Welcome to Part 2 of our collaborative Emmy nominee predictions article series, where we will go over our predicted nominations for the major categories that recognize acting talent. As always, enjoy and leave your own in the comments below!
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Full Boyle
Jeffrey Tambor, "Transparent"
Anthony Anderson, "Black-ish"
Will Forte, "The Last Man On Earth"
Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"
Aziz Ansari, "Master of None"
William H. Macy, "Shameless"
For the Best Actor category, I predict more of the same. Last year's winner Jeffrey Tambor from Transparent should return, but so should a couple others. Anthony Anderson from Black-ish will likely return as its second season has been very well-regarded thanks to balancing comedy with current issues in an admirable way. We also have William H. Macy from Shameless and Don Cheadle from House of Lies, they are likely to return, because the Emmys typically nominate the same actors again if they like what they see. That's why 5 out of the 6 actors are returning, though we do have one newbie, Aziz Ansari from "Master of None". I expect Master of None to do well at the Emmts and one of the reasons being is the great actors. Finally, there's Will Forte from The Last Man On Earth, he's not much of a wild card, as he was also nominated last year, but it's possible a new actor takes his place. I would have switched him out with Rob Lowe from The Grinder, but it's been cancelled and few cancelled shows make the Emmy ballot.
HV
Jeffrey Tambor, "Transparent"
Anthony Anderson, "Black-ish"
Aziz Ansari, "Master of None"
Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"
Will Forte, "The Last Man On Earth"
William H. Macy, "Shameless"
Neither Matt LeBlanc (Episodes) or Louis C.W. (Louie) are eligible this year. Anderson, Cheadle, Macy, and last year's winner Tambor should all return family easily, and Ansari is a lock to be nominated. That leaves one spot still open, and I can't think of anyone to replace Forte, so I think that he will be back again.
JB
Jeffrey Tambor, "Transparent"
Anthony Anderson, "Black-ish"
Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"
Jeff Garlin, "The Goldbergs"
William H. Macy, "Shameless"
Comedy is a tough call. I expect at least one Big Bang Theory actor to be in the running, and I expect that to be Jim Parsons. Transparent is definitely getting a nomination from Jeffrey Tambor. I also expect Anthony Anderson to be in the running. My wildcard pick is Jeff Garlin from The Goldbergs.
Rebecca Bunch
Jeffrey Tambor, "Transparent"
Anthony Anderson, "Black-ish"
Will Forte, "The Last Man On Earth"
Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"
Aziz Ansari, "Master of None"
Rob Lowe, "The Grinder"
Jeffrey Tambor was the winner last year, and I believe he will be the winner again. Anderson and Forte were nominated last year, and I think they may get nominated again. Ansari was nominated for quite a few awards, and he may get an Emmy's nod. Cheadle has been nominated a few times, and this is his final time. I'm unsure about Lowe getting nominated, but I think he has a decent chance.
theratingsjunkie
Jeffrey Tambor, "Transparent"
Anthony Anderson, "Black-ish"
Aziz Ansari, "Master of None"
Rob Delaney, "Catastrophe"
William H Macy, "Shameless"
Patrick Stewart, "Blunt Talk"
Like the rest of us, I think Jeffrey Tambor will continue to be nominated, mainly because he won last season. Anthony Anderson and Aziz Ansari will most likely also get nods for their critically-acclaimed shows. Blunt Talk is a new critically-acclaimed comedy on Starz, and I think that Patrick Stewart will see a nomination for it. I would like to see Will Forte nominated for The Last Man On Earth based solely on that freaky hairdo he kept for a few episodes, but I think he'll lose out because the episode he was nominated for last season was from back when the show was just him. With an ensemble cast, I don't think the Emmys will recognize him.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Full Boyle
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"
Amy Schumer, "Inside Amy Schumer"
Ellie Kemper, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Rachel Bloom, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"
Traces Ellis Ross, "Black-ish"
Lily Tomlin, "Grace and Frankie"
For this one, I predict that Dreyfus will return to have success with Veep, as she has already won four times in this category it seems like a no-brainer pick. Amy Schumer from Inside Amy Schumer and Lily Tomline from Grace and Frankie are expected to return, Schumer especially has been doing great with the critics. Then there's the new kids. I can see Rachel Bloom from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend getting the go-around, the critics love it, and it also won at the Golden Globes. Another plausible newbie would be Tracee Ellie Ross from Black-ish, it's more of my wildcard pick, but Black-ish is set to score big at the Emmys, and Ross has been applauded by critics of the show.
