Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars from Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis. Following Academy Awards history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Oscar predictions are updated regularly with the current year's contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. Eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and will be displayed next to revision date.
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2021 SAG AWARDS PREDICTIONS:
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
UPDATED: Jan. 14, 2020
The social embargo lifted for Shaka King’s powerful “Judas and the Black Messiah” and the praise was loud, especially for Daniel Kaluuya as Fred Hampton. Paul Raci currently leads in supporting actor prizes but is unknown by actors. While still in the conversation for a nomination, he’s not an assured thing and there’s still some time to go. With that said, this could be the place where LAFCA winner Glynn Turman turns the spotlight on him with his scene-stealing work in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Chadwick Boseman could also find himself with four nominations on the day (two in individual acting and two in the ensemble categories), which coincidentally, isn’t the most in history for an actor at SAG. Jamie Foxx landed four, and won for 2004’s “Ray.”
(Awards Circuit Winners Chart (2020-2021)
AND THE PREDICTED NOMINEES ARE:
Daniel Kaluuya
"Judas and the Black Messiah" (Warner Bros.)
ROLE: Fred Hampton
SAG HISTORY: 3 nominations, 1 win
(2018) - "Black Panther" - Cast ensemble in a motion picture (WINNER)
(2017) - "Get Out" - Male actor in a leading role
(2017) - "Get Out" - Cast ensemble in a motion picture
–DIRECTOR: Shaka King
SYNOPSIS: The story of Fred Hampton, Chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, and his fateful betrayal by FBI informant William O'Neal.
STARRING: Lakeith Stanfield, Daniel Kaluuya, Dominique Fishback, Jesse Plemons, Martin Sheen, Dominique Thorne, Algee Smith, Lil Rel Howery, Jermaine Fowler
Sacha Baron Cohen
"The Trial of the Chicago 7" (Netflix)
ROLE: Abbie Hoffman
SAG HISTORY: 1 nomination
(2013) - "Les Misérables" - Cast ensemble in a motion picture
–DIRECTOR: Aaron Sorkin
SYNOPSIS: The story of 7 people on trial stemming from various charges surrounding the uprising at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
STARRING: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, John Carroll Lynch, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, Alex Sharp, Jeremy Strong
Leslie Odom, Jr.
"One Night in Miami" (Amazon Studios)
ROLE: Sam Cooke
SAG HISTORY: Never nominated
–DIRECTOR: Regina King
SYNOPSIS: A fictional account of one incredible night in 1964, where four icons of activism, sports and music – Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke – gathered, discussing their roles in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the ’60s.
STARRING: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom, Jr.
Glynn Turman
"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (Netflix)
ROLE: Toledo
SAG HISTORY: Never nominated
–DIRECTOR: George C. Wolfe
SYNOPSIS: Chicago, 1927. A recording session. Tensions rise between Ma Rainey, her ambitious horn player and the white management determined to control the uncontrollable "Mother of the Blues". Based on Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson's play..
STARRING: Chadwick Boseman, Dusan Brown, Jonny Coyne, Viola Davis, Colman Domingo, Taylour Paige, Michael Potts, Jeremy Shamos, Glynn Turman
Chadwick Boseman
"Da 5 Bloods" (Netflix)
ROLE: Stormin' Norman
SAG HISTORY: 1 nomination, 1 win
(2019) - "Black Panther" - Cast ensemble in a motion picture
–DIRECTOR: Spike Lee
SYNOPSIS: Four African American vets battle the forces of man and nature when they return to Vietnam seeking the remains of their fallen squad leader and the gold fortune he helped them hide.
STARRING: Delroy Lindo, Clarke Peters, Jonathan Majors, Chadwick Boseman, Isiah Witlock, Jr,, Norm Lewis
NEXT IN LINE CONTENDERS:
Paul Raci
"Sound of Metal" (Amazon Studios)
ROLE: Joe
SAG HISTORY: Never nominated
–DIRECTOR: Darius Marder
SYNOPSIS: A heavy-metal drummer's life is thrown into freefall when he begins to lose his hearing.
STARRING: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Mathieu Almaric, Lauren Ridloff
Bill Murray
"On the Rocks" (A24/Apple TV Plus)
ROLE: Felix
SAG HISTORY: 3 nominations
(2016) - "A Very Murray Christmas" - Male actor in a television movie or miniseries
(2015) - "The Grand Budapest Hotel" - Cast ensemble in a motion picture
(2004) - "Lost in Translation" - Male actor in a leading role in a motion picture
–DIRECTOR: Sofia Coppola
SYNOPSIS: A young mother reconnects with her larger-than-life playboy father on an adventure through New York.
STARRING: Rashida Jones, Bill Murray, Marlon Wayans, Jessica Henwick, Jenny Slate
Stanley Tucci
"Supernova" (Bleecker Street)
ROLE: Tusker
SAG HISTORY: 3 nominations, 1 win
(2016) - "Spotlight" - Cast ensemble in a motion picture (WINNER)
(2010) - "The Lovely Bones" - Male actor in a supporting role in a motion picture
(1999) - "Winchell" - Male actor in a TV movie or miniseries
–DIRECTOR: Aaron Sorkin
SYNOPSIS: Sam and Tusker are traveling across England in their old RV to visit friends, family and places from their past. Since Tusker was diagnosed with dementia two years ago, their time together is the most important thing they have.
STARRING: Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci, Pippa Haywood, Peter MacQueen, Nina Marlin
Alan S. Kim
"Minari" (A24)
ROLE: David
SAG HISTORY: Never nominated
–DIRECTOR: Lee Isaac Chung
SYNOPSIS: A Korean family moves to Arkansas to start a farm in the 1980s.
STARRING: Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Alan S. Kim, Yuh-jung Youn, Will Patton
Mark Rylance
"The Trial of the Chicago 7" (Netflix)
ROLE: William Kunstler
SAG HISTORY: 2 nominations
(2016) - "Bridge of Spies" - Male actor in a supporting role in a motion picture
(2016) - "Wolf Hall" - Male actor in a television movie or miniseries
–DIRECTOR: Aaron Sorkin
SYNOPSIS: The story of 7 people on trial stemming from various charges surrounding the uprising at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
STARRING: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, John Carroll Lynch, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance, Alex Sharp, Jeremy Strong
UNRANKED AWARDS CONTENDERS:
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II,
“The Trial of the Chicago 7” (Netflix)Bo Burnham,
“Promising Young Woman” (Focus Features)Billy Crystal,
“Standing Up, Falling Down” (Shout! Factory)Charles Dance,
“Mank” (Netflix)Colman Domingo,
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (Netflix)Aldis Hodge,
“One Night in Miami” (Amazon Studios)Arliss Howard,
“Mank” (Netflix)Frank Langella,
“The Trial of the Chicago 7” (Netflix)Jared Leto,
“The Little Things” (HBO Max/Warner Bros.)David Strathairn,
“Nomadland” (Searchlight Pictures)
† = no release date scheduled / could be delayed / may not be eligible
†† = could be campaigned in lead or supporting categories / original or adapted screenplay categories
The Screen Actors Guild Awards, hosted by SAG-AFTRA is an annual award show that has become one of the most important and key indicators for the Oscars. Four films have won the most SAG awards with three: 1999’s “American Beauty,” 2002’s “Chicago,” 2011’s “The Help” and 2017’s “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Three movies have been nominated for the most SAG awards with five: 1998’s “Shakespeare in Love,” “Chicago” and 2008’s “Doubt.”
The SAG Awards are scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 4, 2021