Just how important are the SAG Awards? I think to most people it’s just another award show, but for some, they definitely rank up there with the Golden Globes as a strong indicator of where the Oscars might be heading. This year’s SAG Awards nominees have just been announced. Here is the full list:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Leonardo DiCaprio — BLOOD DIAMOND
Ryan Gosling — HALF NELSON
Peter O’Toole — VENUS
Will Smith — THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
Forest Whitaker — THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Penelope Cruz — VOLVER
Judi Dench — NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Helen Mirren — THE QUEEN
Meryl Streep — THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Kate Winslet — LITTLE CHILDREN

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Alan Arkin — LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Leonardo DiCaprio — THE DEPARTED
Jackie Earle Haley — LITTLE CHILDREN
Djimon Hounsou — BLOOD DIAMOND
Eddie Murphy — DREAMGIRLS

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Adriana Barraza — BABEL
Cate Blanchett — NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Abigail Breslin — LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jennifer Hudson — DREAMGIRLS
Rinko Kikuchi — BABEL

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Babel
Bobby
The Departed
Dreamgirls
Little Miss Sunshine

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Thomas Haden Church — BROKEN TRAIL
Robert Duvall — BROKEN TRAIL
Jeremy Irons — ELIZABETH I
William H. Macy — NIGHTMARES & DREAMSCAPES
Matthew Perry — THE RON CLARK STORY

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Annette Bening — MRS. HARRIS
Shirley Jones — HIDDEN PLACES
Cloris Leachman — MRS. HARRIS
Helen Mirren — ELIZABETH I
Greta Scacchi — BROKEN TRAIL

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
James Gandolfini — THE SOPRANOS
Michael C. Hall — DEXTER
Hugh Laurie — HOUSE
James Spader — BOSTON LEGAL
Kiefer Sutherland — 24

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Patricia Arquette — MEDIUM
Edie Falco — THE SOPRANOS
Mariska Hargitay — LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
Kyra Sedgwick — THE CLOSER
Chandra Wilson — GREY’S ANATOMY

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin — 30 ROCK
Steve Carell — THE OFFICE
Jason Lee — MY NAME IS EARL
Jeremy Piven — ENTOURAGE
Tony Shalhoub — MONK

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
America Ferrera — UGLY BETTY
Felicity Huffman — DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
Julia Louis-Dreyfus — THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE
Megan Mullally — WILL & GRACE
Mary-Louise Parker — WEEDS
Jaime Pressly — MY NAME IS EARL

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
24
Boston Legal
Deadwood
Grey’s Anatomy
The Sopranos

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Desperate Housewives
Entourage
The Office
Ugly Betty
Weeds

I’m a little surprised to see Will Smith on the list, but of course I’m not surprised to see DiCaprio competing with himself yet again. Could he win in both categories? Big ups to SAG for giving Abigail Breslin a nod for Little Miss Sunshine. What are your thoughts on the nominees?