SAG Predictions: Best Actor in a Supporting Role

For the second year in a row, the Screen Actors Guild announces its picks one day before Golden Globe nominations are revealed, which makes it considerably tougher to predict the nominees without that helpful handicap of knowing ten likely contenders beforehand. Without knowing all that much, here are my best guesses for SAG’s five inclusions in this category. Check back on Wednesday for detailed reactions by category.

Last year’s nominees:
Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn)
Armie Hammer (J. Edgar)
Jonah Hill (Moneyball)
Nick Nolte (Warrior)
Christopher Plummer (Beginners)

There are a few frontrunners in this category with strong SAG history, like Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master) and Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln). Recent winner Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) and past nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (Django Unchained) could both contend if the still unreleased Quentin Tarantino film is as revered as some of his past projects. Robert De Niro (Silver Linings Playbook) stands to earn his first solo SAG bid, since all of his Oscar-nominated performances were before the organization started handing out awards. Russell Crowe (Les Miserables) may ride on the coattails of his film’s popularity, and a handful of actors from “Argo,” “Flight,” and “Lincoln” could also pop up, with Alan Arkin (Argo) the most likely choice.

Predicted nominees:
Robert De Niro (Silver Linings Playbook)
Leonardo DiCaprio (Django Unchained)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)
Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)
Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained)