If Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” lands an outstanding cast ensemble nomination at the Actors Awards — the newly renamed Screen Actors Guild Awards — one of the film’s most essential performers will not be recognized alongside his colleagues.
The official ensemble submission lists Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn and Noah Jupe as the eligible cast members. Missing is Jacobi Jupe, the young actor whose emotionally resonant turn as the title character has been one of the season’s standout discoveries.
Awards analyst Will Mavity first flagged the exclusion on his X account, noting that despite Jacobi Jupe’s prominence in the film, he was not submitted as part of the ensemble. Mavity shared the film’s official submission, drawing attention to the implications should “Hamnet” earn an ensemble nomination.
According to SAG-AFTRA’s official rules for the outstanding cast category, eligibility is determined strictly by the performers submitted by the film’s producing or distributing entity. The guild outlines the following key requirement: Motion picture cast inclusion requires single-card main title billing.
However, if an actor shares a title card with other performers, all can be submitted. For example, Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis shared title cards for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” and Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande share a title card in both Part 1 and 2 versions of “Wicked.”
Only performers who receive single-card billing in the main titles — or who are otherwise submitted by producers as principal cast — may be included in the ensemble roster.
This rule means that even though child actors can be nominated as part of an ensemble, they must formally meet the principal cast criteria. If a performer is not included in the initial submission, they cannot be added retroactively once nominations are announced.
In “Hamnet,” Jacobi Jupe does not receive single-card main title billing and shares a card with Olivia Lynes, who plays his twin sister Judith. Bodhi Rae Breathnach, who plays the older Shakespeare daughter Susanna, shares a card with two other actors.
Interestingly, Noah Jupe, Jacobi’s real-life older brother, who plays the actor playing Hamlet at the opening of the tragic Shakespeare classic, will be among the nominated ensemble if recognized.
Nonetheless, Jacobi Jupe, 10, is still eligible — and quietly competitive — in the supporting actor category. The film’s awards strategy positions Paul Mescal as a likely nominee for supporting actor, but Jupe’s performance has earned widespread critical affection and could attract guild support independently of the ensemble race.
SAG-AFTRA has historically embraced breakout young performers when they deliver work on par with their adult co-stars, leaving open the possibility that Jacobi Jupe may still find recognition.
If “Hamnet” receives an ensemble nomination without its title character represented, it would spotlight the strategic and contractual complexities behind award submissions — particularly in a film driven by its youngest performer.
As the SAG NomCom voters assess “Hamnet’s” place in the season, the handling of its ensemble and how billing and submission choices operate, could bring to light a much-needed rules update.
