The 2012 SAG Awards show is just three days away, so get set for some big time Hollywood excitement. Here’s a complete guide to this year’s event, complied from the latest announcements from the Guild, various network press releases and insider scoop. The 2012 Screen Actors Guild Awards airs simultaneously on TNT and TBS on Sunday, January 29, 2012.
The History of the SAG Awards
The Screen Actors Guild is the nation’s largest labor union, representing working actors. Established in 1933, SAG has a rich history in the American labor movement. With 20 branches nationwide, SAG represents more than 120,000 actors who work in film and digital theatrical motion pictures and television programs, commercials, video games, industrials, Internet and all new media formats. The Guild exists to enhance actors’ working conditions, compensation and benefits and to be a powerful, unified voice on behalf of artists’ rights. Headquartered in Los Angeles, SAG is a proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO.
The SAG Awards debuted in 1995 and has since become one of the industry’s most prized honor. The show is praised for its style simplicity and genuine warmth. Actors pat each other on the back for a job well done and often turn the jokes on themselves or others. The SAG Awards is the only televised awards event that solely recognizes performers and not those behind the scenes. In 2012, thirteen SAG Awards are up for grabs, including two for stunt ensembles.
Two randomly selected panels of 2,100 SAG members each from across the United States choose the nominees for television and motion pictures. The final ballot then goes out to the full guild membership (approximately 100,000 members), which picks the outstanding performances of the year.
The recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award is Mary Tyler Moore.
Last year’s big winners included:
- The King’s Speech
- The Fighter
- Black Swan
- Temple Grandin
- The Good Wife
- Modern Family
- Boardwalk Empire
- 30 Rock
- Hot in Cleveland
SAG Awards Auction
The SAG Awards Ceremony Auction offers collectibles from many of the nominees including George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Brad Pitt, Betty White, and the casts of 30 Rock, Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, The Descendants, Dexter, Game of Thrones, Glee, Modern Family and more. Amazing vacations, one-of-a-kind experiences, set visits, celebrity meet-and-greets, and premium items from the networks, studios, and show's sponsors are also up for auction in 2012.
Proceeds from the Screen Actors Guild Awards Auctions will benefit the SAG Foundation to help sustain their award winning children's literacy programs: BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools), reading to over 100,000 children monthly in classrooms and hospitals nationwide, and Storyline Online, reaching an average of 1 million views globally each month. The auction also supports the Foundation's Catastrophic Health Fund and emergency services, the Actors Center, and the video preservation of the creative legacy of professional actors.
2012 SAG Awards Nominees
MOTION PICTURES:
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:
- The Artist
- Bridesmaids
- The Descendants
- The Help
- Midnight in Paris
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role:
- Demian Bichir in A Better Life
- George Clooney in The Descendants
- Leonardo DiCapri in J. Edgar
- Jean Dujardin in The Artist
- Brad Pitt in Moneyball
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role:
- Glenn Close in Albert Nobbs
- Viola Davis in The Help
- Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady
- Tilda Swinton in We Need To Talk About Kevin
- Michelle Williams in My Week With Marilyn
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role:
- Kevin Branagh in My Week With Marilyn
- Armie Hammer in J. Edgar
- Jonah Hill in Moneyball
- Nick Nolte in Warrior
- Christopher Plummer in Beginners
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role:
- Berenice Bejo in The Artist
- Jessica Chastain in The Help
- Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids
- Janet McTeer in Albert Nobbs
- Octavia Spencer in The Help
TELEVISION:
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Cast in a Drama Series:
- Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
- Breaking Bad (AMC)
- Dexter (Showtime)
- Game of Thrones (HBO)
- The Good Wife (CBS)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series:
- Patrick J. Adams in Suits (USA)
- Steve Buscemi in Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
- Kyle Chandler in Friday Night Lights (DirecTV)
- Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad (AMC)
- Michael C. Hall in Dexter (Showtime)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series:
