While we know this as the primary predictor of the acting categories at the Oscars, the Best Cast award can sometimes link up to Best Picture, so their selection can sometimes be instructive.

SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS

Best Cast

Babylon
The Banshees of Inisherin (Peter, RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)
Everything Everywhere All at Once (Wesley, Thomas)
The Fabelmans
Women Talking (RU:Peter)

Wesley Lovell: While this group loves large ensembles, which could favor Women Talking, they gave five nominations each to Banshees and Everything. The latter boasts the starrier cast and has the added benefit of being a story of comebacks and recognition for underrepresented groups, so I suspect it will ultimately win.
Peter J. Patrick: This should be an interesting one to watch. It’s an ensemble award, not a Best Picture award. It should be a battle between the films with the best ensembles which this year include The Banshees of Inisherin, Women Talking, and Everything Everywhere All at Once. I would give it to Banshees, but what will the voters do? Your guess is as good as mine.
Tripp Burton: No predictions or commentary provided.
Thomas LaTourette: Even though this is not a best picture award, it often gets treated as one, which makes Everything Everywhere All at Once the favorite. Both EEAAO and The Banshees of Inisherin tied for the most individual nominees and it would be likely that the award will go to one of them. I will give the edge to EEAAO, but it might be close.

Best Actor

Austin Butler – Elvis (Wesley, Thomas)
Colin Farrell – The Banshees of Inisherin (Peter, RU:Wesley)
Brendan Fraser – The Whale (RU:Peter, RU:Thomas)
Bill Nighy – Living
Adam Sandler – Hustle

Wesley Lovell: It’s hard to believe any of the less flashy work will win this and Austin Butler is hot off his BAFTA win. It’s a character many SAG voters will identify with both in terms of his history as well as the actor’s labor to get prepared for the shoot. That said, Brendan Fraser also has an actorly backstory, which could help him triumph, though I suspect Colin Farrell could quietly bide his time and still win.
Peter J. Patrick: Farrell’s career best work to date in one of the year’s best films should carry the day over Fraser’s career best in a flawed film and Austin Butler’s Elvis impersonation, but SAG voters could choose any of the three.
Tripp Burton: No predictions or commentary provided.
Thomas LaTourette: This is the most difficult award to predict as it really could go to Austin Butler, Brendan Fraser or Colin Farrell. Fraser is rather the comeback kid, easily giving his best performance ever, though reaction to the movie itself was rather mixed. He was believable and heartfelt and I would not object to the win. Likewise, Farrell gave his best performance to date, but his chances might have been hurt by his not winning the BAFTA. Butler is the least known of the nominees being born the same year that Fraser made his movie debut. But the fact that he pleased legions of Elvis Presley fans with is portrayal is a major accomplishment. Fraser has the Critics Choice award, Farrell a Golden Globe, and Butler a Golden Globe and BAFTA. It will be a tight race and could go to any of them. I wonder if Butler has the edge right now.

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett – Tár (Peter, RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)
Viola Davis – The Woman King
Ana de Armas – Blonde
Danielle Deadwyler – Till
Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All at Once (Wesley, Thomas, RU:Peter)

Wesley Lovell: Between the beloved Blanchett and the legend Yeoh, it will be a tight race. While I originally thought Blanchett’s prominence would help her, Yeoh’s backstory and her effort in getting this film made will be more appealing to voters.
Peter J. Patrick: All eyes will be on this one – a Blanchett win will make Blanchett’s Oscar win a virtual certainty while a Yeoh win could keep us guessing up to the opening of the envelope on Oscar night.
Tripp Burton: No predictions or commentary provided.
Thomas LaTourette: I imagine this will go to Cate Blanchett for Tár, but I just did not like the movie. She already has two individual wins from SAG which shows they like her, but I also hope they might want to spread the wealth around. It has been talked about how difficult it was for her to learn fluent German and learn how to conduct convincingly, but I think the award should be for more than just that. I was amazed by Michelle Yeoh’s performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once and would love to see her honored for such an amazing and surprising performance.

Best Supporting Actor

Paul Dano – The Fabelmans
Brendan Gleeson – The Banshees of Inisherin (RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)
Barry Keoghan – The Banshees of Inisherin (Peter)
Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All at Once (Wesley, Thomas, RU:Peter)
Eddie Redmayne – The Good Nurse

Wesley Lovell: Ke Huy Quan has the kind of comeback story SAG voters love and he has a modestly showy role, though Barry Keoghan does as well. That said, Brendan Gleeson’s the only genuine legend on this list and that could bolster his vote count.
Peter J. Patrick: Few expected Keoghan to win a BAFTA over Kwan. This will determine if his win there was a one-time thing or if he has really put a dent in Kwan’s seemingly unstoppable race to an Oscar.
Tripp Burton: No predictions or commentary provided.
Thomas LaTourette: The BAFTAs surprised with their award going to Barry Keoghan, but I doubt SAG will do the same. Ke Huy Quan has dominated this award getting over 80% of the precursors. He has a great backstory, child actor to someone leaving the industry for years and then returning triumphantly. It would be most surprising if he does not win.

Best Supporting Actress

Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Wesley, Thomas, RU:Peter)
Hong Chau – The Whale
Kerry Condon – The Banshees of Inisherin (Peter)
Jamie Lee Curtis – Everything Everywhere All at Once (RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)
Stephanie Hsu – Everything Everywhere All at Once

Wesley Lovell: Angela Bassett is beloved and I see that bolstering her chances, though Jamie Lee Curtis is also well loved and that could help her win as well. I won’t count out Kerry Condon’s potential victory, but other than the strength of her performance, I don’t see that she has a lot of general points in her favor.
Peter J. Patrick: This should settle the argument of whether Bassett’s win was a Golden Globe-only kind of thing or if she and Condon are truly in a race to the finish line at the Oscars.
Tripp Burton: No predictions or commentary provided.
Thomas LaTourette: I still have problems seeing them give the award to someone from a Marvel movie, but Angela Bassett is on a roll. I really had not expected her to even be nominated. Partly it may be a lifetime award, but she also was fierce as the reigning queen of Wakanda. Still, she seems an unlikely frontrunner. If she wins here, then she might as well write out her Oscar acceptance speech too. Kerry Condon did just win the BAFTA, but if anyone can stop Bassett I think it would be Jamie Lee Curtis, another long time actor, for Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Best Stunt Ensemble

Avatar: The Way of Water
The Batman (RU:Peter)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Wesley, RU:Thomas)
Top Gun: Maverick (Peter, Thomas)
The Woman King (RU:Wesley)

Wesley Lovell: Top Gun: Maverick has aerial stunts, something not often awarded by this group. The rest are more traditional stunts with the showier Black Panther being the most likely to benefit from that.
Peter J. Patrick: I think that given its hold on the 2022 box-office, this one is Top Gun: Maverick’s to lose.
Tripp Burton: No predictions or commentary provided.
Thomas LaTourette: I could see this going to Top Gun as it was the biggest movie of the year, and it is a way to honor it.