Steven Spielberg's presidential drama "Lincoln" and romantic comedy "Silver Linings Play Book" topped nominations for the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards announced Wednesday, with four apiece.

In second place was "Les Miserables," the star-studded film adaptation of the musical stage show, which garnered three nods including Australian Hugh Jackman for best actor.

The nominations come as Hollywood's annual awards season -- which climaxes with the Oscars in February -- gets into gear, with the Golden Globe shortlists due to be announced on Thursday.

The SAG nominees for best ensemble cast -- its best movie category -- were Iran hostage crisis drama "Argo," "Les Miserables," "Silver Linings Playbook," "Lincoln," and Indian-themed comedy "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel."

Jackman also got a best actor nod for his "Les Mis" turn, as did "Hangover" star Bradley Cooper for "Silver Linings Playbook," Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln, Denzel Washington piloting "Flight" and John Hawkes in "The Sessions."

Best actress nominations included Jessica Chastain in much-praised Osama bin Laden hunt movie "Zero Dark Thirty," Jennifer Lawrence for "Silver Linings Playbook," and Britain's Helen Mirren for "Hitchcock."

British-Australian actress Naomi Watts was also nominated for her performance in Indian Ocean tsunami movie "The Impossible," along with French actress Marianne Cotillard in "Rust and Bone."

Supporting actor nods went to Alan Arkin for "Argo," Spain's Javier Bardem for 007 blockbuster "Skyfall," Robert de Niro for "Silver Linings Playbook," Tommy Lee Jones for "Lincoln" and Philip Seymour Hoffman for "The Master."

Britain's Maggie Smith was nominated as best supporting actress in "Marigold Hotel," as was Nicole Kidman for "The Paperboy," Anne Hathaway for "Les Miserables," Helen Hunt in "The Sessions," and Sally Field for "Lincoln."

On the television front, Emmy-winning "Modern Family" was nominated for best comedy ensemble cast -- which it has won for the last two years -- along with "The Big Bang Theory," "Glee," "The Office" and "Nurse Jackie."

Multiple award-winning British period drama "Downton Abbey" won a nod for best TV drama, along with spy-themed "Homeland," cult retro series "Mad Men," "Breaking Bad," and "Boardwalk Empire," which has also won two years running.

Steve Buscemi was nominated for best TV drama actor in "Boardwalk Empire," along with Jon Hamm for "Mad Men," Britain's Damian Lewis in "Homeland," Bryan Cranston in "Breaking Bad" and Jeff Daniels in "The Newsroom."

Best TV actress nods went to Emmy-winner Claire Danes for "Homeland," Michelle Dockery and Maggie Smith for "Downton Abbey," Jessica Lange for "American Horror Story: Asylum" and Julianna Margulies for "The Good Wife."

The SAG awards will be handed out on January 27 in Los Angeles. The Golden Globe winners will be announced on January 13, and the Academy Awards on February 24.