'Lincoln', 'Les Miserables' lead acting nominations

Actors Taye Diggs (L) and Busy Philipps announce the nominations for the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in West Hollywood, California December 12, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

Other actors nominated on Wednesday included the stars of quirky comedy "Silver Linings Playbook" - Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert DeNiro. John Hawkes and Helen Hunt also have a stake, for playing a disabled man and his sex therapist in heart-warming independent movie "The Sessions".

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"Being recognized by your peers is something I could only dream of happening and to be included in this group of actors is not only humbling but quite frankly, surreal," Cooper, a first-time SAG nominees, said in a statement.

Washington, a two-time Oscar winner, was nominated for playing an alcoholic pilot in "Flight," a role that has been largely overlooked in early critics award.

Perhaps the biggest surprise on Wednesday was "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," the story of a group of elderly Britons who retire to a ramshackle Indian hotel.

The film, which boasts a strong British cast including Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson and Bill Nighy, had two nominations - best ensemble and best supporting actress for Maggie Smith.

Smith also was nominated in SAG's television category for her role as a sarcastic countess in period drama "Downton Abbey".

The popular British show was among the picks for ensemble acting in the TV category.

Other TV drama nominations went to the casts of "Boardwalk Empire," "Homeland," "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad".

In TV comedy, old favorites "30 Rock," "Glee," "The Big Bang Theory," "Modern Family," "Nurse Jackie" and "The Office" were nominated for their ensemble casts.