'Help,' 'Artist' lead SAG race

"The Help" has received plenty of help from Hollywood thesps as the drama dominated Screen Actor Guild award nominations with four, follwed by "The Artist" with a trio of nods. "The Help" took nods for cast, Viola Davis for lead actress, and Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer for supporting actress. "The Artist" scored for cast, Jean Dujardin for lead actor and Berenice Bejo for supporting actress. The SAG noms, announced Wednesday morning, also offered a surprise boost to "Bridesmaids" with a pair of nominations for cast and Melissa McCarthy for suopporting actress and to "A Better Life" with Mexican thesp Demian Bechir scoring a lead actor nomination for a film that grossed $1.8 million. "It's a huge surprise in one way and not so much in another because I've always wanted people to know my work," Bechir told Variety."It's a tremendous honor since it's from a place where there are so many great actors." "Albert Nobbs," "The Descendants," "J. Edgar," "Moneyball" and "My Week with Marilyn" also received two noms while single SAG nods went to "A Better Life," "Beginners," "The Iron Lady," "Midnight in Paris," "Warrior," "We Need to Talk About Kevin." Noms were announced by Judy Greer and Regina King at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. "Modern Family" dominated in TV nominations with five, with individual actor nods for Ty Burrelll, Eric Stonestreet, Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara. "30 Rock" and "Dexter" scored three noms each while "Boardwalk Empire," "Breaking Bad," "Game of Thrones," "The Good Wife," "The Office," "Too Big to Fail" and "Mildred Pierce" each took a pair. Alec Baldwin, who has won the comedy series actor award for five consecutive years for "30 Rock," received another nom in the category as did last year's drama series winners Julianna Margulies for "The Good Wife" and Steve Buscemi for "Boardwalk Empire." Betty White, who won last year's SAG lifetime achievement award and the comedy series trophy for "Hot in Cleveland, remained a fave among thesps with nominations for "Cleveland" and "Hallmark Hall of Fame: The Lost Valentine" in the miniseries category. Besides "The Help" and "The Artist," the ensemble cast noms went to "Bridesmaids," "The Descendants" and "Midnight in Paris." With actors comprising about 23% of the voters in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the SAG nominations are a closely watched indicator of Oscar sentiment. "The King's Speech" won the SAG cast award last January and went on to win the Oscar for best picture. The SAG cast winner has matched the Oscar best picture winner in eight of the past 16 years. Besides Dujardin and Bechir, lead actor noms went to a trio of Hollywood heavywights -- George Clooney for "The Descendants," Leonardo DiCaprio for "J. Edgar" and Brad Pitt for "Moneyball." It was the fourth individual SAG nomination for both Clooney and DiCaprio and the second for Pitt. Besides Davis, lead actress noms went to Glenn Close for "Albert Nobbs," Meryl Streep for "The Iron Lady," Tilda Swinton for "We Need to Talk About Kevin" and Michelle Williams for "My Week with Marilyn." Close was also nominated for actress in a TV drama series for "Damages." The supporting actor category offered a mix of veterans -- Kenneth Branaugh in "My Week with Marilyn," Nick Nolte in "Warrior" and Christopher Plummer in "Beginners" -- and relative newcomers with Armie Hammer in "J. Edgar" and Jonah Hill in "Moneyball." Besides McCarthy, the supporting actress category saw Melissa McCarthy of "Bridesmaids" and Janet McTeer of "Albert Nobbs" join Bejo, Chastain and Spencer. McTeer was nommed in 2000 for "Tumbleweeds" while the other supporting actress contenders are first-time nominees. Notable awards season contenders overlooked by SAG voters included Albert Brooks in "Drive," Kirsten Dunst in "Melancholia," Michael Fassbender in "Shame," Judy Greer and Shailene Woodley in "The Descendants," Woody Harrelson in "Rampart," John