2025 Emmy Predictions: ‘The Studio,’ ‘The Bear,’ ‘Hacks’ Duke it Out in the Comedy Categories

With voting for the 2025 Emmy nominations having just ended yesterday, it’s time to look at the possible nominees in every category at the Primetime Emmys – starting with comedy.

As nomination totals are based on number of submissions (except for Outstanding Comedy Series, which is locked at eight), we’ll have just five lead acting slots, seven for supporting and six for guest. However, the numbers stay consistent across gender lines regardless of the number of submissions.

The submission/nomination breakdown:

Lead Actor – 51 (5)

Lead Actress – 47 (5)

Supporting Actor – 163 (7)

Supporting Actress – 141 (7)

Guest Actor – 97 (6)

Guest Actress – 74 (6)

Directing – 99 (6)

Writing – 94 (6)

The Studio is the biggest new comedy this year, and it will likely gather many nominations when they’re announced next month. Seth Rogen will surely be nominated for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, while both supporting actresses Kathryn Hahn and Catherine O’Hara will grab nominations for their performances in the show. AppleTV+ has struck gold with this new comedy, which managed to attract both critical acclaim and audience attention, and it has a high chance of winning at least one Emmy at the ceremony. With so many guest stars across the season, the two guest categories will likely have several entries from the show. It might be the streamer’s only big entry into the comedy races, but it will be huge competition for even the most seasoned veterans of the Emmys. Another new series in the race is Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, a romantic comedy series with Adam Brody and Kristen Bell as a new couple – they will likely both find themselves with nominations for the show. 

Returning shows will be the biggest portions of nominees, with shows like Hacks and The Bear back again to maintain their dominance over comedy. Jean Smart will likely continue her perfect streak of victories as Lead Actress of Hacks, while Jeremy Allen White finds novel competition in The Studio’s Seth Rogen. Both The Bear and Hacks will bring in a haul of nominations, as they do every year, in pretty much every category they’re submitted for. These are two shows that fight it out while shows like Abbott Elementary and Only Murders in the Building are along for the ride. This year, they could be joined by Nathan Fielder’s hilarious The Rehearsal. What We Do in the Shadows seeks nominations for its final run that aired last fall – the series is usually nominated in the writing category, where its finale will surely end up. 

Here are my predictions for nominations in series, acting, writing and directing for the comedy categories at the 2025 Emmys. 

Outstanding Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary (ABC)

The Bear (FX)

Hacks (HBO/MAX)

Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

The Rehearsal (HBO/MAX)

The Studio (AppleTV+)

What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Other contenders: Shrinking (AppleTV+); Overcompensating (Prime Video); Agatha All Along (Disney+); English Teacher (FX)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Seth Rogen, The Studio (AppleTV+)

Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Jeremy Allen White, The Bear (FX)

Other contenders: Ted Danson, A Man on the Inside (Netflix); Brian Jordan Alvarez, English Teacher (FX); Matt Berry, What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Uzo Aduba, The Residence (Netflix) 

Kristen Bell, Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Ayo Edebiri, The Bear (FX)

Jean Smart, Hacks (HBO/MAX)

Other contenders: Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face (Peacock); Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along (Disney+); Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Ike Barinholtz, The Studio (AppleTV+)

Colman Domingo, The Four Seasons (Netflix)

Paul W. Downs, Hacks (HBO/MAX)

Harrison Ford, Shrinking (AppleTV+)

Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear (FX)

Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Other contenders: Timothy Simons, Nobody Wants This (Netflix); Chris Perfetti, Abbott Elementary (ABC); Walton Goggins, The Righteous Gemstones (HBO/MAX)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Liza Colón-Zayas, The Bear (FX)

Hannah Einbinder, Hacks (HBO/MAX)

Kathryn Hahn, The Studio (AppleTV+)

Janelle James, Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Catherine O’Hara, The Studio (AppleTV+)

Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Meg Stalter, Hacks (HBO/MAX)

Other contenders: Meryl Streep, Only Murders in the Building (Hulu); Patti LuPone, Agatha All Along (Disney+); Jessica Williams, Shrinking (AppleTV+)

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

“Back to School” – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

“Napkins” – The Bear (FX)

“Pilot” – Nobody Wants This (Netflix)

“Pilot’s Code” – The Rehearsal (HBO/MAX)

“The Promotion” – The Studio (AppleTV+)

“The Finale” – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Other contenders: “Pilot” – Adults (FX); “Lake House” – The Four Seasons (Netflix); “Once Upon a Time in the West” – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

“Death’s Hand in Mine” – Agatha All Along (Disney+)

“Napkins” – The Bear (FX)

“Tomorrow” – The Bear (FX)

“A Slippery Slope” – Hacks (HBO/MAX)

“Here’s To You, Mr. Schneiderman” – Mid-Century Modern (Hulu)

“The Oner” – The Studio (AppleTV+)

Other contenders: “My Best Friend’s Wedding” – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu); “The Swap” – Étoile; “Please Touch Museum” – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series 

Jon Bernthal – “Napkins,” The Bear (FX)

John Cena “Children,” The Bear (FX)

Bryan Cranston – “CinemaCon,” The Studio (AppleTV+)

Ron Howard – “The Note,” The Studio (AppleTV+)

Martin Scorsese – “The Promotion,” The Studio (AppleTV+)

Martin Short – “Host: Martin Short,”, Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Other contenders:  Steve Coogan – “Lazlo’s Father,” What We Do in the Shadows (FX); Will Poulter – “Forever,” The Bear (FX); John Mulaney – “Host: John Mulaney,” Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

Olivia Colman – “Forever,” The Bear (FX)

Jamie Lee Curtis – “Ice Chips,” The Bear (FX)

Greta Lee – “The Oner,” The Studio (AppleTV+)

Melissa Mccarthy – “Valley of the Dolls,” Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Julianne Nicholson – “A Slippery Slope,” Hacks (HBO/MAX)

Jean Smart – “Host: Jean Smart,” Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Other contenders: Lady Gaga – “host: Lady Gaga,” Saturday Night Live (NBC); Sarah Polley – “The Oner,” The Studio (AppleTV+); Emma Stone – “The Void,” Fantasmas (HBO/MAX)