HV
Rachel Bloom, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"
Ellie Kemper, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"
Amy Schumer, "Inside Amy Schumer"
Lily Tomlin, "Grace and Frankie"
Constance Wu, "Fresh Off The Boat"
While Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback), and Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) are ineligible this year, last year's winner Louis-Dreyfus, Schumer, and Tomlin are all sure to return. Kemper should easily get nominated, considering that he show got nominated last year, and her performance is loved in the show. Unlike Gina Rodriguez last year, I think that CW leading lady and Golden Globe winner Bloom should get nominated at the Emmy's, with less stiff competition than last year. For the last spot, I have chosen Wu to be in this category what Anthony Anderson is in the male category, however I wouldn't be surprised if Aya Cash (You're The Worst) best out Wu.
JB
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"
Amy Schumer, "Inside Amy Schumer"
Gina Rodriguez, "Jane the Virgin"
Rachel Bloom, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"
Patricia Heaton, "The Middle"
Constance Wu, "Fresh Off The Boat"
My wild card picks are Constance Wu from Fresh Off The Boat, Patricia Heaton from The Middle and Gina Rodriguez from Jane the Virgin. The rest will probably get nominated. Both Rachel Bloom and Julia Louis-Dreyfus delivered outstanding performances this season.
Rebecca Bunch
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"
Rachel Bloom, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"
Lily Tomlin, "Grace and Frankie"
Amy Schumer, "Inside Amy Schumer"
Ellie Kemper, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Constance Wu, "Fresh Off The Boat" or Tracee Ellis Ross, "Black-ish"
JLD will win again, because the Emmy's absolutely adore her. Rachel Bloom will probably receive a nomination, as well. Towline and Schumer were both nominees last year, and will probably be nominated again. Ellie Kemper was not nominated last year, but is likely to be nominated this year. I think an ABC star will receive the final nomination, but I'm not sure whether it will be Constance Wu or Tracee Ellie Ross. I would love to see Melissa McCarthy be nominated for the phenomenal final season of Mike and Molly, but I don't see it happening.
theratingsjunkie
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"
Rachel Bloom, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"
Amy Schumer, "Inside Amy Schumer"
Sharon Horgan, "Catastrophe"
Tracee Ellis-Ross, "Black-ish"
Lena Dunham, "Girls"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus will definitely get a nomination because nothing really changed and the Emmy's love her. Same for Amy Schumer. If Rachel Bloom doesn't get nominated for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, there's likely to be some CW executives trying to decide if they actually want to stick with this one in the long term. I think this will be a big year for Catastrophe (no pun intended), including a nod for Sharon Horgan, and I'm also jumping on the Tracee Ellis-Ross bandwagon, with the reasoning that Black-ish will probably have a strong showing this season, though I would have liked to go with Constance Wu instead. The final spot will either go to Lena Dunham from Girls or Melissa McCarthy from Mike & Molly, but I think it'll be the former because she does more work behind the camera than McCarthy does.
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
HV
Kyle Chandler, "Bloodline"
Terrence Howard, "Emprie"
Rami Malek, "Mr. Robot"
Bob Odenkirk, "Better Call Saul"
Liev Schreiber, "Ray Donovan"
Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"
Jon Hamm (Mad Men) and Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom) have seen their series come to an end, but Chandler, Odenkirk, Schreiber, and Spacey should be able to return this year, leaving two spots open. While Taraji P. Henson is the person on Empire talked about the most, Terrence Howard's performance on the hit series is also acclaimed and I think that he can earn a nomination for it. Meanwhile, I think that the remaining open spot will go to Malek, as Mr. Robot has received much acclaim, and Malek has been nominated for a SAG Award, Golden Globe, TCA Award, and won a Critics' Choice Award.
JB
Rami Malek, "Mr. Robot"
Kyle Chandler, "Bloodline"
Bob Odenkirk, "Better Call Saul"
Matthew Rhys, "The Americans"
Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"
Paul Giamatti, "Billions"
Five out of six are the frontrunners to get nominated. With Mad Men out of the picture, it's interesting to see any of these actors get nominated. Wild card pick: Matthew Rhys from The Americans.
