When the 2018 SAG Awards nominations were announced, awards prognosticators were surprised by the double nominations for “Get Out”: Cast in a Motion Picture and Male Actor in a Leading Role for Daniel Kaluuya. Even though the film swept through awards season, so far picking up recognition from AFI, NBR, Critics’ Choice Awards, Spirit Awards, Gotham Awards, and endless critics groups, it was being foolishly dismissed heading into the SAG nominations.
Maybe people thought it was too much of a genre film to resonate with SAG voters or that it had premiered too early in the year. Still, I knew the standout ensemble would beat out frontrunners like “The Post” and “The Shape of Water” and become one of the five casts singled out for the top award. Now, can it win? Below, see my four reasons why I think the “Get Out” ensemble has a real shot with Screen Actor Guild voters.
Massive Box Office Success — With a nominating committee of over 2,000 guild members it can sometimes be difficult to ensure every voter takes the time to see any given film, especially if it isn’t made available until the last second. “Get Out” does not have this problem. It debuted all the way back in February and earned an astounding $250 million at the box office, which helped heighten the film’s visibility well before conversations of awards even began. The massive box office success, strong word of mouth proven by its “A-“ Cinemascore, and countless preliminary awards turned the low-budget indie into one of the highest profile films of the year. While some dismissed the horror comedy for coming out too early in the year, that actually gives the film more time to guarantee voters see it. Universal Pictures has used this to their advantage in the past and earned surprise ensemble nominations for films like “Straight Outta Compton” and “Bridesmaids.”
Diversity — Other awards groups have come under scrutiny a lack of diversity in the films they recognize, however SAG voters have a much better track record honoring films that represent the world we live in. In recent years they have rewarded “Hidden Figures,” “Slumdog Millionaire” and “The Help” and nominated “The Butler,” “Moonlight” and “Beasts of No Nation” for the top award. This year there seems to be fewer films starring people of color receiving awards buzz, with “Get Out” being the most high-profile of the options. Exploring race relations in America through audience-friendly genres like horror and comedy is bound to make “Get Out” stand out against much more white ensembles.
Jordan Peele — Another reason I think “Get Out” may be singled out by SAG voters is because of Jordan Peele, the film’s writer/director. Peele is a well-known actor who has been nominated for a SAG ensemble award in the past for co-starring in “Key & Peele.” He might not be on the ballot himself, but actors could use this as a moment to honor his achievement. Throughout the history of the award SAG voters have nominated many ensembles directed by actors including “Captain Fantastic,” “Fences,” “Argo,” “Into the Wild,” “Bobby,” “Sling Blade,” and multiple films helmed by Clint Eastwood and Ron Howard. This sentiment was clearly in full force this year not only with “Get Out,” but also with “Lady Bird” and “The Big Sick.”
Eclectic Cast — “Get Out” is also bound to appeal to voters because of its large eclectic cast that just about every SAG member can relate to. The strong ensemble is led by newcomer Daniel Kaluuya and features numerous standout supporting roles that put a spotlight on character actors, indie darlings and TV stars. The supporting cast also gave beloved actors like Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener some of their best roles in years. An ensemble cast like this has the possibility of resonating with the average SAG voter as opposed to a film that only features A-List movie stars. What do YOU think? Can “Get Out” win over the SAG voters and then go on to claim the Oscar?
Be sure to make your SAG predictions so that Hollywood insiders can see how their films and performers are faring in our odds. You can keep changing your predictions until just before winners are announced on January 21. And join in the fierce debate over the 2018 SAG Awards taking place right now with Hollywood insiders in our movie forums. Read more Gold Derby entertainment news.
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