(Image source: New York Daily News)

BY BRICE SANDER

The Screen Actors Guild is kicking off Hollywood’s 2012 award season with its awards nominees -- here are the highlights.

The Help leads the nominations with four -

Silent film The Artist nabbed three-

Rare for comedies -- Bridesmaids surprisingly snuck in with two.

On the TV side, comedy Modern Family-

And drama Boardwalk Empire are expected to sweep.

So how’d SAG make its picks for the 18th annual awards? Deadline explains-

“Of the top industry accolades presented to performers, only the Screen Actors Guild Awards are selected solely by actors’ peers … Two nominating panels – one for television and one for film – each composed of 2,100 randomly selected Guild members ... chose this year’s … nominees.”

The Hollywood Reporter says SAG’s snubs could mean problems for flicks that were thought to be frontrunners -- namely Steven Spielberg “War Horse.”

“...only a small handful of the 83 best picture Oscar winners have won that title without also carrying at least one acting nomination [from SAG]. (The last to do so was Slumdog Millionaire three years ago.)”

But MovieFone says don’t worry too much over snubs -- Hollywood is predictably unpredictable.

“So, if you’re … sporting a Fassboner for Michael Fassbender's snubbed performance in 'Shame,' don't worry; there is still plenty of time for them to wind up among the shortlist of 2012 Oscar nominees. Happy speculating!”

And -- this is a big year for the SAG awards. As Variety points out, this could be the end of the guild and its awards, thanks to a potential merger with the other actors’ union, AFTRA.

“Two previous attempts at a merger [with the American Federation of TV and Radio artists] failed, most recently in 2003. But this time momentum appears to be building on both sides in support of a consolidation… ”

The two guilds won’t vote on a merger until after the awards air January 29th on TNT. To see a full list of nominees, click the link in our transcript section.