SAG Awards spotlight: 5 reasons Danielle Deadwyler (‘Till’) can still win Best Actress despite Oscar snub

Now that the Oscar nominations have been announced, we still can’t get over the fact that Danielle Deadwyler was shockingly snubbed by the academy for her exceptional performance in Chinonye Chukwu’s “Till.” But there’s no reason to dismiss her amazing portrayal for the remainder of the awards season. The actress should still be considered ‌legitimate competition to her fellow Best Film Actress SAG Awards nominees despite ranking fourth in our combined odds. She trails Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”), Cate Blanchett (“TAR”) and Viola Davis (“The Woman King”), while tracking slightly ahead of Ana de Armas (“Blonde”).

Below are my top five reasons why Deadwyler can still win at the SAG Awards.

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SEE Danielle Deadwyler says ‘direct or indirect’ prejudice had an effect on her Oscar snub

1. SAG Awards voters may want to make the Oscar snub up to her.

Deadwyler was practically considered a no-brainer Oscar nominee before the announcement on January 24. Sure, she wasn’t an undeniable frontrunner like Blanchett or Yeoh, but you could still bet money on her nomination. However, Oscar snubs happen all the time, and history shows that they’re not necessarily dealbreakers in determining the winners of subsequent award shows. Think of Emily Blunt, who found herself in a similar spot in 2018. She got double-snubbed at the Oscars for “A Quiet Place” and “Mary Poppins Returns,” but later snatched the SAG Award for her supporting role in John Krasinski’s film.

2. She’s portraying a historically significant real-life figure.

There’s no doubt SAG Awards voters tend to show extra love to biopic performances. For the past three years, the award for Best Film Actress was handed out to women playing real-life heroines. Jessica Chastain won for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” in 2021, Viola Davis got her sixth SAG Award for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” in 2020 and Renée Zellweger received “The Actor” for “Judy” in 2019. Deadwyler’s performance undoubtedly deserves the same kind of recognition. Even though Ana De Armas portrays America’s ultimate blonde bombshell, Marylin Monroe, that film has proven to be much more divisive among viewers.

3. The film relies on Deadwyler’s performance.

The SAG Awards are all about acting. Unlike other major awards shows, there’s no focus on the movie’s overall performance across multiple categories. Best Picture, Best Director and all those below-the-line contests fly right out the window. When it comes to “Till,” the aspect of the film that critics and audiences have universally praised the most is Deadwyler’s profound performance. Sure, frontrunners Blanchett and Yeoh were also acclaimed across the board, but their films are seen as “technical achievements” that will benefit their chances more at the Oscars than the SAG Awards.

SEE SAG Awards nominee profile: Danielle Deadwyler (‘Till’)

4. Her performance highlights ongoing conversations about racism and its brutality.

In “Till,” Deadwyler gives one of the most honest and truthful representations of grief onscreen to date. Her range and ability to convey not one, but a myriad of emotions in a single scene is what makes an already tragic, shameful moment in American history so much more powerful. The way she talks through her character, Mamie Till, about racial injustice and the horrors that come with it, unfortunately, hits very close to home with the ongoing racial inequality that is still present in our modern world. That kind of relevancy to present issues will help Deadwyler win over the hearts of SAG Awards voters.

5. As much as we try to predict the outcomes of Award shows, there’s always an element of surprise.

Even though the current combined odds for Deadwyler taking home “The Actor” seem slim with Yeoh and Blanchett leading the SAG Award, BAFTA and Oscar races, all hope is not lost. The most recent example of a true awards season miracle is Andrea Riseborough’s (“To Leslie”) Oscar nomination, which many fans desired but never in a million years expected (or predicted) to happen. So, as much as the odds aren’t in Deadwyler’s favor for now, it’s certain that her performance is worthy of the SAG Award, which means anything can happen. Also, when a contest is seen as a nail-biter, as is the case for Blanchett vs. Yeoh, a vote split could happen. This would make way for a slew of passionate Deadwyler supporters to crown her the night’s top leading lady.

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