"Doubt"

SAG embraced "Doubt" on Thursday as the nominees for the 15th annual SAG Awards were announced.

The four principals from the Miramax film were all blessed: Meryl Streep, playing a nun convinced of her certitude, was nominated in the best actress category, while Philip Seymour Hoffman, who plays the reform-minded priest she challenges, was included in the supporting actor category. Amy Adams and Viola Davis scored noms as supporting actresses. The film took home a fifth nom in the ensemble category for outstanding performance by a motion picture cast.

All four "Doubt" performers were nominated for Golden Globes last week, but the film's ensemble nom gives it a boost in its quest for a best picture Oscar nom after it was denied a slot in the Globes' best drama fold.

Runners-up were Focus' "Milk" and Paramount/Warner Bros.' "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," each with three noms.

On the TV side, the comedy series "30 Rock," the drama series "Mad Men" and "The Closer" and the miniseries "John Adams" registered with three noms apiece as well.

For male lead in a film, SAG selected longtime working actor Richard Jenkins ("The Visitor"), comeback kid Mickey Rourke ("The Wrestler"), Tony winner Frank Langella ("Frost/Nixon") and certified stars Sean Penn ("Milk") and Brad Pitt ("Button").

In addition to Streep, the best actress nominees are Anne Hathaway ("Rachel Getting Married"), Angelina Jolie (\"Changeling"), Melissa Leo ("Frozen River") and Kate Winslet ("Revolutionary Road").

Among the prominent names that failed to make the two lists were Leonardo DiCaprio ("Road"), Clint Eastwood ("Gran Torino") and Cate Blanchett ("Button").

Winslet earned a second nomination as a supporting actress for "The Reader." In that contest, she will compete against Adams and Davis as well as Penelope Cruz ("Vicky Cristina Barcelona") and Taraji P. Henson ("Button").

Henson, who adopts a wizened baby in "Button," was actually the day's biggest winner; in addition to sharing in "Button's" ensemble nom, she also could claim a piece of the TV drama series ensemble nom bestowed on "Boston Legal."

Nominated for supporting actor in film along with Hoffman are Josh Brolin ("Milk"), Robert Downey Jr. ("Tropic Thunder"), the late Heath Ledger ("The Dark Knight") and Indian actor Dev Patel, who is seen as the young man on a winning streak in "Slumdog Millionaire."

Patel's surprise showing pointed to widespread industry love for sleeper hit "Slumdog": Its cast also was nominated in the film ensemble category along with "Button," "Doubt," "Frost/Nixon," and "Milk."

In TV, the SAG nominating committee gave its drama series ensemble noms to "Dexter" and "House," which each received its first ensemble nom, along with the previously nominated casts of "Boston Legal," "Mad Men" and "Closer." The comedy series ensembles cited all have been previously nominated: "30 Rock," "Desperate Housewives," "Entourage," "The Office" and "Weeds."

The individual TV noms were largely a case of rounding up the usual suspects, though a few unexpected twists occurred. Even though Fox did not air "24" last season, Kiefer Sutherland, who's won two SAG Awards for the show, squeezed into the best actor in a TV movie/miniseries category thanks to the two-hour "24: Redemption" broadcast last month.

Elizabeth Moss of "Mad Men" was the new face among the dramatic series actresses nominated.

SAG also demonstrated its abiding love for "Boston" by nominating William Shatner and James Spader for the dramedy, which aired its last episode this month.

Along with Shatner and Spader, the outstanding male actors in a drama series areMichael C. Hall ("Dexter"), John Hamm ("Mad Men") and Hugh Laurie ("House").

The female actors nominated in the drama series category include veterans Sally Field ("Brothers & Sisters"), Mariska Hargitay ("Law & Order: SVU"), Holly Hunter ("Saving Grace") and Kyra Sedgwick ("The Closer") as well as relative newcomer Moss.