Hawkes and Elizabeth Olsen in "Martha Marcy May Marlene," Ben Kingsley in "Hugo," Rooney Mara for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," Charlize Theron in "Young Adult" and Max von Sydow for "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." The SAG nominations are based on voting by two panels -- one for film and one for TV -- each composed of 2,100 randomly selected guild members. Winners, based on voting by SAG's 120,000 members, will be announced Jan. 29 in ceremonies at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. To be eligible, voters must be dues-current and vote by Jan. 27. The 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations are:THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURESOutstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading RoleDemin Bichir / Carlos Galindo - "A Better Life" (Summit Entertainment)George Clooney / Matt King - "The Descendants" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)Leonardo Dicaprio / J. Edgar Hoover - "J. Edgar" (Warner Bros. Pictures)Jean Dujardin / George - "The Artist" (The Weinstein Company)Brad Pitt / Billy Beane - "Moneyball" (Columbia Pictures)Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading RoleGlenn Close / Albert Nobbs - "Albert Nobbs" (Roadside Attractions)Viola Davis / Aibileen Clark - "The Help" (Dreamworks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)Meryl Streep / Margaret Thatcher - "The Iron Lady" (The Weinstein Company)Tilda Swinton / Eva - "We Need To Talk About Kevin" (Oscilloscope Laboratories)Michelle Williams / Marilyn Monroe - "My Week With Marilyn" (The Weinstein Company)Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting RoleKenneth Branagh / Sir Laurence Olivier - "My Week With Marilyn" (The Weinstein Company)Armie Hammer / Clyde Tolson - "J. Edgar" (Warner Bros. Pictures)Jonah Hill / Peter Brand - "Moneyball" (Columbia Pictures)Nick Nolte / Paddy Conlon - "Warrior" (Lionsgate)Christopher Plummer / Hal - "Beginners" (Focus Features)Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting RoleBrnice Bejo / Peppy - "The Artist" (The Weinstein Company)Jessica Chastain / Celia Foote - "The Help" (Dreamworks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)Melissa Mccarthy / Megan - "Bridesmaids" (Universal Pictures)Janet Mcteer / Hubert Page - "Albert Nobbs" (Roadside Attractions)Octavia Spencer / Minny Jackson - "The Help" (Dreamworks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture"The Artist" (The Weinstein Company)Brnice Bejo / PeppyJames Cromwell / CliftonJean Dujardin / GeorgeJohn Goodman / Al ZimmerPenelope Ann Miller / Doris"Bridesmaids" (Universal Pictures)Rose Byrne / HelenJill Clayburgh / Annie's MomEllie Kemper / BeccaMatt Lucas / GilMelissa Mccarthy / MeganWendi Mclendon-Covey / RitaChris O'Dowd / RhodesMaya Rudolph / LillianKristen Wiig / Annie"The Descendants" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)Beau Bridges / Cousin HughGeorge Clooney / Matt KingRobert Forster / Scott ThorsonJudy Greer / Julie SpeerMatthew Lillard / Brian SpeerShailene Woodley / Alexandra King"The Help" (Dreamworks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)Jessica Chastain / Celia FooteViola Davis / Aibileen ClarkBryce Dallas Howard / Hilly HolbrookAllison Janney / Charlotte PhelanChris Lowell / Stuart WhitworthAhna O'Reilly / Elizabeth LeefoltSissy Spacek / Missus WaltersOctavia Spencer / Minny JacksonMary Steenburgen / Elaine SteinEmma Stone / Skeeter PhelanCicely Tyson / Constantine JeffersonMike Vogel / Johnny Foote"Midnight In Paris" (Sony Pictures Classics)Kathy Bates / Gertrude SteinAdrien Brody / Salvador DaliCarla Bruni / Museum GuideMarion Cotillard / AdrianaRachel Mcadams / InezMichael Sheen / PaulOwen Wilson / Gil PRIMETIME TELEVISIONOutstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie Or MiniseriesLaurence Fishburne / Thurgood Marshall - "Thurgood" (HBO)Paul Giamatti / Ben Bernanke - "Too Big To Fail" (HBO)Greg Kinnear / Jack Kennedy - "The Kennedys" (Reelz