Here are the 2015 Screen Actors Guild Award nominees

The lead for Trumbo comes as a surprise, as most pundits have it trailing on their awards list to films such as Carol and Spotlight, who seem to be overall frontrunners so far.

The awards are often a solid early indication of Oscars hopes, since members of the acting guild represent about 20 per cent of the 6,000 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Bryan Cranston-starrer Trumbo earned three nominations, including the guild’s top prize for best ensemble cast. Cate Blanchett, Brie Larson and Saoirse Ronan received nominations, as did Helen Mirren – and surprisingly, Sarah Silverman.

He is nominated alongside Michael Fassbender for Steve Jobs, Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant, Bryan Cranston for Trumbo, and Johnny Depp for Black Mass.

“Straight Outta Compton“, the hit film about rap group N.W.A, received the fifth slot in the cast category, outdoing films such as “Joy”, “Steve Jobs” and “The Martian”.

Downton Abbey, which has been hugely successful in the United States, was nominated for best drama ensemble, while Dame Maggie Smith was nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series for her portrayal of the Dowager Countess of Grantham.

Nominated his role in “Beasts of No Nation”, Idris Elba will be facing off Christian Bale who got a slot for role in “The Big Short”, and 3 other actors.

‘ Adam McKay, director of “The Big Short” said he was impressed by the range of topics covered by the nominations.

Let’s start with the most conspicuous among them: Cookie Lyon, Taraji P. Henson’s scheming, leopard-print-wearing empress of Lee Daniel’s Empire, is perhaps the most beloved character on television today, yet there was no nomination for Henson.

Dame Helen is nominated for her roles in The Woman in Gold and Trumbo, while Elba is nominated for Beasts of No Nation and BBC drama Luther.

It would be great to see cast of Beasts of No Nation win the SAG Award and for Elba to leave both ceremonies with an armload of awards.

When you’re done pondering the lack of Fargo and Empire, a few other nomination absences to ponder before moving along with your day: No American Horror Story or American Crime among movie/miniseries acting nominees (also no Show Me a Hero, but that would break my “American” symmetry).

Also boosted with an ensemble nod was the musical drama “Straight Outta Compton“, considered another Oscar long shot.

The twenty-second edition of the SAG will be held on January 30th from the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles, California, under the presentation of Anna Faris and Anthony Mackie.