Just like Dan, I’m obsessed with year-end award shows and statistics- must be my inner Asian coming out. While it may seem there’s an awards show every month, that feeling only intensifies this time of year. Hollywood goes on steroid overdrive pumping out accolades after accolades. While the grand-daddy of all award shows, The Academy Awards, doesn’t take place til March 7th, 2010, there are a lot of precursor awards to keep us preoccupied in the interim. Not only do these fillers keep actors/actresses/stylists/designers/journalists insanely busy, but these awards also act as good predictors in tightening up the Oscar race.

Earlier this week, the Golden Globe nominees were announced. Though very credible and sometimes on the mark, the HFPA (Hollywood Foreign Press Association) only consists of about 90 members, while the Academy Award members near about 6000 voters. That’s why sometimes the Golden Globes can be well off the mark. They often have a history of nominating A-list stars for the sole purpose they attend the glitzy dinner and affair. Literally the HFPA are star-f*ckers.

Today, the SAG Award nominees were announced by Michelle Monaghan and Chris O’Donnell. Out of all the precursors, besides the DGA (Directors Guild Awards), the SAGs have the best track record when it comes to correctly predicting the Oscar winner. Since the acting branch makes up most of the Academy voters, the SAGs generally are spot on with the acting awards.

Without further adieu, here are the 16th annual Screen Actors Guild Nominees.

2010 BEST ACTOR SAG NOMINEES

• JEFF BRIDGES / Bad Blake – “CRAZY HEART”
• GEORGE CLOONEY / Ryan Bingham – “UP IN THE AIR”
• COLIN FIRTH / George Falconer – “A SINGLE MAN”
• MORGAN FREEMAN / Nelson Mandela – “INVICTUS”
• JEREMY RENNER / Staff Sgt. William James – “THE HURT LOCKER”

Bridges, Clooney, Firth, Freeman were all also nominated for Golden Globe this week. Having been nominated for both awards definitely increases their chances for some Oscar love. The sole person not nominated was Jeremy Renner for “The Hurt Locker”. Snubbed by the HFPA, Renner all of a sudden is in the Oscar race thanks to the SAG Awards.

2010 BEST ACTRESS SAG NOMINEES

• SANDRA BULLOCK / Leigh Anne Tuohy – “THE BLIND SIDE”
• HELEN MIRREN / Sofya – “THE LAST STATION”
• CAREY MULLIGAN / Jenny – “AN EDUCATION”
• GABOUREY SIDIBE / Precious – “PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE”
• MERYL STREEP / Julia Child – “JULIE & JULIA”

Since the Golden Globes breaks up nominations between Drama and Comedy/Musical, Meryl’s comedic performance had to bump a dramatic Golden nominee from the SAG Awards. Who’s the unfortunate soul… poor Emily Blunt. I love me some Emily Blunt, so hopefully she’ll pick up other accolades in the next few months so she can increase her chances of scoring her first Oscar nomination. PS. She was robbed for a supporting actress nod for “The Devil Wears Prada” and the Academy needs to make up for the oversight.

2010 BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR SAG NOMINEES

• MATT DAMON / Francois Pienaar – “INVICTUS”
• WOODY HARRELSON / Captain Tony Stone – “THE MESSENGER”
• CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER / Tolstoy – “THE LAST STATION”
• STANLEY TUCCI / George Harvey – “THE LOVELY BONES”
• CHRISTOPH WALTZ / Col. Hans Landa – “INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS”

Talk about carbon copy, the SAG nominations for this category mirror exactly those of the Golden Globes. Don’t get too comfy gentlemen, there are always a few surprises when the Oscar nominations are announced. It wouldn’t be a regular nomination ceremony, if someone wasn’t snubbed.

2010 BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS SAG NOMINEES

• PENÉLOPE CRUZ / Carla – “NINE”
• VERA FARMIGA / Alex Goran – “UP IN THE AIR”
• ANNA KENDRICK / Natalie Keener – “UP IN THE AIR”
• DIANE KRUGER / Bridget Von Hammersmark – “INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS”
• MO’NIQUE / Mary – “PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE”

Poor Julianne Moore, can never get a break. Can you believe she’s never won an Oscar, even though she’s been nominated multiple times. Again she gets shafted, as the lone person from the Golden Globes not to score a SAG nomination. Bad news for her but GREAT news for Diane Kruger. Never been a fan of hers in either Wicker Park or the National Treasure franchise but I guess she’s decent enough in Tarantino’s film.

