Tuesday, May 17, 2022

EMMY PREVIEW: Supporting Actor Races

As I continue my Emmys Preview on Tuesdays, I will be taking a look at the Supporting Actor categories today!

COMEDY
This is a category that seems like it could be a race between Ted Lasso and Barry supporting actors. Ted Lasso occupied four slots last year and the hit Apple TV+ show will surely be a player in this year's race. Last year's winner Brett Goldstein is back in the mix and should be considered the frontrunner. There's also Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammad and Jeremy Swift all returning but I'd be surprised if Ted Lasso four-peats in the category again. That's especially true with former nominees and winners back in the mix. 2019 winner Tony Shalhoub for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and 2018 winner Henry Winkler for Barry are both eligible again and Barry could also see some attention for Anthony Carrigan and perhaps Stephen Root. Other potential returning nominees are Brian Tyree Henry for Atlanta and two longshots to return: Carl Clemons-Hopkins for Hacks and Andre Braugher for Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Then there's those SNL co-stars who are likely to be in the mix despite my constant annoyance that they are eligible in this category. Kenan Thompson and Bowen Yang both stand a good chance to repeat in the category even with stiffer competition and you probably can't count out breakout newbie James Austin Johnson. Among characters in new shows, multiple Emmy winner David Hyde Pierce stands a chance if Julia gets into the mix and the same goes for Tyler James Williams with Abbott Elementary. Going back to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Luke Kirby has won in the guest category before but will be in the Supporting Actor category this year where things are a bit tougher even though he had an acclaimed arc on the show this year. Other longer shots include LaKeith Stanfield for Atlanta, Ben Schwartz for The Afterparty and Harvey Guillen for What We Do in the Shadows. With so many returning nominees though, it seems hard to believe longshots will break through.

PREDICTED NOMINEES
These are listed in order of likelihood to get nominated, not necessarily to win. I'm listing eight for each category even though some categories may end up with less than eight.
1. Brett Goldstein - Ted Lasso
2. Tony Shalhoub - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
3. Henry Winkler - Barry
4. Anthony Carrigan - Barry
5. Kenan Thompson - Saturday Night Live
6. Nick Mohammed - Ted Lasso
7. Brian Tyree Henry - Atlanta
8. Bowen Yang - Saturday Night Live


DRAMA
Just like Supporting Actress in a Drama, this field will look nothing like last year. The only eligible actor who was nominated last year is Chris Sullivan for This is Us. It's hard to know how This is Us will do following years of declining nominations but also a buzzy final season. However, there will be repeat nominees, you just have to go further back than 2021. This category is likely to get at least a couple nominees for Succession and Kieran Culkin, Nicholas Braun and Matthew Mcfadyen were all nominated two years ago and could all get back in. They lost at that ceremony to Billy Crudup of The Morning Show. Even though the second season of Morning was not all that well received, Crudup seems likely to get back in. I don't think the same can be said for his co-star, Mark Duplass, who was a bit of a surprise nominee in 2020 but seems unlikely to return. Then there's also the Better Call Saul actors with Giancarlo Esposito and Jonathan Banks possible returnees though Banks was snubbed two years ago. There's also David Harbour, last nominated in 2018 for Stranger Things. That's it for possible returnees so there will likely be new blood in this category. Leading that group is Oh Young-soo from Squid Game who seems to be a likely nominee while Park Hae-soo could be as well but he doesn't have as strong a chance. Alan Ruck hasn't been nominated for Succession yet and could get in if there's a Succession windfall. After all, there were four The Handmaid's Tale nominees in the Supporting Actress category. John Turturro could get in for Severance even though he was a surprising omission for The Plot Against America two years ago and Christopher Walken could make it if Severance comes up big. Eric Dane stands a chance if there's a lot of love for Euphoria beyond Zendaya. There doesn't seem to be a ton of groundswell for Loki like there was for WandaVision last year, but you probably can't rule out Owen Wilson. Steve Carell was nominated for Lead Actor in a Drama two years ago for The Morning Show and is going Supporting this year but is an unlikely nominee. Dark horses are possible in a wide open category and some of them include Adrien Brody and Jason Segel for Winning Time, Mandy Patinkin for The Good Fight and Pedro Pascal for The Book of Boba Fett

PREDICTED NOMINEES
1. Kieran Culkin - Succession
2. Billy Crudup - The Morning Show
3. Matthew Mcfadyen - Succession
4. Nicholas Braun - Succession
5. Giancarlo Esposito - Better Call Saul
6. Oh Young-soo - Squid Game
7. Chris Sullivan - This is Us
8. Jonathan Banks - Better Call Saul


LIMITED SERIES
This category feels a little barren compared to the Supporting Actress in a Limited Series category but just like that category, the one to beat appears to be a cast member from The White Lotus. Unlike Jennifer Coolidge, Murray Bartlett will not be returning to the series so this is his one and only chance for an acclaimed role. Jake Lacy seems to have less momentum behind him but he could also get in if Lotus comes up big on nomination day. The rest of the contenders are all sort of jumbled together for me and I could see it shaking out a lot based on how well the series these actors come from do. For example, if Dopesick has a big day, I like Peter Sarsgaard's chances (and possibly Michael Stuhlbarg). Same with Naveen Andrews and/or William H. Macy for The Dropout and Nick Robinson for Maid. Then there are those who are standouts from shows that feel don't feel as likely to have a windfall of nominations. That includes Seth Rogen for Pam & Tommy whose performance was acclaimed in a show that had a middling response. O-T Fagbenle has had a mixed reception to his portrayal of Barack Obama on The First Lady but he could get in since the category isn't super strong. Ethan Hawke was a shocking snub last year for The Good Lord Bird in the Lead Actor category but he still stands a chance for Moon Knight especially if voters are feeling remorseful. This feels like a category where we'll see some surprises but your guess is as good as mine. Could it be Matthew Goode for The Offer even though that show was panned? Or Zach Gilford for Midnight Mass even though Mike Flanagan shows have yet to break through at the Emmys. Perhaps Wyatt Russell for Under the Banner of Heaven but that show seems to have little buzz right now. Some even longer shots could be Tim McGraw for 1883, Bobby Cannavale for Nine Perfect Strangers and last year's winner in this category for Mare of Easttown, Evan Peters for American Horror Story.

PREDICTED NOMINEES
1. Murray Bartlett - The White Lotus
2. Peter Sarsgaard - Dopesick
3. Naveen Andrews - The Dropout
4. O-T Fagbenle - The First Lady
5. Seth Rogen - Pam and Tommy
6. Jake Lacy - The White Lotus
7. William H. Macy - The Dropout
8. Wyatt Russell - Under the Banner of Heaven

Tomorrow: A One Season Wonder look at Double Rush!
Next Tuesday: A look at the Lead Actress Emmy races!

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