Categories Including

outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role

filippo scotti

“Filippo Scotti is a star in the making, perfectly balancing the confusion and vulnerability of a young man at a crossroads.”

Deadline

“Rich, deep and searingly poignant.

Watching Filippo Scotti’s Fabietto learn to see his world and the people in it with new eyes after absorbing a crushing blow is profoundly affecting.”

The Hollywood Reporter

“A sublime masterpiece.

Filippo Scotti is sensational.”

AwardsWatch

A Film by

PAOLO SORRENTINO

Academy Award Winning Director of ®

THE GREAT BEAUTY WINNER

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

FILIPPO SCOT TI

BEST YOUNG ACTOR

FILM.NETFLIXAWARDS.COM

Some of Hollywood’s most noteworthy performers reveal the male colleagues that inspire them BILL CAMP

“I like watching old films.

Orson Welles in ‘The Third Man.’ Peter O’Toole in ‘The Ruling Class.’ Alan Arkin in ‘Catch-22.’ Also, I haven’t seen it in a long time, [but] John Heard in a movie called ‘Cutter’s Way’ with Jeff Bridges— he’s brilliant.”

ANNA KENDRICK “Philip Seymour Hoffman in ‘Boogie Nights.’ He was the greatest actor of our generation, and what he does in that movie is so funny and so heartbreaking.”

GIANCARLO ESPOSITO

EDWARD NORTON

“Robin Williams in ‘The Fisher King.’ Robin’s story is being a comedian and then working his way to being a more dramatic actor. His performance in this is the perfect blend of comedy and drama—sadness, truth, desire.”

“Javier Bardem’s performance in ‘Biutiful.’ I marvel at that performance. He’s obviously one of the greats, but knowing everything I know about making films and the way that they’re done out of order and all those things—the emotional throughline he sustained in that film, I’m still kind of reeling.

It crushed me.”

EDDIE MURPHY

“Everybody should see ‘City Lights’ with Charlie Chaplin. The fact that Charlie Chaplin can make you laugh and make you cry with no sound makes Charlie Chaplin the baddest motherfucker ever. Nobody’s fucking with that.”

BACKSTAGE 12.13.21

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ESPOSITO: EUGENE POWERS/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; “THE FISHER KING”: AF ARCHIVE/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; MURPHY: FEATUREFLASH PHOTO AGENCY/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; “CITY LIGHTS”: AF ARCHIVE/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; NORTON: FEATUREFLASH PHOTO AGENCY/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; “BIUTIFUL”: MOVIESTORE COLLECTION LTD./ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; CAMP: RON ADAR/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; “THE RULING CLASS”: MOVIESTORE COLLECTION LTD./ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; KENDRICK: KATHY HUTCHINS/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; “BOOGIE NIGHTS”: PHOTO 12/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; CENTRAL IMAGE: KITZZEH/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

8 Film Performances

by Men Every Actor Should See

The Quadruple Crown A TERM TOSSED AROUND BY AWARDS pundits and fans is the “triple crown of acting,” used for people who have earned an Emmy, Oscar, and Tony for acting.

We’d like to propose an alternative: the

quadruple crown. In addition to those three esteemed trophies, a SAG Award should be added to the mantel! Eight actors, including several of this year’s contenders, are only one statuette shy.

D S A S AG AWA R D NEE

NE ED

SA

NO

GLENDA JACKSON ELLEN BURSTYN

S CA

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JOHN LITHGOW

NICOLE KIDMAN

The ESOT Dozen

These 12 actors have earned the crown

ALLISON JANNEY

Y ON

Viola Davis Audrey Hepburn Jeremy Irons Jessica Lange Frances McDormand Helen Mirren

MERYL STREEP

Rita Moreno Al Pacino Christopher Plummer Vanessa Redgrave Geoffrey Rush Maggie Smith

N

D EE

T SA

DERN: ANDREA RAFFIN/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; WINSLET: FEATUREFLASH PHOTO AGENCY/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; STREEP: LEV RADIN_SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; JANNEY: KATHY HUTCHINS/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; KIDMAN: FIRSTNAME/LASTNAME FEATUREFLASH PHOTO AGENCY/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; BURSTYN: FEATUREFLASH PHOTO AGENCY/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; JACKSON: LEV RADIN/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; LITHGOW: DFREE/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

These eight actors are one trophy away from the coveted ESOT

KATE WINSLET

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LAURA DERN

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It’s time to test your knowledge of one of screen acting’s biggest nights: film edition! (See answers at the bottom of page 36)

