With victories at both the SAG and BAFTA Awards — two critical precursors — the Focus Features drama enters Oscar night in a strong position. This mirrors the trajectory of “Shakespeare in Love” (1998),

The other Oscar favorites — Demi Moore, Zoe Saldaña and Kieran Culkin — all won. The SAG Awards are closely watched as an Oscar preview. Their picks don’t always align exactly with those of the film academy, but they often nearly do.

Hosted by Kristen Bell, tonight’s ceremony, held at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles, will award prizes across 15 categories. Since the actors are the largest voting body for the Academy Awards, the 31st annual SAG Awards could give major insights into what to expect from next Sunday’s 97th Oscars ceremony.