‘Barbie’ vs. ‘Oppenheimer’, new assault on the US Screen Actors Guild Awards

The films ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ led the nominations this Wednesday for the 30th edition of the Screen Actors Guild Awards. USA (SAG Awards, in English), with four nominations each, and will offer another round of their particular dispute this season.

‘Oppenheimer’, which was imposed with great solvency on ‘Barbie’ at the Golden Globes last weekend, will be measured in the queen category of the SAG Awards, which awards the best cast or ensemble of the year, with ‘The Color Purple’, ‘American Fiction’ and ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’, as well as with the film directed by Greta Gerwig.

This ceremony of the Screen Actors Guild Awards, known for being one of the most reliable thermometers in the race towards the Oscars, will also feature Cillian Murphy (‘Oppenheimer’)Colman Domingo (‘Rustin’), Paul Giamatti (‘The Holdovers’), Bradley Cooper (‘Master’) and Jeffrey Wright (‘American Fiction’) as finalists for best actor.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance as the murderer Ernest Burkhart in ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ was not considered by the union and was the big surprise of the nominations.

The female version of this section includes Lily Gladstone (‘Killers of the Flower Moon’), Carey Mulligan (‘Teacher’), Margot Robbie (‘Barbie’), Annette Bening (‘Nyad’) and Emma Stone (‘Poor Things’).

Hispanic representation in the film categories came from the hand of Penélope Cruz (‘Ferrari’) that, although it was not selected for the Golden Globes or the Critics Choice Awards, it was now considered and will compete against Emily Blunt (‘Oppenheimer’)Danielle Brooks (‘The Color Purple’)Jodie Foster (‘Nyad’) and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (‘The Holdovers’) as best supporting actress.

The nominations were announced this Wednesday in a humble live event broadcast from the profile of these awards on the social network Instagram and presented by actors Issa Rae (‘Barbie’) and Kumail Nanjiani (‘Silicon Valley’).

Shortly before, the president of the Screen Actors Guild of America, Fran Drescher, appeared in a video stating that the organization is “nice to meet you” to be able to deliver these awards after “an unprecedented year” for the American audiovisual industry, marked by the first joint strike of actors and screenwriters in 60 years.

‘Succession’ marks the step in the television categories

In the recognitions related to the small screen, the fourth and final season of the phenomenon ‘Succession’ earned five nominations, followed closely by comedies ‘Ted Lasso’ and ‘The Bear’in addition to the post-apocalyptic ‘The Last of Us’with four candidates each.

‘Succession’ and ‘The Last of Us’ will face ‘The Crown’, ‘The Gilded Age’ and ‘The Morning Show’ to rise as the best drama series of the course, while ‘Ted Lasso’ and ‘The Bear’ will do the same with ‘Barry’, ‘Only Murders in the Building’ and ‘Abbott Elementary’ in the comedy section.

The Chilean Pedro Pascal, protagonist of ‘The Last of Us’ in the role of Joel, will try to win as best actor in a drama series in a list completed by three interpreters from ‘Succession’ -Kieran Culkin, Brian Cox and Matthew Macfadyen-, as well as Billy Crudup, from ‘The Morning Show’.

The Latin performer already saw how the equivalent recognition given by the Golden Globes eluded him last weekend when it fell to Culkin but, before the celebration of the Screen Actors Guild Awards in the United States, he will have another opportunity in the Emmys, which will take place next Monday.

In the particular dispute between media conglomerates and platforms, Warner Bros. Discovery obtained the highest number of nominations of any company, receiving a total of 20 for its films and series, which include ‘The Last of Us’ ‘Succession’, ‘The Color Purple’ and ‘Barbie’. It is followed by Netflix, with 12, and Apple with 11.

The Screen Actors Guild Awards, voted on by an organization with more than 119,000 members, will be presented on February 24 at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles, in a ceremony that will be broadcast live for the first time through a streaming platform. Netflix acquired the rights last year.