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IN WHAT YEAR DID ALL FOUR INDIVIDUAL ACTING SAG AWARDS IN FILM GO TO NONWHITE PERFORMERS FOR THE FIRST TIME? a 2018 b 2021 c 2020 d 2012

1

2

When was the SAG Award for outstanding performance by a stunt ensemble in a motion picture added to the ceremony? a 2008 b 1998

In 2007, Helen Mirren became the first female actor to win two SAG Awards in the same year, for “The Queen” and “Elizabeth I.” She was later nominated three times in the same year for her film work in “Trumbo” and “Woman in Gold.” Which year was it? a 2010

c 2014

b 2013

d 2016

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In 2021, this actor tied Jamie Foxx and Maggie Smith’s records for the most SAG Award nominations in a single year.

4 Which of these films won for outstanding leading male performance, leading female performance, and performance by a cast in a motion picture? a “American Beauty” b “Traffic”

c 1996

a Anthony Hopkins

c Denzel Washington

c “Gladiator”

d 2004

b Chadwick Boseman

d Meryl Streep

d “Shakespeare in Love”

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“TRUMBO”: HILARY BRONWYN GAYLE; “WOMAN IN GOLD”: ALBUM/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; DAVIS: JAGUAR PS/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; BOSEMAN: COURTESY MARVEL STUDIOS; “AS GOOD AS IT GETS”: RONALD GRANT ARCHIVE/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; “THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI”: MERRICK MORTON; “THE KING’S SPEECH”: PHOTO 12/ ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; “NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN”: AA FILM ARCHIVE/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; STREEP: EVERETT COLLECTION/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

The More You Know

“TRUMBO”: HILARY BRONWYN GAYLE; “WOMAN IN GOLD”: ALBUM/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; DAVIS: JAGUAR PS/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; BOSEMAN: COURTESY MARVEL STUDIOS; “AS GOOD AS IT GETS”: RONALD GRANT ARCHIVE/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; “THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI”: MERRICK MORTON; “THE KING’S SPEECH”: PHOTO 12/ ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; “NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN”: AA FILM ARCHIVE/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; STREEP: EVERETT COLLECTION/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

7 MERYL STREEP HOLDS THE RECORD FOR MOST ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS OF ALL TIME, WITH 21. HOW MANY SAG AWARD NOMINATIONS DOES SHE HAVE? a 24 b 20 c 18 d 15

Which of these films shares the record for the most SAG Award wins in the same year with “American Beauty,” “Chicago,” and “The Help”?

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a “As Good as It Gets” b “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” c “The King’s Speech” d “No Country for Old Men”

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a “Beauty and the Beast” b “Tangled” c “Frozen” d “Mulan”

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Seven of the eight nominated leading actors at the 27th SAG Awards went on to receive an Academy Award nomination for the same performance. Which actor did not?

a Carey Mulligan, “Promising Young Woman” b Steven Yeun, “Minari” c Riz Ahmed, “Sound of Metal” d Amy Adams, “Hillbilly Elegy”

10 What is the first—and only— film by a Black director to win for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture? a “Hidden Figures” b “Black Panther” c “The Help” d “Moonlight”

Answers: 1. d) 2016; 2. a) 2008; 3. b) Chadwick Boseman; 4. a) “American Beauty”; 5. b) 2021; 6. b) “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”; 7. c) 18; 8. c) “Frozen”; 9. d) Amy Adams, “Hillbilly Elegy”; 10. b) “Black Panther”

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“BEAUTY AND THE BEAST”: ALBUM/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; “TANGLED”: MOVIESTORE COLLECTION LTD./ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; “FROZEN”: AF ARCHIVE/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; “MULAN”: ALLSTAR PICTURE LIBRARY LTD./ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; “HIDDEN FIGURES”: HOPPER STONE

KRISTEN BELL WAS THE FIRST HOST OF THE SAG AWARDS IN 2018. SHE IS ALSO KNOWN FOR VOICING A DISNEY PRINCESS IN THIS ANIMATED MUSICAL.

