Happy Tuesday, dear readers! Each week, we’ll rank the top 10 films in a specific category. While we aim to tie these lists to big releases, that won’t always be the case. Our goal? For you to enjoy, share your own lists, and join in on a lively, friendly debate. This is an interactive space to build community here at The Contending.
No fancy intros, no long essays – just a category and a list. Sound good?
Tomorrow, the 31st Screen Actors Guild nominations will be announced. It’s sure to be a bloodbath, especially in the Lead Actress and Ensemble categories. After this past weekend’s Globe wins for Demi Moore and Fernanda Torres, anything is possible in that category.
While the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was founded in 1933, the union didn’t start presenting annual awards until 1995 (honoring individual performances for the 1994 film year). The SAGs recognize acting achievements in both film and television, with their top honor going to the best cast ensemble (introduced in their second year of awards). The SAG Awards are a major precursor to the Oscars, as only two of their individual performance winners have failed to receive Academy nominations: Idris Elba for Beasts of No Nation (2015) and Emily Blunt for A Quiet Place (2018).
To fuel the anticipation for tomorrow’s nominations, let’s revisit the ten best SAG individual performance winners who did not go on to win an Oscar.
10. Ian McKellen – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
9. Renee Zellweger – Chicago (2002)
8. Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)
7. Russell Crowe – A Beautiful Mind (2001)
6. Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
5. Johnny Depp – Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
4. Idris Elba – Beasts of No Nation (2015)
3. Daniel Day-Lewis – Gangs of New York (2002)
2. Meryl Streep – Doubt (2008)
1. Annette Bening – American Beauty (1999)
That’s a good list tbh. I don’t see much to add to it, although most SAG-winning performances did go on to win the Oscar, it seems, so there’s a limited pool to choose from. I would mention Kate Winslet for Sense and Sensibility (Ang Lee, 1995) because I love the film, and Gloria Stuart for Titanic (James Cameron, 1997), because I love the film as well and she deserved a career prize, so did Basinger, I guess.