Rebecca Bunch
Rami Malek, "Mr. Robot"
Bob Odenkirk, "Better Call Saul"
Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"
Liev Schreiber, "Ray Donovan"
Paul Giamatti, "Billions"
Kyle Chandler, "Bloodline"
This was a difficult category to predict, because 1/3 of the nominees from last year are not available to be nominated. I think at least 3 of the nominees from last year will be nominated again for sure, but I'm predicting that all four are, because the Emmys love to be consistent. Rami Malek won a Golden Globe, and I think he will get a nomination. Paul Giamatti may be nominated for Billions, but I'm not very confident about it.
theratingsjunkie
Kyle Chandler, "Bloodline"
Bob Odenkirk, "Better Call Saul"
Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"
Rami Malek, "Mr. Robot"
Hugh Bonneville, "Downton Abbey"
Louis C.K., "Horace and Pete"
I agree that Chandler, Odenkirk, and Spacey will be nominated based on their nominations from past years. Rami Malek has a great shot because I'm not sure the Emmys will actually not even nominate someone who won a Golden Globe in the category earlier this year. Elsewhere, Hugh Bonneville will most likely see a nomination for his work in the final season of Downton Abbey, while the Emmys seemingly love Louis C.K. so I don't see why he can't have a shot here.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
HV
Claire Danes, "Homeland"
Viola Davis, "How to Get Away with Murder"
Taraji P. Henson, "Empire"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Tatiana Maslany, "Orphan Black"
Robin Wright, "House of Cards"
All of last year's nominees are eligible to return except Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men), and I think that they all will, as their performances continue to be loved. For the last spot, I think that Moss will be replaced by another woman whose series is ending, Margulies who has won twice and was nominated two other times.
JB
Viola Davis, "How to Get Away with Murder"
Tara P. Henson, "Empire"
Tatiana Maslany, "Orphan Black"
Claire Danes, "Homeland"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Keri Russell, "The Americans"
Again, it's a tough call. I think Viola Davis and Taraji P. Henson will definitely be the frontrunners in this category. Julianna Margulies should get nominated because this is the last season of The Good Wife. Viola Davis won last year, and will definitely be nominated again. Robin Wright is also very likely to be nominated. Claire Danes is another potential nominee that is nominated a lot. She will probably get another nomination. Taraji
Rebecca Bunch
Julianna Margulies, "The Godo Wife"
Viola Davis, "How to Get Away with Murder"
Taraji P. Henson, "Empire"
Robin Wright, "House of Cards"
Claire Danes, "Homeland"
Vera Farming, "Bates Motel"
I think Julianna Margulies will receive a nomination (and possibly a win) for the final season of The Good Wife. Viola Davis won last year, and will definitely be nominated again. Robin Wright is also very likely to be nominated. Claire Danes is another potential nominee that is nominated a lot. She will probably get another nomination. Taraji Henson also was nominated last year, and will likely get another nomination. Vera Farming is my long-shot choice to be nominated. She was nominated for Bates Motel's first season, but not the second or third. For that reason, I think her chances of a nomination are smaller than any other of my nominees.
theratingsjunkie
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Taraji P. Henson, "Empire"
Robin Wright, "House of Cards"
Claire Danes, "Homeland"
Tatiana Maslany, "Orphan Black"
Michelle Dockery, "Downton Abbey"
I think that Julianna Margulies will see a nomination for her work in the final season of The Gooo Wife, and even if the Emmys won't love Empire, there's no denying that Taraji P. Henson does an outstanding job, so I think she will return. Wright, Danes, and Maslany all seem like locks to me, as they've been nominated before. I'm actually leaving Viola Davis off of this one, which is a bold choice given that she won last season, but there hasn't been near the amount of hype or acclaim from what I've seen for her show or her role in it this season. Instead, I've added on Michelle Dockery of "Downton Abbey", which recently ended its run.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Full Boyle
Andre Braugher, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"
Tituss Burgess, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Laurence Fishburne, "Black-ish"
Tony Hale, "Veep"
T.J. Miller, "Silicon Valley"
For this one, the Emmys have for the last three times nominated Ty Burrell from Modern Family and Tony Hale from Veep, and both have actually won the category two times, both seem to be sleeper picks, so I expect them to be on the list this year. Another sleeper pick would be Andrew Braugher from Brooklyn Nine-Nine, who has been nominated two times, but has not yet won. Those three are almost a guarantee to make the list along with Tituss Burgess from Kimmy Schmidt, who was expected to win last year, but ended up losing to Tony Hale. Nevertheless the Emmys like to choose actors from more established series, so these four will likely make the list. Two newcomers I predict are Laurence Fishburne from Black-ish and T.J. Miller from Silicon Valley. Both shows will likely do big business at the Emmys, and there is a lot of critical acclaim and hype surrounding them.
