SAG Nominees: Best Actor in a Leading Role

My predictions: 3/5, missing Bale and Egerton
Who’s missing? Robert De Niro (The Irishman), Eddie Murphy (Dolemite Is My Name), Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory), Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes)

This category offered one major surprise in the form of Taron Egerton (Rocketman). The movie didn’t do much for me, and as a result I’m not excited, but it does throw the Oscar race for a loop since his film, which earned a Golden Globe bid for Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical, was expected just to show up in technical races. I’d much rather have seen Murphy here. I expected that Banderas might miss here, and also that Pryce might, but both could be back for the Oscars. De Niro’s omission is troubling for him, but his film seems to have no problem showing up elsewhere without him. Christian Bale (Ford v Ferrari) also gets another boost, on his own again this time. Joaquin Phoenix (Joker) is no surprise, and Adam Driver (Marriage Story) got in along with two of his cast members. The only nominee also recognized as part of his ensemble is Leonardo DiCaprio (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), who is looking like more of an Oscar sure thing after that wasn’t the case earlier on this season.

Who will win? I think Phoenix takes it without much of a problem.