Channel)Guy Pearce / Monty Beragon - "Mildred Pierce" (HBO)James Woods / Richard Fuld - "Too Big To Fail" (HBO)Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie Or MiniseriesDiane Lane / Pat Loud - "Cinema Verite" (HBO)Maggie Smith / Violet, Dowager Countess Of Grantham - "Downton Abbey" (PBS)Emily Watson / Janet Leach - "Appropriate Adult" (Sundance Channel)Betty White / Caroline Thomas - "Hallmark Hall Of Fame: The Lost Valentine" (CBS)Kate Winslet / Mildred Pierce - "Mildred Pierce" (HBO)Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama SeriesPatrick J. Adams / Mike Ross - "Suits" (USA)Steve Buscemi / Enoch "Nucky" Thomson - "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)Kyle Chandler / Eric Taylor - "Friday Night Lights" (DirecTV)Bryan Cranston / Walter White - "Breaking Bad" (AMC)Michael C. Hall / Dexter Morgan - "Dexter" (Showtime)Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama SeriesKathy Bates / Harriet Korn - "Harry's Law" (NBC)Glenn Close / Patty Hewes - "Damages" (DirecTV)Jessica Lange / Constance - "American Horror Story" (FX)Julianna Margulies / Alicia Florrick - "The Good Wife" (CBS)Kyra Sedgwick / Dept. Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson - "The Closer" (TNT)Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy SeriesAlec Baldwin / Jack Donaghy - "30 Rock" (NBC)Ty Burrell / Phil Dunphy - "Modern Family" (ABC)Steve Carell / Michael Scott - "The Office" (NBC)Jon Cryer / Alan Harper - "Two And A Half Men" (CBS)Eric Stonestreet / Cameron Tucker - "Modern Family" (ABC)Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy SeriesJulie Bowen / Claire Dunphy - "Modern Family" (ABC)Edie Falco / Jackie Peyton - "Nurse Jackie" (Showtime)Tina Fey / Liz Lemon - "30 Rock" (NBC)Sofia Vergara / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett - "Modern Family" (ABC)Betty White / Elka Ostrovsky - "Hot In Cleveland" (TV Land)Outstanding Performance By An Ensemble in a Drama Series"Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)Steve Buscemi / Enoch "Nucky" ThompsonDominic Chianese / Leander Cephas WhitlockRobert Clohessy / Ward Boss Jim NearyDabney Coleman / Commodore Louis KaestnerCharlie Cox / Owen SleaterJosie & Lucy Gallina / Emily SchroederStephen Graham / Al CaponeJack Huston / Richard HarrowAnthony Laciura / Eddie KesslerHeather Lind / KatyKelly Macdonald / Margaret SchroederRory & Declan Mctigue / Teddy SchroederGretchen Mol / Gillian DarmodyBrady & Connor Noon/ Tommy DarmodyKevin O'Rourke / Mayor Edward Bader Aleksa Palladino / Angela DarmodyJacqueline Pennewill / LilianVincent Piazza / Lucky LucianoMichael Pitt / Jimmy DarmodyMichael Shannon / Agent Nelson Van AldenPaul Sparks / Mickey DoyleMichael Stuhlbarg / Arnold RothsteinPeter Van Wagner / Isaac "Icky" GinsburgShea Whigham / Sheriff Elias ThompsonMichael Kenneth Williams / Chalky WhiteAnatol Yusef / Meyer Lansky"Breaking Bad" (AMC)Jonathan Banks / MikeBetsy Brandt / Marie SchraderRay Campbell / Tyrus KittBryan Cranston / Walter WhiteGiancarlo Esposito / Gus FringAnna Gunn / Skyler WhiteRj Mitte / Walter White, Jr.Dean Norris / Hank SchraderBob Odenkirk / Saul GoodmanAaron Paul / Jesse Pinkman"Dexter" (Showtime)Billy Brown / Chicago MikeJennifer Carpenter / Debra MorganJosh Cooke / LouisAimee Garcia / Jamie BatistaMichael C. Hall / Dexter MorganColin Hanks / Travis MarshallDesmond Harrington / Joey QuinnMaria Doyle Kennedy / SonyaRya Kihlstedt / MichelleC.S. Lee / Vince MasukaEdward James Olmos / Professor GellarJames Remar / Harry MorganLauren Velez / Lt. Maria LaguertaPeter Weller / LiddyDavid Zayas / Sgt. Angel Batista"Game of Thrones" (HBO)Amrita Acharia / IrriMark Addy / King Robert BaratheonAlfie Allen / Theon GreyjoyJosef Altin / PyparSean Bean / Lord Eddard "Ned" StarkSusan Brown / Septa MordaneEmilia Clarke / Daenerys TargaryenNikolaj Coster-Waldau / Ser Jaime LannisterPeter Dinklage / Tyrion LannisterRon Donachie / Ser Rodrik CasselMichelle Fairley / Lady Catelyn StarkJerome Flynn / BronnElyes Gabel / RakharoAiden Gillen / "Littlefinger" Petyr BaelishJack Gleeson / Joffrey BaratheonIain Glen / Ser Jorah MormontJulian Glover / Grand Maester PycelleKit Harington / Jon SnowLena Headey / Queen Cersei LannisterIsaac Hempstead Wright / Bran StarkConleth Hill / Lord VarysRichard Madden / Robb StarkJason Mamoa / Kahl DrogoRory Mccann / Sandor CleganeIan Mcelhinney / Barristan SelmyLuke Mcewan / RastRoxanne Mckee / DoreahDar Salim / QothoMark Stanley / GrennDonald Sumpter / Maester LuwinSophie Turner / Sansa StarkMaisie Williams / Arya Stark"The Good Wife"(CBS)Christine Baranski / Diane LockhartJosh Charles / Will GardnerAlan Cumming / Eli GoldMatt Czuchry / Cary AgosJulianna Margulies / Alicia FlorrickChris Noth / Peter FlorrickArchie Panjabi / Kalinda SharmaGraham Phillips / Zach FlorrickMakenzie Vega / Grace FlorrickOutstanding Performance By An Ensemble in a Comedy Series"30 Rock" (NBC)Scott Adsit / Pete HornbergerAlec Baldwin / Jack DonaghyKatrina Bowden / CerieKevin Brown / DotcomGrizz Chapman / GrizzTina Fey / Liz LemonJudah Friedlander / Frank RossitanoJane Krakowski / Jenna MaroneyJohn Lutz / LutzJack Mcbrayer / Kenneth ParcellTracy Morgan / Tracy JordanMaulik Pancholy / JonathanKeith Powell / Toofer"The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)Mayim Bialik / Amy Farrah FowlerKaley Cuoco / PennyJohnny Galecki / Leonard HofstadterSimon Helberg / Howard WolowitzKunal Nayyar / Rajesh KoothrappaliJim Parsons / Sheldon CooperMelissa Rauch / Bernadette Rostenkowski"Glee" (Fox)Dianna Agron / Quinn FabrayChris Colfer / Kurt HummelDarren Criss / Blaine Anderson Ashley Fink / Lauren ZizesDot Marie Jones / Coach BeisteJane Lynch / Sue SylvesterJayma Mays / Emma PillsburyKevin Mchale / Artie AbramsLea Michele / Rachel BerryCory Monteith / Finn HudsonHeather Morris / Brittany PierceMatthew Morrison / Will SchuesterMike O'Malley / Burt HummelChord Overstreet / Sam EvansLauren Potter / Becky JohnsonAmber Riley / Mercedes JonesNaya Rivera / Santana LopezMark Salling / Noah 'Puck' PuckermanHarry Shum, Jr. / Mike ChangIqbal Theba / Principal FigginsJenna Ushkowitz / Tina Cohen-Chang"Modern Family" (ABC)Aubrey Anderson-Emmons / LilyJulie Bowen / ClaireTy Burrell / PhilJesse Tyler Ferguson / MitchellNolan Gould / LukeSarah Hyland / HaleyEd O'Neill / JayRico Rodriguez / MannyEric Stonestreet / CameronSofia Vergara / GloriaAriel Winter / Alex"The Office" (NBC)Leslie David Baker / Stanley HudsonBrian Baumgartner / Kevin MaloneCreed Bratton / Creed BrattonSteve Carell / Michael ScottJenna Fischer / Pam Beesly HalpertKate Flannery / Meredith PalmerEd Helms / Andy BernardMindy Kaling / Kelly KapoorEllie Kemper / Erin HannonAngela Kinsey / Angela MartinJohn Krasinski / Jim HalpertPaul Lieberstein / Toby FlendersonB.J. Novak / Ryan HowardOscar Nuez / Oscar MartinezCraig Robinson / Daryll PhilbinJames Spader / Robert CaliforniaPhyllis Smith / Phyllis Lapin-VanceRainn Wilson / Dwight SchruteZach Woods / Gabe LewisSag Honors For Stunt EnsemblesOutstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture"The Adjustment Bureau (Universal Pictures)"Cowboys & Aliens (Universal Pictures)"Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Warner Bros. Pictures)"Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (Paramount Pictures)"X-Men: First Class" (20th Century Fox)Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series"Dexter" (Showtime)"Game Of Thrones" (HBO)"Southland" (TNT)"Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena" (Starz)"True Blood" (HBO)Life Achievement AwardMary Tyler MooreAWARDS TALLYTheatrical Motion Pictures With Multiple Nominations"The Help" - 4"The Artist" - 3"Albert Nobbs" - 2"Bridesmaids" - 2"The Descendants" - 2"J. Edgar" - 2"Moneyball" - 2"My Week With Marilyn" - 2Primetime Television Programs With Multiple Nominations"Modern Family" - 5"30 Rock" - 3"Dexter" - 3"Boardwalk Empire" - 2"Breaking Bad" - 2"Game Of Thrones" - 2"The Good Wife" - 2"The Office" - 2"Too Big To Fail" - 2"Mildred Pierce" - 2 Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com