2010 BEST CAST PERFORMANCE SAG NOMINEES

• AN EDUCATION
• THE HURT LOCKER
• INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
• NINE
• PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL “PUSH” BY SAPPHIRE

For the first time since 1944, The Academy Awards are going to nominate ten films instead of their usual five. With this change, hopefully some more commercially successful films will receive a nod, to garner a wider array of interest from the general public. Having said that, these SAG nominated cast performances (they don’t do a film category) are all but assured they’ll be honored for best Motion Picture at the 82nd annual Academy Awards.

Oh, as a side note, the SAGs also honor achievement in Television. Here are those nominations. Kudos to two of my favorite new shows (Glee & Modern Family) for getting their well-deserved praise.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

KEVIN BACON / Lt. Col. Michael R. Strobl – “TAKING CHANCE” (HBO)
CUBA GOODING, JR. / Ben Carson – “GIFTED HANDS: THE BEN CARSON STORY” (TNT)
JEREMY IRONS / Alfred Stieglitz – “GEORGIA O’KEEFFE” (Lifetime)
KEVIN KLINE / Cyrano de Bergerac – “GREAT PERFORMANCES: CYRANO de BERGERAC” (PBS)
TOM WILKINSON / Salter – “A NUMBER” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

JOAN ALLEN / Georgia O’Keeffe – “GEORGIA O’KEEFFE” (Lifetime)
DREW BARRYMORE / Little Edie – “GREY GARDENS” (HBO)
RUBY DEE / Mrs. Harper – “AMERICA” (Lifetime)
JESSICA LANGE / Big Edie – “GREY GARDENS” (HBO)
SIGOURNEY WEAVER / Mary Griffith – “PRAYERS FOR BOBBY” (Lifetime)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

SIMON BAKER / Patrick Jane – “THE MENTALIST” (CBS)
BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White – “BREAKING BAD” (AMC)
MICHAEL C. HALL / Dexter Morgan – “DEXTER” (Showtime)
JON HAMM / Don Draper – “MAD MEN” (AMC)
HUGH LAURIE / House – “HOUSE” (FOX)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

PATRICIA ARQUETTE/ Allison Dubois – “MEDIUM” (NBC/CBS)
GLENN CLOSE / Patty Hewes – “DAMAGES” (FX)
MARISKA HARGITAY / Det. Olivia Benson – “LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT” (NBC)
HOLLY HUNTER / Grace Hanadarko – “SAVING GRACE” (TNT)
JULIANNA MARGULIES / Alicia Florrick – “THE GOOD WIFE” (CBS)
KYRA SEDGWICK / Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson – “THE CLOSER” (TNT)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy – “30 ROCK” (NBC)
STEVE CARELL / Michael Scott – “THE OFFICE” (NBC)
LARRY DAVID / Himself – “CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM” (HBO)
TONY SHALHOUB / Adrian Monk – “MONK” (USA NETWORK)
CHARLIE SHEEN / Charlie Harper – “TWO AND A HALF MEN” (CBS)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

CHRISTINA APPLEGATE / Samantha Newly – “SAMANTHA WHO?” (ABC)
TONI COLLETTE / Tara Gregor – “UNITED STATES OF TARA” (Showtime)
EDIE FALCO / Jackie Peyton – “NURSE JACKIE” (Showtime)
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon – “30 ROCK” (NBC)
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Christine Campbell – “THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE” (CBS)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

THE CLOSER (TNT)
DEXTER (Showtime)
THE GOOD WIFE (CBS)
MAD MEN (AMC)
TRUE BLOOD (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

30 ROCK (NBC)
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM (HBO)
GLEE (FOX)
MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
THE OFFICE (NBC)

Related Stories:
• 2010 Oscar Watch
• Precious: You Will Laugh, You Will Cry, You Will Fall In Love
• Anna Kendrick: You Might Not Know Her, But You Will