SOME of Hollywood’s biggest names – including Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe – were snubbed by the Screen Actors Guild yesterday.

Instead, indie performers like Patricia Clarkson received SAG Award nominations for both supporting actress for “Pieces of April” and lead actress in “The Station Agent,” and Peter Dinklage, the diminutive star of “The Station Agent,” got a lead actor nod for his role as a misanthropic misfit.

“Mystic River” and “The Station Agent” collected three SAG nominations each, including best ensemble cast – the guild’s equivalent of a best picture category.

“Mystic River” was also recognized for Tim Robbins’ supporting turn as the survivor of childhood sexual abuse, and Sean Penn received a lead actor nomination for playing an ex-con.

Other ensemble contenders included “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” “Seabiscuit” and “In America,” an independent film that has been largely ignored by other awards groups.

Johnny Depp received a significant boost to his Oscar chances by picking up a SAG nod for his role as a swishy swashbuckler in “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” a performance that also won him a Golden Globe nod last month.

Other lead actor contenders were Bill Murray for “Lost in Translation” and Ben Kingsley for “House of Sand and Fog.”

Clarkson was joined in the lead actress category by Naomi Watts for “21 Grams,” Diane Keaton for “Something’s Gotta Give,” 16-year-old Evan Rachel Wood for “Thirteen,” and Charlize Theron for her de-prettified portrayal of a lesbian serial killer in “Monster.”

Other supporting actor contenders besides Robbins were: Chris Cooper for “Seabiscuit,” Alec Baldwin for “The Cooler,” Benicio Del Toro for “21 Grams” and Ken Watanabe for “The Last Samurai.”

Clarkson’s supporting actress rivals were Keisha Castle-Hughes, the 13-year-old star of “Whale Rider,” Maria Bello of “The Cooler,” Holly Hunter from “Thirteen” and Renée Zellweger for “Cold Mountain.”

The 10th annual awards ceremony will take place Feb. 22 in Los Angeles.