HV
Andre Braugher, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"
Tituss Burgess, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Adam Driver, "Girls"
Tony Hale, "Veep"
T.J. Miller, "Silicon Valley"
All of last year's nominees could potentially be nominated again this year, and I think that five of the six will. Burgess and Hale are easy locks, as Hale won last year, and Burgess plays Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's favorite character. While I don't expect a Modern Family nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, Burrell is still loved in his role and will be back. I also don't see Braugher or Driver getting dropped this year, but Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele) was a surprise last year, and despite the fact that this is the final season for Key & Peele, I think that Miller, from the two-time Emmy nominee Silicon Valley, who won himself at the Critics Choice Awards last year, will take his spot.
Rebecca Bunch
Tony Hale, "Veep"
Louie Anderson, "Baskets"
Tituss Burgess, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Andrew Braugher, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"
Hugh Laurie, "Veep"
Tony Hale and Ty Burrell have both won this category a few times, and are certainly being nominated. Tituss Burgess and Andre Braugher were both nominated last year, and should be able to be nominated again. Hugh Laurie has been given pretty good odds at being nominated by experts, and I agree. Louie Anderson's work for Baskets was acclaimed, and I think he will be nominated.
theratingsjunkie
Keegan-Michael Key, "Key & Peele"
Jordan Peele, "Key & Peele"
Tituss Burgess, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Tony Hale, "Veep"
Adam Driver, "Girls"
Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Like HV, I expect Ty Burrell to be nominated because even though many agree that Modern Family's quality has gone downhill, Burrell is still putting up a great performance. The Key & Peele duo is a wildcard pick, but I think that there will be recognition for the show given that it's the final season; the same goes for Adam Driver and Girls. The two that I am certain will receive nominations are Tituss Burgess of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and the reigning winner, Tony Hale from Veep.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Full Boyle
Allison Janney, "Mom"
Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"
Kate McKinnon, "Saturday Night Live"
Anna Chlumsky, "Veep"
Judith Light, "Transparent"
Kristen Schaal, "The Last Man On Earth"
Last year, Allison Janney won the category for Mom, and I expect her to get a no-brainer nomination again. Also expected to return are Julie Bowen from Modern Family, Kate McKinnon of SNL, and Anna Chlumsky of Veep. All three should return and help their shows get Emmy recognition. Judith Light from Transparent is a newbie that I predict makes the ballot. Transparent was a big presence at the Emmys last year, and I expect Judith to continue that, and the Emmys love the show. Then, my more wild card pick is Kristen Schaal from The Last Man On Earth. I predict The Last Man On Earth will score several nominations this year at the Emmys, and Schaal has put up a great performance, which should be enough to get a slot on the ballot.
HV
Mayim Bialik, "The Big Bang Theory"
Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"
Anna Chlumsky, "Veep"
Allison Janney, "Mom"
Jane Krakowski, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Kate McKinnon, "Saturday Night Live"
Janney won last year, so she will easily return, and McKinnon got to portray Hillary Clinton many times this year on SNL, so she will obviously be nominated again. Chlumsky is still very popular, it sounds like Bialik had a big season on The Big Bang Theory, and despite not being in quite as many episodes this season, Krakowski is still loved. The sixth spot is the most difficult. Gaby Hoffman of Transparent likely won't get the nomination because it sounds like she will face fierce competition from her own show with Judith Light. This leaves Bowen and Nicey Nash of Getting On competing for the sixth spot. While Nash may have gained new fans with Scream Queens, where she played everyone's favorite character, I think that as a two-time winner and nominee four additional times, Bowen will still get nominated again, even if Modern Family isn't loved as much anymore.
Rebecca Bunch
Allison Janney, "Mom"
Jane Krakowski, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Kate McKinnon, "Saturday Night Live"
Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"
Judith Light, "Transparent"
Anna Chlumsky, "Veep"
Mayim Bialik, "The Big Bang Theory"
Allison Janney is the champion of this category. Of course she'll be nominated again. Krakow ski, McKinnon, Bialik, Chlumsky, and Bowen were all nominated last year. Judith Light received a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice nomination and I think she's got a shot at an Emmy nomination. Niecy Nash is another potential nominee, as is Gaby Hoffman.