SHALHOUB: RON ADAR/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; DAY-LEWIS: FEATUREFLASH PHOTO AGENCY/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; LITHGOW: DFREE/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; GANDOLFINI: KATHY HUTCHINS/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; FIRSTNAME/LASTNAME MACY: DFREE/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; CRANSTON: OVIDIU HRUBARU/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; GIAMATTI: KATHY HUTCHINS/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; HAYES: DFREE/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; BALDWIN: LEV RADIN/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

The Record Holders Over 27 ceremonies, these nine performers have been recognized with the most individual male actor wins

John Lithgow x 3

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James Gandolfini x 3

Daniel Day-Lewis x 3 William H. Macy x 4

Bryan Cranston x 3

Tony Shalhoub x 4 Alec Baldwin x 7

Sean Hayes x 3

Paul Giamatti x 3

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On the Radar

The best film acting moments of 2021 that demand your attention

T

o call 2021 a great year for cinema is an understatement. With so many choices to consider, we’re singling out individual scenes that demonstrate the kind of filmmaking artistry that deserves attention come awards season. Let’s take a look at the acting moments that may have flown under the radar this year. For SAG Award nominators’ consideration: these examples of acting excellence.

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with old friends before all is lost? There’s a tempting end-of-the-world party on her calendar that may be her ticket to salvation—if only she cared enough.

The movie features a who’s-who of cameos—including Lister-Jones’ buds Nick Kroll, Fred Armisen, Paul W. Downs, Olivia Wilde, and musician Sharon Van Etten. But the film’s heart comes from Lister-Jones grappling with her younger self (played by Cailee Spaeny of “Mare of Easttown”) over mortality’s biggest questions. Their conversations about regret and growth, shared while strolling down barren suburban roads, capture the weight and introspection we’ve all experienced at one time or another this year. The light’s at the end of the tunnel and the credits have rolled, but the questions the film raises during its slim

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COURTESY MGM

Zoe Lister-Jones talks to her younger self in “How It Ends” Picture this: The world as we know it has come to an end, and life rolls to a standstill. We’re isolated, alone, and losing track of the things that used to make us happy, and the end is

nigh. Considering the last year and a half, that’s either a too-close-to-home pitch or a story that’s just a little too depressing to have audiences flocking to it. Somehow, though, Zoe Lister-Jones’ pandemic-created comedy “How It Ends” makes it all work while also eliciting laughs.

Stuck in Los Angeles in summer 2020 with little to do—and even less certainty about what the future might hold—Lister-Jones got a bunch of her Hollywood friends together to film quick and quippy vignettes dramatizing what it might look like if we knew the world was ending in 24 hours. What interactions would we have over the course of that day? The filmmaker stars as Liza, a cynical Californian with more than a few skeletons in her closet. Will she choose to clear her conscience and reconnect

“CODA”: COURTESY APPLE TV+; “TOGETHER TOGETHER”: TIFFANY ROOHANI/BLEECKER STREET

CAILEE SPAENY AND ZOE LISTER-JONES IN “HOW IT ENDS”

80-minute runtime have stuck with me for months. —Benjamin Lindsay

Ruby’s family watches her recital in “CODA” While many scenes in Sian Heder’s Apple TV+ feature “CODA” will bring a tear to the eye, there’s one in particular that exemplifies the film’s central quandary: Ruby, played by Emilia Jones, is the sole hearing member of an otherwise deaf family; she is also a gifted singer.

Late in the film, though having wavered in their support of their daughter, Ruby’s mother, father, and brother—played exquisitely by deaf actors Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur, and Daniel Durant, respectively—attend her recital. We as the audience watch and listen as she nails her solo. Then, with jarring swiftness, the sound cuts out, and we experience the performance through the eyes and ears of Ruby’s father.

As he scans the auditorium, his emotions are visible on his face: The rest of the audience gets to hear his daughter share her talents with the world, and all he can do is look on and try to pick up on cues of when to applaud.

It isn’t a flashy film moment, but it’s a deeply affecting display of how the Deaf community is ostracized from the experiences of a hearing society. It also underscores the power of showing up for your family, even when the world has given you every reason not to. —Casey Mink

DANIEL DURANT, MARLEE MATLIN, AND TROY KOTSUR IN “CODA”

Patti Harrison and Ed Helms have a baby in “Together Together” There are elements of both comedy and romance in Nikole Beckwith’s “Together Together,” but the film can’t be categorized as a rom-com. The comedy comes courtesy of stars Ed Helms and Patti Harrison as Matt and Anna, a 40-something father-to-be and

COURTESY MGM

“CODA”: COURTESY APPLE TV+; “TOGETHER TOGETHER”: TIFFANY ROOHANI/BLEECKER STREET

ED HELMS AND PATTI HARRISON IN “TOGETHER TOGETHER”

the 20-something woman who agrees to be his surrogate. The romance, though, is far less straightforward—and far more original than most guy-meets-girl stories.

