\'Beasts of the Southern Wild\' Ineligible for SAG Awards

By DAVE ITZKOFF

It was the dream of Hushpuppy, the young protagonist of “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” that future generations would some day learn of the adventures she shared with her father in the mythical community they called the Bathtub. But her triumphs and tragedies will not be recorded in the annals of the Screen Actors Guild, which has declared the film ineligible for its annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, The Hollywood Reporter said.

“Beasts of the Southern Wild,” an independent film directed by Benh Zeitlin and released by Fox Searchlight, is considered a powerful magnet for acting trophies that would probably reward the spunky lead performance of its now 9-year-old star, Quvenzhané Wallis, who plays Hushpuppy, as well as the work of her co-star, Dwight Henry, who plays her father, Wink.

Neither actor had worked professionally before appearing in the film - Mr. Henry was working as a baker at the time he was cast - and the SAG-AFTRA guild has determined that the production did not meet the terms of the guild's low-budget feature agreement.

Though this means the actors cannot compete for individual SAG Awards (which will be announced at a ceremony on Jan. 27), and the film itself cannot vie for the best ensemble trophy, Mr. Zeitlin told The Hollywood Reporter he was proud of his performers' accomplishments. “Against all logic and planning, two incredible first-time actors won the lead roles in ‘Beasts,'” he said. “I'm positive they both have long and amazing acting careers in front of them.”

Just how big a blow this may be against the actors in their pursuit of the season's top prize â€" the Academy Award â€" is not immediately clear. The Hollywood Reporter cited several actors who recently received Oscar nominations without being nominated for the SAG Award, including Gary Oldman (for “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”), Rooney Mara (“The Girl with the Dragon Tatt oo”) and Max von Sydow (“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”). In 2000, Marcia Gay Harden was not nominated for the SAG Award, and nonetheless won the Oscar for her supporting performance in “Pollock.”