Emmy Predictions: Let the battle commence in the race for Best Drama Supporting Actress and Actor

Last year Game of Thrones dominated the Drama Supporting categories, taking up seven of thirteen spots. It’s no wonder the Television Academy recently announced new rules expanding the nominees to eight for Supporting Actor and Actress. But even with extra spots, the battle for a place in the supporting lineup is going to be brutal.

Even with GoT out of the way the race is going to be brutal. Coming back after taking last year off there’s The Crown, The Handmaid’s Tale, Stranger Things and Westworld. And then there’s Big Little Lies, crossing over from Limited Series add in Succession and The Morning Show just to name a few.

On the actress side the category could be dominated by Oscar nominees and winners including the Greatest Actress of her Generation Meryl Streep. That doesn’t even account for the three past winners looking to make it back in. For the actors the category runs the risk of not having a person of color amongst the nominees. The category is the last acting category remaining that has yet to have a Black American winner.

Drama Supporting Actress Predictions 

• Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown (Netflix)
• Julia Garner, Ozark (Netflix)
• Meryl Streep, Big Little Lies (HBO)
• Sarah Snook, Succession (HBO)
• Thandie Newton, Westworld (HBO)
• Laura Dern, Big Little Lies (HBO)
• Ann Dowd, The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
• Janet McTeer, Ozark (Netflix)

Streep was a big part of Season Two of Big Little Lies and her steely Ice Queen performance was one of few highlights in the so-so second season. Dern is riding a career high after winning an Oscar earlier this year. But her gif-friendly performance and all the goodwill in the world might not be enough to get a nomination—even though she did win on the Limited Series side (2017) for this role. McTeer will need for Ozark to have a wave of momentum after its highly-binged third season. Dowd won in 2017, and is the most likely from Handmaid’s to remain in category. Newton made history as the first Black British actor or actress to win an Emmy and remains the standout on Westworld. And Garner, will try to make it two in a row for her tough as nails performance as Ruth on Ozark. The powers at be made a great judgment call by putting Snook in Supporting instead of Lead— as they did for the first season. Snook had a great season and her entrance into this race makes it just a little more competitive.  Everything’s coming up Carter! After a SAG Award and Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Princess Margaret she’s not only a likely nominee, she’s the categories front runner. 

Past nominees looking to get back in: Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things), Fiona Shaw (Killing Eve), Yvonne Strahovski (The Handmaid’s Tale), Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black) Samira Wiley (The Handmaid’s Tale) and Shailene Woodley (Big Little Lies)

There’s a possibility : Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul), J. Smith-Cameron (Succession) Gugu Mbatha-Raw (The Morning Show), Holly Hunter (Succession)

Drama Supporting Actor Predictions 

• Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul (AMC)
• Billy Crudup, The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
• Kieran Culkin, Succession (HBO)
• Bradley Whitford, The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
• David Harbour, Stranger Things (Netflix)
• Matthew Macfadyen, Succession (HBO)
• Tom Pelphrey, Ozark (Netflix)
• Josh O’Connor, The Crown (Netflix)

Crudup and Harbour seem likely to translate their recent SAG Award nominations into an Emmy nomination. Whitford will most likely follow up his Drama Guest Actor win with a Supporting nomination this year. Succession, looks likely to have a big year and this means entering the Supporting Actor race. Culkin has received two consecutive Golden Globe nominations and will likely receive his first nomination. But he needs to look out for his onscreen brother-in-law Macfadyen who could also be nominated for Best Limited Series/TV Movie Lead Actor (Quiz) he’s a respected British character actor and could be tough to beat. Pelphrey and O’Connor each gave breakthrough performances this year and will try and translate their performances into Emmy gold.

Past nominees and winner looking to make the lineup again: Mandy Patinkin (Homeland), Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul), Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) Chris Sullivan (This Is Us), Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale) Ed Harris (Westworld) Asante Blackk (This Is Us) and Alexander Skarsgård (Big Little Lies)

WOW the Emmys love Succession: Nicholas Braun (cousin Greg)

Should Succession get a third nomination it will officially be the front runner.