As Hollywood actors pitch their tents on either side of the strike authorisation vote, the Screen Actors Guild announced its nominees today [December 18] for the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on January 25.

Richard Jenkins, Frank Langella, Sean Penn, Brad Pitt and Mickey Rourke will contest the lead actor race while Anne Hathaway, Angelina Jolie, Melissa Leo, Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet are in the running for best actress.

Heath Ledger is nominated in the supporting actor category and Doubt, Frost/Nixon, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire and The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button are nominated in the best ensemble category.

Two randomly selected panels for television and film, each comprising 2,100 Guild members from across the US, chose this year's actor nominees.

Voting was completed by December 16 and the awards ballots will be mailed on December 26. The entire active membership of the Guild across the country will vote on all categories. Votes must be received by January 23.

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Male Actor in a Leading Role
Richard Jenkins/Walter Vale The Visitor (Overture Films)
Frank Langella/Richard Nixon Frost/Nixon (Universal Pictures)
Sean Penn/Harvey Milk Milk (Focus Features)
Brad Pitt/Benjamin Button The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
(Paramount Pictures)
Mickey Rourke/Randy The Wrestler (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Female Actor in a Leading Role
Anne Hathaway/Kym Rachel Getting Married (Sony Pictures Classics)
Angelina Jolie/Christine Collins Changeling (Universal Pictures)
Melissa Leo/Ray Eddy Frozen River (Sony Pictures Classics)
Meryl Streep/Sister Aloysius Beauvier Doubt (Miramax Films)
Kate Winslet/April Wheeler Revolutionary Road (Paramount Vantage)

Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Josh Brolin/Dan White Milk (Focus Features)
Robert Downey Jr/Kirk Lazarus Tropic Thunder (Paramount Pictures)
Philip Seymour Hoffman/Father Brendan Flynn Doubt (Miramax Films)
Heath Ledger/Joker The Dark Knight (Warner Bros Pictures)
Dev Patel/Older Jamal Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams/Sister James Doubt (Miramax Flms)
Penelope Cruz/Maria Elena Vicky Cristina Barcelona (The Weinstein Company)
Viola Davis/Mrs Miller Doubt (Miramax Films)
Taraji P Henson/Queenie The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
(Paramount Pictures)
Kate Winslet/Hanna Schmitz The Reader (The Weinstein Company)

Cast in a Motion Picture
Doubt (Miramax)
Frost/Nixon (Universal Pictures)
Milk (Focus Features)
Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (Paramount Pictures)

PRIMETIME TELEVISION

Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Ralph Fiennes/Bernard Lafferty Bernard And Doris (HBO)
Paul Giamatti/John Adams John Adams (HBO)
Kevin Spacey/Ron Klain Recount (HBO)
Kiefer Sutherland/Jack Bauer 24: Redemption (FOX)
Tom Wilkinson/Benjamin Franklin John Adams (HBO)

Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Laura Dern/Katherine Harris Recount (HBO)
Laura Linney/Abigail Adams John Adams (HBO)
Shirley Maclaine/Coco Chanel Coco Chanel (Lifetime)
Phylicia Rashad/Lena Younger A Raisin In The Sun (ABC)
Susan Sarandon/Doris Duke Bernard And Doris (HBO)

Male Actor in a Drama Series
Michael C Hall/Dexter Morgan Dexter (Showtime)
Jon Hamm/Don Draper Mad Men (AMC)
Hugh Laurie/Gregory House House (FOX)
William Shatner/Denny Crane Boston Legal (ABC)
James Spader/Alan Shore Boston Legal (ABC)

Female Actor in a Drama Series
Sally Field/Nora Walker Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
Mariska Hargitay/Det. Olivia Benson Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)
Holly Hunter/Grace Hanadarko Saving Grace (TNT)
Elisabeth Moss/Peggy Olson Mad Men (AMC)
Kyra Sedgwick/Dep Chief Brenda Johnson The Closer (TNT)

Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin/Jack Donaghy 30 Rock (NBC)
Steve Carell/Michael Scott The Office (NBC)
David Duchovny/Hank Moody Californication (Showtime)
Jeremy Piven/Ari Gold Entourage (HBO)
Tony Shalhoub/Adrian Monk Monk (USA)

Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Christina Applegate/Samantha Newly Samantha Who' (ABC)
America Ferrera/Betty Suarez Ugly Betty (ABC)
Tina Fey/Liz Lemon 30 Rock (NBC)
Mary-Louise Parker/Nancy Botwin Weeds (Showtime)
Tracey Ullman/Various Characters Tracey Ullman's State Of The Union (Showtime)

Ensemble in a Drama Series
Boston Legal (ABC)
Dexter (Showtime)
House (Fox)
Mad Men (AMC)
The Closer (TNT)

Ensemble in a Comedy Series
30 Rock (NBC)
Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Entourage (HBO)
The Office (NBC)
Weeds (Showtime)

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