‘Billboards’ leads in SAG nominations

IN NOMINATIONS announced Wednesday, the Screen Actors Guild Awards endorsed the Frances McDormand-led revenge drama “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” offered swift redemption for the Golden Globes-overlooked romantic comedy “The Big Sick” and left many Oscar favorites empty-handed.

Martin McDonaugh’s “Three Billboards” led all films with four nominations, including best ensemble, and acting nods for McDormand, Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson.

That adds to the movie’s strong awards portfolio, including six Golden Globes nods and the often predictive audience award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The other nominees for best ensemble were: Greta Gerwig’s motherdaughter tale “Lady Bird,” Jordan Peele’s horror hit “Get Out,” Dee Rees’ Jim Crow-era drama “Mudbound” and “The Big Sick,” which was shut out Monday by the Golden Globes.

In the television categories, HBO’s California murder mystery “Big Little Lies” dominated with five nominations, including best ensemble. Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and “GLOW” fared well, with four nods apiece. The streaming service led all networks with 19 total nominations.

As one of the steadiest bellwethers of the Academy Awards, the SAG Awards have considerable sway over the Oscar race. Actors make up the largest branch of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, though the guild’s ranks are much larger. Only about 1,000 of their 160,000 members are in the film academy.

Last year, “Hidden Figures” upset eventual Oscar-winner “Moonlight” as well as “Manchester by the Sea” for the SAG Awards’ best ensemble. But it’s been 22 years since a film that wasn’t at least nominated for best ensemble at the SAG Awards won Best Picture at the Oscars.

The Oscars race is so far considered wide open, and by winnowing the field down to five movies for its top award on Wednesday, the Screen Actors left out many frontrunners. Steven Spielberg’s Pentagon Papers drama “The Post” was shut out entirely, including its lauded stars, Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks.

After topping the Globes with seven nods Monday, Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water” missed out on the ensemble category.

Jon Bon Jovi (top, onstage in April) and his bandmates are headed to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Others honored include the Moody Blues (above, including Justin Hayward, left, and John Lodge) and Nina Simone (left), who died in 2003.