- Kathy Bates in Harry’s Law (NBC)
- Glenn Close in Damages (DirecTV)
- Jessica Lange in American Horror Story (FX)
- Julianna Marquiles in The Good Wife (CBS)
- Kyra Sedgwick in The Closer (TNT)
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Cast in a Comedy Series:
- 30 Rock (NBC)
- The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
- Glee (FOX)
- Modern Family (ABC)
- The Office (NBC)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series:
- Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock (NBC)
- Ty Burrell in Modern Family (ABC)
- Steve Carrell in The Office (NBC)
- Jon Cryer in Two and a Half Men (CBS)
- Eric Stonestreet in Modern Family (ABC)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series:
- Julie Bowen in Modern Family (ABC)
- Edie Falco in Nurse Jackie (Showtime)
- Tina Fey in 30 Rock (NBC)
- Sofia Vergara in Modern Family (ABC)
- Betty White in Hot in Cleveland (TV Land)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:
- Laurence Fishburne in Thurgood Marshall (HBO)
- Paul Giamatti in Too Big To Fail (HBO)
- Greg Kinnear in The Kennedys (Reelz Channel)
- Guy Pearce in Mildred Pierce (HBO)
- James Wood in Too Big To Fail (HBO)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:
- Diane Lane in Cinema Verite (HBO)
- Maggie Smith in Downtown Abbey (PBS)
- Emily Watson in Appropriate Adult (Sundance Channel)
- Betty White in Hallmark Hall of Fame: The Lost Valentine (CBS)
- Kate Winslet in Mildred Pierce (HBO)
STUNT ENSEMBLES:
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture:
- The Adjustment Bureau
- Cowboys & Aliens
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon
- X-Men: First Class
Outstanding Action 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)
Presenters at the 2012 SAG Awards:
A growing roster of actors will honor their colleagues by presenting awards. SAG announced yesterday that the following will serve as presenters: George Clooney, Kathy Bates, Brad Pitt, Owen Wilson, Kristen Wiig, Kevin Bacon, Kenneth Branagh, Jean Dujardin, Tina Fey, John Krasinski, Kyra Sedgwick, Meryl Streep, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray, Judy Greer, Larry Hagman, Armie Hammer, Ed Helms, SAG President Ken Howard, Regina King, Julianna Margulies, Natalie Portman, Maya Rudolph, Octavia Spencer and Dick Van Dyke.
2012 SAG Awards Noteworthy News:
- Dick and Mary Reunite: Dick Van Dyke will present the Lifetime Achievement Award to pal Mary Tyler Moore. The two became friends while filming The Dick Van Dyke Show nearly half a century ago.
- Champagne Toast: SAG Awards executive producer, Jeff Margolis announced yesterday that Matt Czuchry, a star of the hit CBS drama The Good Wife and a three-time Actor nominee, will be joined by Vitalie Taittinger, Artistic Director of Champagne Taittinger, to open the red carpet at the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center.
- Stunt Ensemble Presenters: JoBeth Williams and Scott Bakula will announce recipients of Stunt Ensemble honors during the digital red carpet show on TNT.tv, TBS.com and People.com.
- Gourmet Dinner: Attendees will dine on antipasto plates conceived by James Beard Award-winning chef Suzanne Goin, deliciously prepared and artfully arranged by Lucques Catering.
- Champagne Time: 234 magnums of Champagne Taittinger Brut La Française will be served in the showroom; 144 magnums at the post-Awards gala.
- Live Coverage of Red Carpet Arrivals: TNT, TBS and PEOPLE Magazine are once again teaming up for a special live webcast that will put viewers right in the middle of the glitz and glamour of the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. The webcast will begin outside the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles with live coverage of the red-carpet arrivals on tnt.tv, tbs.com and People.com, beginning at 6 p.m. (ET)/3 p.m. (PT). In addition, tnt.tv will serve as "SAG Awards Central," offering a wide assortment of interactive functions and SAG Awards-related content designed to complement the on-air telecast with a dynamic digital experience.
- Socialite Regina King from Southland: Through posts on Twitter and Facebook, King will serve as the online face for the awards, giving viewers unprecedented access to behind-the-scenes moments during the weeks building up to the show, as well as from the red carpet.
- Fashion Wrap: TV Guide will examiner the red carpet fashions from the SAG Awards. The TV special hosted by Ali Landry and airs at 8/7c on Monday, January 30th on TV Guide Channel.
The 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS Sunday, January 29, 2012 from 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET (7-9c).
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