Over the next couple weeks, I will be looking at the major Emmy races and the state of the race before nominations. Here's a look at the Supporting Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series categories!
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
This category had the biggest surprise of the Emmy Awards last year when Jeff Hiller shockingly pulled off the upset for Somebody Somewhere. It was expected that the winner would either be Ike Barinholtz swept up in The Studio love or Harrison Ford getting his first major award ever, for his role on Shrinking. Hiller's show ended and Barinholtz is not eligible this year so this once again feels like Ford's year. If not now, it seems like he's never going to get his Emmy and he had another great year on the series. But this post is more about predicted nominees that winners and Ford is a lock for a nomination. There's a lot of possible returning nominees and it seems very likely that Ford's Shrinking co-star Michael Urie will return to the field. There are some other Shrinking actors like Ted McGinley and Luke Tennie, but they both seem like they have a more uphill climb to a nomination than Ford or Urie.
Another eligible returnee is two time winner and three time nominee Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Moss-Bachrach's winning days are likely behind him and The Bear has plummeted in Emmy love but I still think he has a pretty good chance of getting in for a fourth time even before the recent surprise episode drop. Another potential returning nominee is Colman Domingo for The Four Seasons. The second season has yet to be released and Domingo was the sole nominee for the show's first season. He's not a lock by any means but I'd still watch out for him. It feels like he's either just in or just out right now but we'll see how the new season, releasing at the end of May, is received. Two actors who surprisingly didn't make it in last year but were previous nominees are Tyler James Williams for Abbott Elementary and Paul W. Downs for Hacks. It seems like Abbott isn't going to start picking up more nominations so once someone drops off in the Emmy races, I don't see them getting back in. Downs could definitely get back in though with it being the final season for Hacks.
Among potential new contenders, the strongest appears to be Nick Offerman for Margo's Got Money Troubles. While Offerman famously never received a nomination for Parks and Recreation, his stature has grown and I think most Emmy voters realize it was a mistake for him to never get in for Parks. This could be a bit of a makeup nomination in their mind and he did win a Guest Actor Emmy for The Last of Us a few years ago. Another possible new contender is Andrew Scott for The Comeback. We'll see how strong The Comeback is but I wouldn't rule out Scott, who received an Emmy nod for Ripley two years ago (Dan Bucatinsky could be in the mix too if The Comeback really overperforms). Another actor in the mix is Ben Kingsley for Wonder Man. I really liked his chances when Wonder Man was in the Limited field but when it moved to Comedy after its renewal, I think he'll probably be on the outside looking in. I'm a little skeptical that The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins will make some Emmy noise but if it does, you can't rule out Daniel Radcliffe, who is generally regarded as the best part of the show.
Then there are the Saturday Night Live boys. Bowen Yang has been nominated four times in this category, including last year, and he left the show in December with a well-received final episode. But will voters reward him for half a season? If we're looking at anyone still with the show, the best bet could be Marcello Hernandez, who has become a breakout player on the show. And of course there's always Kenan Thompson, who has been nominated three times but seems unlikely to get back in.
Looking for an interesting contender? Bryan Cranston was nominated three times for Malcolm in the Middle back in the early 2000s before he was the big name he is now. And he received good notices for stepping back into the role for the recent Hulu revival Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair. It feels like a long shot but I wouldn't be shocked to hear Cranston's name the morning the nominations come out.
Finally, it's worth mentioning some dark horse nominees since Hiller was one last year. They include Timothy Simons for Nobody Wants This, Stephen Root for Widow's Bay, Phil Dunster and John C. McGinley for Rooster and Kyle MacLachlan for The Lowdown.
PREDICTED NOMINEES:
1. Harrison Ford, Shrinking
2. Michael Urie, Shrinking
3. Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear
4. Paul W. Downs, Hacks
5. Nick Offerman, Margo's Got Money Troubles
6. Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live
7. Colman Domingo, The Four Seasons
Just Behind
8. Andrew Scott, The Comeback
9. Marcello Hernandez, Saturday Night Live
10. Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
After three years of going home empty-handed, the Supporting Actress Emmy finally went to Hannah Einbinder for Hacks last year (never mind that she's a co-lead). Einbinder is the frontrunner to defend her crown for the final season of the series, which has had plenty of great material for Einbinder yet again. So, who will fill out the category and try to unseat the champ?
There are some former winners in the mix. Sheryl Lee Ralph for Abbott Elementary won in 2022 and will likely get nominated again but I don't think she's winning. Ralph's co-star Janelle James, has not won for her iconic performance on Abbott despite four nominations and I am not sure it's going to happen at this point. Liza Colon-Zayas won in 2024 for The Bear but it would be a big surprise to see her win again. She may even be on the outside looking in for a nomination with a season where she was generally underutilized. The biggest threat to Einbinder could be Jessica Williams. Without The Studio and with the best days of The Bear and Hacks behind them, I could see Shrinking breaking through more this year. I still think it's Einbinder's to lose but Williams had another stellar season and if Harrison Ford finally gets his win then Williams could join him. Shrinking also has Christa Miller and Lukita Maxwell, but they feel much less likely to get in.
I worry a bit that I'm overvaluing Margo's Got Money Troubles, but it feels like an Emmy show and Michelle Pfeiffer is well-liked. I think she's going to get in because Margo feels a bit like Palm Royale: an underseen Apple show that is still an Emmy player. Speaking of Palm Royale, Carol Burnett was nominated two years ago and could be back at age 93 but it's always tough to get in for a cancelled show. Another potential first time nominee is Megan Stalter, who has somehow not gotten a nomination yet for Hacks but has a lot of great material in the final season. Just like with Supporting Actor, you always have to consider Saturday Night Live. But there really seems to only be one in the mix and that's breakout star Ashley Padilla. Considering how much buzz she has been getting, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see her secure a nomination. The other only possibility would be Sarah Sherman but I don't see that happening.
A dark horse contender could Laurie Metcalf for Big Mistakes. Although it doesn't seem like Mistakes is a big player, Metcalf is beloved by awards bodies so it wouldn't shock me if she snuck in. It's hard to believe the nominees won't be made up from the women already listed but a few other fringe candidates include Danielle Deadwyler and Charly Clive for Rooster, Justine Lupe for Nobody Wants This, Jessica Hecht for American Classic, Erika Alexander for The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins and Odessa A'Zion for I Love LA. Also, it's worth mentioning that Meryl Streep would be a return nominee from 2024 for Only Murders in the Building but her part was so small this season, it would purely be on name alone (but you can't discount that with Streep).
Finally, I know it's not going to happen at this point but I just want to give some love for Lisa Ann Walter, who has deserved a nomination for years alongside her Abbott Elementary co-stars.
PREDICTED NOMINEES:
1. Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
2. Jessica Williams, Shrinking
3. Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
4. Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary
5. Michelle Pfeiffer, Margo's Got Money Troubles
6. Megan Stalter, Hacks
7. Ashley Padilla, Saturday Night Live
Just Behind
8. Liza Colon-Zayas, The Bear
9. Carol Burnett, Palm Royale
10. Laurie Metcalf, Big Mistakes
Next Week: Supporting Actor & Actress in a Drama Series!
