'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.

SAG Awards full list of nominations:

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