That’s because, over the course of nine months, Matt and Anna develop a true friendship. We traverse all the typical ups and downs of a love that’s meant to be, but this romance is platonic rather than amorous. By the time their baby is due, Helms and Harrison have put us through the emotional wringer, conveying the kind of hard-won partnership that’s difficult to accomplish in only two hours.

It all crescendos with Anna giving birth.

Harrison fills the screen in closeup, sweatdrenched, tear-soaked, and panting. Off camera, we hear a newborn cry and Matt exclaim, “Welcome to the world!” Cut to black.

Roll credits. (I’m sobbing.) It’s a moment of cinematic catharsis that reminds us why we watch movies, right when you least expect it.

—Jack Smart

The family hostage sequence in “No Sudden Move” One of the downsides of a film debuting early in the year is that by the time awards season rolls around, it has often been forgotten. But Steven Soderbergh’s HBO Max film “No Sudden Move,” a period thriller about a heist gone wrong, deserves to be remembered.

The story starts when Curt (longtime Soderbergh collaborator Don Cheadle) is hired to blackmail a man and hold his family hostage.

He enlists Ronald (Benicio Del Toro) and Charley (Kieran Culkin) to help him with the job, and it doesn’t take long for things to go awry. Curt slowly begins to suspect something is up and has to make a split-second decision, which I won’t spoil here.

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Soderbergh masterfully ratchets up the tension with anxiety-inducing cuts of back-andforths, the constant ringing of a phone that’s as hypnotic as it is annoying, and a beautiful score composed by David Holmes. Aspiring filmmakers should watch this scene to learn how to push people to the edge of their seats and keep them there. —Jalen Michael

JESSICA CHASTAIN AND ANDREW GARFIELD IN “THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE”

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Dev Patel tells an old tale told anew in “The Green Knight” In “The Green Knight,” David Lowery’s off-thewall adaptation of an enigmatic 14th-century poem, Dev Patel gives arguably his most accomplished performance to date. As Sir Gawain, he travels the mythical lands of Arthurian England after beheading the Green Knight (Ralph Ineson) at the king’s (Sean Harris) Christmas banquet.

Although the act confirms Gawain’s hero status, it comes at a price: In a year’s time, he must present his own neck to the knight and allow him to take vengeance.

The role enables Patel to showcase his impressive dramatic and comedic range. From the bawdy early scenes with his lover (Alicia Vikander, who later appears in the film in a different role) to encounters with giants, a talking fox, and a range of lords, ladies, and ne’er-do-wells, the eminently likable Patel proves to be the perfect journeyman. And in the film’s moving climactic sequence, when Gawain must confront his fate, he captures the existential crisis at the character’s heart. Patel is a sympathetic Arthurian knight for our age.

—Theo Bosanquet

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“THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE”: COURTESY SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES; “THE GREEN KNIGHT”: ERIC ZACHANOWICH

DEV PATEL AND ALICIA VIKANDER IN “THE GREEN KNIGHT”

The faceoff in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” One could argue that three-time Emmy-winning makeup artist Linda Dowds steals the show in Searchlight Pictures’ “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” However, all that transformative artistry would fall flat if Jessica Chastain weren’t giving it life. Tammy Faye Bakker was a walking, talking caricature, and she was relentlessly made fun of for it. But Chastain evokes an empathy and sweetness that win us over.

Beneath the makeup, hair, and clothes, she brings out the courage of the televangelist in a time and place characterized by bigotry and misogyny. The scene that most stands out showcases Tammy Faye’s authentic love for people. She boldly inserts herself into a men’s-only luncheon at Jerry Falwell’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) mansion. When the conversation turns to politics, Tammy Faye jumps in to remind the room that religion isn’t political, and that as spiritual leaders, their job is to love all people.

Oh, how I wish they had listened! The late Bakker was nothing if not fully herself each and every day, and watching Chastain embody that fearlessness is a treat. —Kasey Howe

F O R YO U R C O N S I D E R AT I O N

OUT STA NDI NG P E RFO RMA NC E

BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE ROONEY MARA

OUT STA NDI NG P E RFO RMA NC E

BY A FEMALE ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

CATE BLANCHETT TONI COLLETTE MARY STEENBURGEN

F O R YO U R C O N S I D E R AT I O N

© 2021 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS

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