theratingsjunkie
Alison Janney, "Mom"
Jane Krakowski, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Mayim Bialik, "The Big Bang Theory"
Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"
Noel Wells, "Master of None"
Kate McKinnon, "Saturday Night Live"
I agree that Allison Janney will be nominated again for her work on Mom, and the Emmys love Jane Krakowski. At this point, Julie Bowen seems to be granddaddy-ed (grandmommy-ed?) in to the category, and Bialik and McKinnon were both nominated last season so I don't see why they can't return. My wild card pick is Noel Wells from Master of None, as I think the show will score big. Also, it would be interesting to see the biggest star on Saturday Night Live in the same category as someone who was MIA for the vast majority of the one season she was on before being fired. Of course, the Emmys have a huge love for Veep and Transparent, so they may be better options.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
HV
Jonathan Banks, "Better Call Saul"
Jim Carter, "Downton Abbey"
Alan Cumming, "The Good Wife"
Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"
Ben Mendelsohn, "Bloodline"
Christian Slater, "Mr. Robot"
Dinklage won last year, so he will surely return, and with Carter's and Cummings' shows coming to an end, they should easily be able to score final nominations. Better Call Saul is popular, so Banks should return, and the Academy loves streaming, so I think that Mendolsohn should get nominated again, while I don't think that Michael Kelly of House of Cards will return because he got much less attention in season four than in season three. This leaves an open spot, which I think will go to Slater because he is in the popular series Mr. Robot.
Rebecca Bunch
Jonathan Banks, "Better Call Saul"
Jim Carter, "Downton Abbey"
Alan Cumming, "The Good Wife"
Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"
Kit Harington, "Game of Thrones"
Christian Slater, "Mr. Robot"
This was tough. Christian Slater won the Golden Globe, so he should be able to get a nomination. Peter Dinklage won last year, so he is another likely nominee. This is Alan Cumming's last chance at getting a nomination for The Good Wife, so he should be able to get one as well. The same is true for Jim Carter with Downton Abbey. Jonathan Banks was nominated last year, and I think he will be this year. This is when it gets very difficult. I was thinking about putting Michael McKean on this list, but I'm not. I'm putting Kit Harington on the list. But I'm not confident in McKean being left off.
theratingsjunkie
Jonathan Banks, "Better Call Saul"
Jim Carter, "Downton Abbey"
Alan Cumming, "The Good Wife"
Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"
Kit Harington, "Game of Thrones"
Christian Slater, "Mr. Robot"
My predictions are the exact same as Rebecca Bunch's. I swear we don't look at other's predictions before we make our own. And with that, I don't have all that much to say, though I'm more confident that we'll see Kit Harington on the list.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
HV
Uzo Abuda, "Orange is the New Black"
Christine Baranski, "The Good Wife"
Emilia Clarke, "Game of Thrones"
Joanne Froggatt, "Downton Abbey"
Lena Headey, "Game of Thrones"
Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"
Christina Hendricks of Mad Men isn't eligible this year, as her show ended, but the five other nominees should easily be able to make a return, especially winner Abuda, as The Good Wife and Downton Abbey come to a close and Game of Thrones remains popular. I predict that the one open spot will go to Smith because she is a much loved actress whose series is ending.
Rebecca Bunch
Uzo Abuda, "Orange is the New Black"
Christine Baranski, "The Good Wife"
Constance Zimmer, "UnREAL"
Maura Tierney, "The Affair"
Lena Headey, "Game of Thrones"
Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"
Christine Baranski will likely receive a nomination for The Good Wife's final season. She's been nominated a lot, and I have no reason to believe that this will change. Uzo Aduba won last year, and will be nominated again. Lena Headey was also nominated last year, and I think she will be nominated again. This is also Maggie Smith's last shot at a nomination for Downton Abbey, and I'm thinking she'll get it. Constance Zimmer won a Critics' Choice for UnREAL, and I think she might get a nomination. Maura Tierney won a Golden Globe, and is another possible nominee.
theratingsjunkie
Uzo Abuda, "Orange is the New Black"
Christine Baranski, "The Good Wife"
Lena Headey, "Game of Thrones"
Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"
Regina King, "The Leftovers"
Jessica Lange, "Horace and Pete"
The first three are all safe picks based on the Emmy's track record. I also fully expect Maggie Smith from Downton Abbey to reenter the nominee list considering it's the show's final season and would be a great way to celebrate her performance in it. After all, she's won twice. After that are two wild card picks. Regina King of The Leftovers isn't too far-fetched, but I think that Horace and Pete will do a little bit better than many expect in terms of nominations.
