It’s a tradition of ours at The Film Experience for a long time now to note the egregious problem that they never fix in SAG voting. Which is that you have to be famous enough to get your own title card in order to be included in your movie’s “Outstanding Cast” nominations. This has led to some truly grotesque omissions over the years… especially for scene-stealers whose breakout performances weren’t honored even though they definitely helped the film to that very same “Cast” nomination.
If you’re curious about this rule we explain it better here. This year we’re already very late with this annual article, so let’s get right into the SAG Outstanding Cast nominations and complain about who ISN’T nominated despite doing great work in those ensembles…
THE NOMINATED FILMS IN “OUTSTANDING CAST”
BABYLON
13 nominees: (alpha order) Jovan Adepo, PJ Byrne, Diego Calva, Lukas Haas, Olivia Hamilton, Lil Jun Li, Tobey Maguire, Max Minghella, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Rory Scovel, Jean Smart, and Katherine Waterston
How representative is that list: It can’t begin to cover the film though short of a few people, it’s pretty good.
Samara Weaving, Eric Roberts, and Spike Jonze in “BABYLON”
Who was excluded: Babylon is such a massive movie (3 hours long with 100+ cast members) that it would be impossible to list everyone. But scouring the credits and trying to remember individual bits of the movie, the most egregious absence is definitely Eric Roberts who plays Margot Robbie’s father. Also noticeably missing in the nominee list is Samara Weaving who plays silent star Constance Moore, who Nellie LaRoy steals scenes from on her way to breakout fame.
Other famous faces that are more blink and you’ll miss them but absent from the nominee list are Olivia Wilde (as Brad Pitt’s ex-wife), Chloe Fineman (as Marion Davies), Ethan Suplee (as Wilson), Patrick Fugit (as an officer), Spike Jonze (as the director Otto), Lewis Tan, Flea, and dozens upon dozens of lesser known actors who are in the credits. And, again, because of its behemoth size, there are a hundredish uncredited actors, too, in the crowd scenes.
THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
4 Nominees: (credit order) Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, and Barry Keoghan.
How representative is the list: Failing grade… only the central quartet are nominated and since they each received solo nominations this group nod is overkill without the wonderful character actors surrounding them.
Sheila Fitton, Pat Shortt, and David Pearse in “THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN”
Who was excluded: The star players in Banshees are buttressed on all sides by fine character actors doing giving memorable “character” to each and every scene. The following performers were not included in the nomination because they share title cards: Gary Lydon who plays Peader Kenny (the abusive father of Barry Keoghan), Pat Shortt as the patient worried bartender Jonjo, Sheila Fitton who is figuratively the title character as doomsaying neighbor Mrs McCormick, Bríd Ní Neachtain as local gossip Mrs O Riordan, Jon Kenny as Gerry, Aaron Monaghan as Declan, and David Pearse who has a few key scenes as the Priest. And of course there’s a trio of spectacular animal actors too, led by Jenny the donkey.
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
7 Nominees: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr, “with” James Hong “and” Jamie Lee Curtis
How representative is the list: It’s almost perfect.
Tallie Medel in “EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE”
Who was excluded: There are no shared titled cards for the rest of the cast — just the final credit scroll. There is only one major cast member left out of the nominations: Tallie Medel who plays Becky, Joy’s girlfriend. The other cast members are in much smaller roles and generally in the ensemble laundromat scenes or fight scenes, or don’t really have dialogue like Randy Newman who is the “voice” of Racacoonie.
THE FABELMANS
7 nominees: (credits order) Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Gabriel LaBelle, and I presume some “withs” and “ands” (but we don’t have a screener in front of us to get that accurate) involving Judd Hirsch, Jeannie Berlin, and David Lynch.
How representative is the list: Another failing grade in terms of representing the cast.
Chloe East in “THE FABELMANS”
Who was excluded: Mateo Zoryan who plays the young Sammy Fabelman in the first act of the movie is a big miss. Also getting the axe are all of the actresses playing his sisters (at various ages) Keely Karsten, Alina Brace, Julia Butters (a previous nominee in this very category for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), and Sophia Kopera. The list also excludes the utterly reliable Robin Bartlett as one of the Fabelman grandparents Tina Schildkraut (her role is as big as Jeannie Berlin’s). The most annoying exclusion is definitely Chloe East, who gives one of the film’s best performances as flirty practical Jesus-loving Monica Sherwood in the high school section of the film. In the same act, also with fairly large roles, are Sam Rechner as the star jock Logan Hall, and Oakes Fegley as the bully Chad Thomas. (Bennie the monkey, who we love, played by Crystal is also not included.)
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