Nominees for best male in a comedy series are the 2008 winner Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock") plus Steve Carell ("The Office"), David Duchovny ("Californication"), Jeremy Piven ("Entourage") and Tony Shalhoub ("Monk").

"30 Rock's" Tina Fey, who was also a winner at last January's ceremony, was again nominated for best female in a comedy series, where she will contest with Christina Applegate ("Samantha Who?"), America Ferrera ("Ugly Betty"), Mary-Louise Parker ("Weeds") and Tracey Ullman ("Tracey Ullman's State of the Union").

HBO's "John Adams" figured prominently in the two TV movie/miniseries categories. Both Paul Giamatti and Tom Wilkinson were nominated in the lead actor category and Laura Linney was included among the lead actresses.

Along with Giamatti and Wilkinson, the other men nominated for a TV movie or mini-series are Ralph Fiennes ("Bernard and Doris"), Kevin Spacey ("Recount") and "24: Redemption's" Sutherland.

Joining Linney in the circle of best women in a TV movie or miniseries are Laura Dern ("Recount"), Shirley MacLaine ("Coco Chanel"), Phylicia Rashad ("A Raisin in the Sun") and Susan Sarandon ("Bernard and Doris").

SAG also doled out nominations for outstanding stunt ensembles. For motion pictures, the nominees are "The Dark Knight," "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," "Iron Man" and "Wanted."

In TV, the nominees are "Friday Night Lights," "Heroes," "Prison Break," "The Unit" and "The Closer."

The SAG Awards, which also will include a life achievement honor for James Earl Jones, will be broadcast live Jan. 25 on TNT and TBS from the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center.

A complete list of nominees is on the next page.



Complete list of nominees for the 15th annual SAG Awards:

Male actor in a leading role
Richard Jenkins, "The Visitor"

Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"

Sean Penn, "Milk"

Brad Pitt, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"

Female actor in a leading role
Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"

Angelina Jolie, "Changeling"

Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"

Meryl Streep, "Doubt"

Kate Winslet, "Revolutionary Road"

Male actor in a supporting role
Josh Brolin, "Milk"
Robert Downey Jr., "Tropic Thunder"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Doubt"
Heath Ledger," The Dark Knight"
Dev Patel, "Slumdog Millionaire"

Female actor in a supporting role
Amy Adams, "Doubt"
Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis, "Doubt"
Taraji P. Henson, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Kate Winslet, "The Reader"

Performance by cast in a motion picture
"Doubt"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

PRIMETIME TELEVISION:

Male actor in a TV movie or miniseries
Ralph Fiennes, "Bernard and Doris"
Paul Giamatti, "John Adams"
Kevin Spacey, "Recount"
Kiefer Sutherland, "24: Redemption"
Tom Wilkinson, "John Adams"

Female actor in a TV movie or miniseries
Laura Dern, "Recount"
Laura Linney, "John Adams"
Shirley MacLaine, "Coco Chanel"
Phylicia Rashad, "A Raisin in the Sun"
Susan Sarandon, "Bernard and Doris"

Male actor in a drama series
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Jon Hamm, "Made Men"
Hugh Laurie, "House"
William Shatner," Boston Legal"
James Spader, "Boston Legal"

Female actor in a drama series
Sally Field, "Brothers & Sisters"
Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: SVU"
Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace"
Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"

Male actor in a comedy series
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
David Duchovny, "Californication"
Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"

Female actor in a comedy series
Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?"
America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"
Tracey Ullman, "Tracey Ullman's State of the Union"

Ensemble in a drama series
"Boston Legal"
"Dexter"
"House"
"Mad Men"
"The Closer"

Ensemble in a comedy series
"30 Rock"
"Desperate Housewives"
"Entourage"
"The Office"
"Weeds"

Stunt ensemble
"The Dark Knight"
"Hellboy II: The Golden Army"
"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"
"Iron Man"
"Wanted"

Stunt ensemble in a television series
"Friday Night Lights"
"Heroes"
"Prison Break"
"The Unit"
"The Closer

Lifetime Achievement Award
James Earl Jones