The Help leads SAG Award nominations

Los Angeles - The Help leads the nominations for the 2012 Screen Actors' Guild (SAG) Awards.

The Deep South drama will contend for Best Ensemble Cast with The Artist, Bridesmaids, The Descendants and Midnight in Paris, while its stars Viola Davis, Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer are individually nominated for awards.

Viola will contest for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role against Albert Nobbs star Glenn Close, The Iron Lady's Meryl Streep, Tilda Swinton for her role in We Need To Talk About Kevin and My Week With Marilyn actress Michelle Williams.

Silent movie The Artist had three nominations, with its other two nods coming in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role category - where its star Jean Dujardin finds himself up against Hollywood heavyweights George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio, as well as A Better Life actor Demian Bichir - and Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role, which saw Berenice Bejo recognised for her part in the film.

Dick Van Dyke will present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Mary Tyler Moor in recognition for her carer achievement and humanitarian accomplishments at the ceremony, which takes place on January 29 at Los Angeles' Shrine.

Full list of SAG Awards nominations

Feature films

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role:

Demian Bichir - A Better Life

George Clooney - The Descendants

Leonardo DiCaprio - J. Edgar

Jean Dujardin - The Artist

Brad Pitt - Moneyball

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role:

Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs

Viola Davis - The Help

Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady

Tilda Swinton - We Need To Talk About Kevin

Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role:

Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn

Armie Hammer - J. Edgar

Jonah Hill - Moneyball

Nick Nolte - Warrior

Christopher Plummer - Beginners

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role:

Berenice Bejo - The Artist

Jessica Chastain - The Help

Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids

Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs

Oltavia Spencer - The Help

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:

The Artist

Bridesmaids

The Descendants

The Help

Midnight in Paris

Primetime Television

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:

Laurence Fishburne - Thurgood

Paul Giamatti - Too Big To Fail

Greg Kinnear - The Kennedys

Guy Pearce - Mildred Pierce

James Woods - Too big To Fail

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:

Diane Lane - Cinema Werite

Dame Maggie Smith - Downton Abbey

Emily Watson - Appropriate Adult

Betty White' - Hallmark Hall of Fame: The Lost Valentine

Kate Winslet - Mildred Pierce

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series:

Patrick J. Adams - Suits

Steve Buscemi - Boardwalk Empire

Kyle Chandler - Friday Night Lights

Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad

Michael C. Hall - Dexter

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series:

Kathy Bates - Harry's Law

Glenn Close - Damages

Jessica Lange - American Horror Story

Julianna Marguiles - The Good Wife

Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series:

Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock

Ty Burrell - Modern Family

Steve Carell - The Office

Jon Cryer - Two and a Half Men

Eric Stonestreet - Modern Family

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series:

Julie Bowen - Modern Family

Edie Falco - Nurse Jackie

Tina Fey - 30 Rock

Sofia Vergara - Modern Family

Betty White - Hot In Cleveland

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series:

Boardwalk Empire

Breaking Bad

Dexter

Game of Thrones

The Good Wife

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series:

30 Rock

The Big Bang Theory

Glee

Modern Family

The Office

SAG Honours for Stunt Ensembles:

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture:

The Adjustment Bureau

Cowboys & Aliens

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

X-Men: First Class

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series:

Dexter

Game of Thrones

Southland

Spartacus: Gods of the Arena

True Blood

Screen Actors Guild Awards 48th Annual Life Achievement Award:

Mary Tyler Moore