Of the many productions that have had their premieres affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, few were as severely impacted as the limited television series “Genius: Aretha” and the feature film “Respect.” The intriguing revelation of the existence of two separate projects centered on the life of Aretha Franklin was followed by two years’ worth of delays until audiences were finally able to watch both in 2021. Now, the series and film are gaining recognition during the same awards season and, in a rare occurrence, respective leading ladies Cynthia Erivo and Jennifer Hudson have concurrently earned Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for playing the same role.
Erivo’s Emmy-nominated portrayal of Franklin in the eight-part third installment of National Geographic’s “Genius” has brought her her second SAG bid and first in the Best TV Movie/Mini Actress category. She was recognized two years ago for her lead performance as Harriet Tubman in the film “Harriet.” Hudson’s SAG history dates back much further, as she was first honored with a supporting trophy and an ensemble nomination for the film “Dreamgirls” in 2007. Her take on Franklin has landed her a spot in the current Best Film Actress lineup. She and Erivo are only the second pair of performers to receive same-year bids for bringing the same character to life in different productions, and the first to do so across different mediums.
Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench preceded Erivo and Hudson, as they were simultaneously recognized in 1999 for portraying Queen Elizabeth I in the films “Elizabeth” and “Shakespeare in Love,” respectively. Blanchett lost the Best Actress contest to Gwyneth Paltrow (“Shakespeare in Love”), while Dench was bested on the supporting side by Kathy Bates (“Primary Colors”). Coincidentally, both of those actresses are up for the 2022 Best Film Ensemble prize, since Blanchett is part of the cast of “Don’t Look Up” and Dench appears in “Belfast.” Blanchett also scored an individual bid this year for her supporting turn in “Nightmare Alley.”
There have also been two instances of multiple actors earning nominations for playing the same character in the same film. The first involved Geoffrey Rush and Noah Taylor, who both stepped into the shoes of Australian pianist David Helfgott in “Shine.” Rush triumphed as 1997’s Best Film Actor, while Taylor competed in the supporting category but lost to Cuba Gooding Jr. (“Jerry Maguire”). The next year, Gloria Stuart nabbed the film supporting female prize as Rose DeWitt Bukater in “Titanic,” while Kate Winslet contended as a lead for embodying a younger version of the fictional character. She lost her race to Helen Hunt (“As Good As It Gets”).
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