2019 Emmys: Who will fight with Henry Winkler for Best Comedy Supporting Actor?

No win in the 2018 Emmy season was more joyous than television veteran, Henry Winkler winning Best Comedy Supporting Actor for Barry, which saw all of Winkler’s fellow nominees joining in giving him two standing ovations. Can Winkler get another memorable moment and win a second Emmy for Best Comedy Supporting Actor?

Winkler bested last year: from Saturday Night Live; Alec Baldwin and Kenan Thompson; Louie Anderson (Baskets); Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt); Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta) and Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel). Both Henry and Anderson’s respective series will not air episodes during the eligibility period.

Winkler followed his recent Emmy win with both a Golden Globe and SAG Award nomination. Shalhoub recently bested Winkler at the SAG Awards so he also appears safe for a nomination. This leaves four spots potentially open.

Let’s see who will try and make the Best Supporting Actor lineup.

Live from New York…. Is there room?

• Alec Baldwin, Saturday Night Live
• Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live

Thompson received a fair amount of attention last year, earning his first Emmy nomination for acting and his first Emmy win for Music and Lyrics, in his record making 15th season on SNL. But, with an even more competitive field than usual it’s possible the television academy will move on. It’s also hard to believe Baldwin can remain in the category given his headlines for is recent personal problems add this to a lack of appearances this season.

Veep Part I

• Tony Hale
• Matt Walsh

Hale is a two-time winner and has been nominated five-consecutive times. Hale’s all but assured to make the lineup and he could once again walk away victorious. Walsh is a past two-time nominee but with his character Mike no longer Selina Meyer’s (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) Press Secretary. He’s has far less screen time this season and he could be in danger of being snubbed.

Veep Part II

• Timothy Simons
• Reid Scott
• Hugh Laurie

Simons has become more of a stand out as the seasons have progressed. Scott, like Simons, has yet to receive an Emmy nomination but his character may lack the flash to receive individual attention. Laurie, is back as a series regular but was only ever to score a nomination in the Best Comedy Guest Actor (2017) for his role as Tom James.

The Gentleman of Netflix

• Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method
• Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
• Marc Maron, GLOW

Oscar winner, Arkin, is a past four-time Emmy nominee but has yet to win. So, far, Arkin has scored both a Golden Globe and SAG Award nomination he should rest easy that he’ll have good news when nominations are announced.  Burgess has received four consecutive nominations for his efforts on Schmidt. Schmidt’s final season may have come and gone with little fan-fare but it’s hard to believe that they’d snub the series standout. Maron, was expected to receive an Emmy nomination last year after his SAG nomination but was left out of the lineup. Sometimes it can take an extra year for a performer to receive an Emmy nomination and Maron is definitely hoping this is the case. But for both Maron and Burgess the big question is—how much will Netflix campaign for their respective series?

The Marvelous Mr. Maisel

Michael Zegen, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

It’s usually a safe bet that after a series picks up a Best Series win it will see an uptick in nominations. But how many and in what categories? After a better season Zegen could possibly benefit.

A return engagement

• Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
• Sean Hayes, Will & Grace

Braugher received three consecutive Emmy nominations for his deadpan police captain but hasn’t been nominated since 2016. With Nine-Nine cancelled at Fox and brought back by NBC it’s possible the television academy will have a new level of respect for his performance. Hayes was expected to receive a nomination (and possibly win) last year but he was snubbed. Could Hayes sneak back in when no one’s paying attention?

On the up-tick

• Anthony Carrigan, Barry
• William Jackson Harper, The Good Place

Barry, definitely over-performed at last year’s Emmys. If the show is on the rise, look out for scene-stealer Carrigan to crack the lineup. If The Good Place is on the up-tick look out for Harper to nervously freak-out into a nod.

My Preliminary Predictions

Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method

Titus Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Tony Hale, Veep

Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Matt Walsh, Veep

Henry Winkler, Barry

2019 Emmy Predictions