The nominations for the 2026 Actor Awards, previously known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards, have been released, recognizing performances from the year 2025. Paul Thomas Anderson’s film "One Battle After Another" received a record-setting seven nominations, including for Best Ensemble. The announcement also highlighted several productions and individuals that were not nominated despite prior industry recognition, notably in categories for foreign-language films. The awards ceremony is scheduled for March 2.
Film Nominations Overview
"One Battle After Another" secured seven nominations, marking the first time in the awards' 31-year history that a film has received more than five nominations. Its nominations include the guild’s top award, Best Ensemble, alongside individual recognition for Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, and Benicio del Toro, as well as its stunt performers.
Other films nominated for Best Ensemble include "Sinners," "Hamnet," "Marty Supreme," and "Frankenstein." "Sinners" accumulated five nominations, with individual recognition for Michael B. Jordan for Best Male Actor and Miles Caton and Wunmi Mosaku for Supporting Actor categories.
Australian actors received several nominations. Sarah Snook was nominated for Best Actress in a Limited Series for "All Her Fault." Jacob Elordi received a nomination for Best Supporting Male Actor for his role in "Frankenstein." Rose Byrne was also nominated for Best Female Actor for "If I Had Legs I’d Kick You."
Additional individual film nominations include:
- Best Male Actor: Timothée Chalamet ("Marty Supreme"), Ethan Hawke ("Blue Moon"), Jesse Plemons ("Bugonia").
- Best Female Actor: Jessie Buckley ("Hamnet"), Kate Hudson ("Song Sung Blue"), Emma Stone ("Bugonia").
- Best Supporting Male Actor: Paul Mescal ("Hamnet").
- Best Supporting Female Actor: Amy Madigan ("Weapons"), Odessa A’zion ("Marty Supreme").
Television Nominations Overview
In television categories, Apple’s "The Studio," HBO’s "White Lotus," and Netflix’s "Adolescence" received multiple nominations. "The Studio" secured nominations for its ensemble and individual actors Seth Rogen, Kathryn Hahn, Catherine O’Hara, and Ike Barinholtz. "The White Lotus" earned four nominations, including Best Ensemble and individual recognition for Parker Posey, Walton Goggins, and Aimee Lee Wood. The limited series "Adolescence" also garnered four nominations for Owen Cooper, Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, and Christine Tremarco.
"The Last of Us" received a stunt ensemble nomination. Sterling K. Brown received an acting nomination for "Paradise," and Adam Brody secured a nomination for "Nobody Wants This." "The Bear" received a comedy ensemble nomination.
Notable Omissions
Several individuals and productions that had received prior industry recognition did not secure nominations for the 2026 Actor Awards. These include:
- Cynthia Erivo for "Wicked: For Good," despite a Golden Globe nomination for the role.
- Wagner Moura for "The Secret Agent," who received best actor honors at Cannes and nominations from the Globes and Critics Choice Awards, alongside a win from the New York Film Critics Circle.
- Adam Sandler, previously nominated at the Globes and Critics Choice Awards for "Jay Kelly," was not nominated, nor were George Clooney and the film's cast in the main ensemble category.
- Dwayne Johnson for "The Smashing Machine."
- The entire cast of "Sentimental Value," which features Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgard, Elle Fanning, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, despite the film receiving the Grand Prix at Cannes.
- No foreign-language films or performances received nominations in the 2026 races.
- Neither the individual actors nor the main cast ensemble of "The Last of Us" were nominated.
- The ensemble for "Paradise" was not nominated.
- Kristen Bell and the cast of "Nobody Wants This" were not nominated.
- Jeremy Allen White for "The Bear" was not nominated.
- "Wicked: For Good" and "Train Dreams" were not included in major categories.
Voting Body and Industry Context
The Actor Awards nominations are determined by a committee of 2,000 members, split into separate groups for television and film. The total voting body for the awards comprises 22,000 SAG-AFTRA members, which represents the largest voting organization within Hollywood. In comparison, the Academy, which votes on the Oscars, consists of 11,000 members.
The Actor Awards are presented by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). Historically, these awards have served as an indicator for the Academy Awards, as actors comprise the largest branch of the film academy, and individual SAG nominees have previously shown a high rate of overlap with Oscar nominees. However, historical discrepancies exist; in the previous year, Actor Awards winners for Best Male Actor and Best Ensemble did not align with Oscar winners for Best Actor and Best Picture, respectively.
The actors’ guild, with over 122,000 voting members, has typically favored populist choices and has shown a tendency to nominate fewer non-English language performances. In contrast, the Academy’s membership has become increasingly international. This difference may lead to varied outcomes in the upcoming Oscar nominations on January 23, potentially benefiting films such as "Sentimental Value," "The Secret Agent," and "It Was Just an Accident."
Award Ceremony Details
The 2026 Actor Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on March 2 (AEDT). Netflix will provide a live stream of the event. Harrison Ford will be honored with the guild’s Life Achievement Award.