SAG Awards: Brie Larson (‘Lessons in Chemistry’) is coming for that bookend

While Brie Larson can currently be seen again as Captain Marvel in her latest MCU flick, “The Marvels,” fans will be eager to load up Apple TV+ to catch the actress in her new series “Lessons in Chemistry.” With this drama, adapted from the book of the same name by Bonnie Garmus, Larson finally gets to display the full range of her talents for, arguably, the first time since her Oscar-winning turn in “Room” in 2016. Since then, she has appeared in a handful of MCU projects along with a role in the “Fast and Furious” franchise. Now, however, “Lessons in Chemistry” reminds us how good a performer she is.

The series follows Larson as chemist Elizabeth Zott, who is fired from her lab tech job and lands a new gig hosting a 1960s TV cooking show. She uses this new position to educate housewives about scientific topics. Larson brings her distinct energy and range of talent to this role, injecting heart, determination, frustration, and joy into the role alongside a very obvious intellect. Critics have all agreed that it is a delight to see Larson back on form here.

As such, Larson could quickly become an awards player for this TV series. She’s no stranger to awards, either, as she won the Oscar for Best Actress for “Room.” She also picked up wins at the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and SAG awards for her work in Lenny Abrahamson‘s acclaimed drama. That SAG victory was her only nomination at the Screen Actors’ Guild Awards so far but “Lessons in Chemistry” could bring her a second bid, this time for Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actress.

SAG voters love Oscar winners and performers who have appeared in major franchises and Larson is both of those.

Firstly, the Oscar winners. Kate Winslet won Best Actress in 2009 for “The Reader” and also has 13 SAG nominations to her name. She has won this category twice — in 2012 for “Mildred Pierce” and in 2022 for “Mare of Easttown.” Nicole Kidman won Best Actress for “The Hours” in 2003 and has reaped 15 SAG bids, including four bids in this category: in 2013 for “Hemingway and Gelhorn,” in 2016 for “Grace of Monaco,” in 2018 for “Big Little Lies,” and in 2021 for “The Undoing.” She won for “Big Little Lies.” Cate Blanchett is a two-time Oscar winner, having won Best Supporting Actress in 2005 for “The Aviator” and Best Actress in 2014 for “Blue Jasmine.” Blanchett has 18 SAG nominations to her name, including a bid in this category in 2021 for “Mrs. America.”

Blanchett is also a franchise player, having appeared in the MCU as Hela in “Thor: Ragnarok.” SAG voters seem to like franchise players who return to smaller work on the TV screen. It shows star power, versatility, and a commitment to the craft of acting that their peers clearly admire. Similarly, Laura Dern starred in the “Jurassic Park” film series and has earned four SAG nominations, including two in this category — in 2009 for “Recount” and in 2018 for “Big Little Lies.” And Helena Bonham Carter starred as Bellatrix Lestrange in the “Harry Potter” series. She has eight SAG Bids to her name including a nomination in this category in 2014 for “Burton and Taylor.”

Their fascination with Oscar winners and performers who have appeared in franchises suggests an inclination toward big names and movie stars. In fact, let’s take a closer look at the type of nominees here. In 2021, two of the five nominees can be considered big-name movie stars. Blanchett was nominated for “Mrs. America” while Kidman was nominated for “The Undoing.” In 2022, Winslet won for “Mare of Easttown.” And, in 2023, Jessica Chastain won for “George & Tammy,” Emily Blunt was nominated for “The English,” and Amanda Seyfried was nominated for “The Dropout.”

This year, our current predicted nominees are Ali Wong (“Beef”), Riley Keough (“Daisy Jones and the Six”), Dominique Fishback (“Swarm”), Kathryn Hahn (“Tiny Beautiful Things”), and Larson herself. Larson is, arguably, the only big-name movie star in that list, so it suggests that she will be heavily favored by voters based on SAG’s history of nominating movie stars in this category. She fits the bill in a number of SAG nominee profiles. This could be her awards comeback.

Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember to keep your predictions updated because they impact our latest racetrack odds, which terrify Hollywood chiefs and stars. Don’t miss the fun. Speak up and share your huffy opinions in our famous forums where 5,000 showbiz leaders lurk every day to track latest awards buzz. Everybody wants to know: What do you think? Who do you predict and why?

SIGN UP for Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions