Emmy Watch: Supporting Actor in a Movie or Mini-Series
Thursday, May 21, 2020 at 4:10PM 
Tim Blake Nelson is surely a shoo-in for Watchmen
This category is arguably the weakest of the acting races in the limited series or TV movie fields this Emmy season, but that’s only because this TV season was filled with so many fantastic female characters. That’s a reason to celebrate, surely, but it does means that this particular category is wide open. Still, it's a good bet, in the absence of a strong field of performances, that multiple nominees will come from the most widely watched or admired shows. You'd have to go back to 2012 to find a lineup that didn’t feature at least one series or TV movie with multiple nominees in this particular category....
The past four years:
The two programs that have produced multiple nominees regularly in the past few years, American Crime Story and Fargo, won’t be back for another installment until next year. Both Mrs. America and Little Fires Everywhere have many female contenders, but aside from the possibility of a nod for John Slattery (Mrs. America) or Joshua Jackson (Little Fires Everywhere), neither will factor heavily into this particular race. The series with plenty of male performances to choose from this year is Hollywood, with two past Emmy winners, Jim Parsons and Darren Criss, and two past nominees, Dylan McDermott and Joe Mantello, all likely to garner votes. Jake Picking could also get in for playing a recognizable real person, Rock Hudson. We know this series is divisive here at The Film Experience, but some of its performers, particularly Mantello, are pretty terrific.
Amit Rahav is incredible in "Unorthodox" but will Emmy voters notice? Another show that could produce more than one nominee is Watchmen, with Tim Blake Nelson a good bet and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Louis Gossett Jr. also possible (Don Johnson wasn’t submitted by HBO). John Turturro (The Plot Against America) shouldn’t have much trouble earning a nomination, even if he’s the lone representative from his series. Nostalgic votes for Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy v the Reverend) and Jesse Plemons (El Camino) could propel either to a spot on the list. If their programs are well-received, Ray Romano (Bad Education) and Seth MacFarlane (The Loudest Voice) could benefit and find themselves nominated too. Even if his show doesn’t end up with other nominations, J.K. Simmons (Defending Jacob) might get in. If we’re talking longshots, I’ll put in a plug for the terrific work done by Jony Arbid (Our Boys) and Amit Rahav (Unorthodox), but both will have to overcome a resistance to non-English langauge performances from voters.
So, where does this leave us? With Hollywood potentially taking up half of the slots, are we underestimating other contenders?
Predictions
Joe Mantello won a lot of MVP reviews among the men in "Hollywood" but he has internal competition
- Darren Criss (Hollywood)
- Joe Mantello (Hollywood)
- Tim Blake Nelson (Watchmen)
- Jim Parsons (Hollywood)
- John Slattery (Mrs America)
- John Turturro (The Plot Against America)
Who do you think will make the cut? And is that different than who you're rooting for?
ALL DISCUSSIONS THUS FAR
- Best Series, Drama
- Best Actress, Drama
- Best Actor, Drama
- Best Supporting Actress, Drama
- Best Supporting Actor, Drama
- Best Series, Comedy
- Best Actress, Comedy
- Best Actor, Comedy
- Best Supporting Actress, Comedy
- Best Supporting Actor, Comedy
- Best Limited Series
- Best Made for TV Movie
- Best Actress, Movie or Miniseries
- Best Actor, Movie or Miniseries
- Best Supporting Actress, Movie or Miniseries (NEXT)
- Best Supporting Actor, Movie or Miniseries
Reader Comments (16)
Very depressing to me that Jim Parsons is probably cruising to another nomination and win in a weak field, because... yikes.
My ballot (I haven’t made it to “Unorthodox” yet):
Anthony Boyle (The Plot Against America)
Titus Burgess
Joe Mantello
Tim Blake Nelson
Nick Offerman (Devs)
Jesse Plemons
Dreadful category
I suspect it'll be MacFarlane, Nelson, Parsons, Slattery, Turturro and Wilkinson (BELGRAVIA).
I hope Darren Criss doesn't get nominated for "Hollywood." I hated "Hollywood" but I do think Joe Mantello is very deserving. I'm not as big a fan of Jim Parsons' performance as others. I thought he chewed the scenery a lot, but I might be in the minority.
Please, no one from Hollywood. That show is shit!
I'm rooting for Amit Rahav. I think he's excellent. I've already seen a couple of interviews online so he's definitely campaigning.
Mantello, Pope, Holland and Lupone are the ones I would be glad if they were nominated. Not a fan of Picking’s Husdson but still better than Parsons...
Here for Amit Rahav for his indelible character Yanky in Unorthodox. Every incredulous glance, shades of befuddlements, unprocessed rage, and unbearable tenderness are in full display here.
I Am Not Okay With This just wrapped its premiere season and I wonder if it will have a second season or if it qualifies in this category. Though I found the show a bit patchy, I think Wyatt Oleff's Stanley Barber is a standout. He has the goofy charm of a well-meaning outcast and made nary a false move in this 7-episode series.
If what you all said is true that this is the weakest category, maybe a left-of-field nomination can charge the proceedings and enliven the list of (expected) nominees.
Talking about Tim Blake Nelson... is it wrong, that I think that his "The Grey Zone" is more important to me than Spielberg's "Schindler's List"?
Tituss. tituss. TITUSS.
The role of a lifetime that is due to be rewarded.
He continues to be brilliant.
I'm so unexcited about this category this year. I wish they could have pushed Jeremy Irons (Watchmen) and Jeremy Pope (Hollywood) in Supporting.
Amit Rahav is my pick for this category. With the exception of the young men in Sex Education, all men in Succession, Giri/Haji, The Eddy (a show I am LOVING but not eligible for Emmys yet), and Home (a fab BBC comedy that most Americans will sadly never see, with Youssef Kerkour as the standout), most male performances in all TV categories this year have been just meh.
In terms of scripts and performances, film may still be the male-dominated universe, but women have certainly conquered TV, and I am here for it.
Tituss and Amy Poehler were ROBBED of Emmys for roles of a lifetime.
Is the collective public still so sure Hollywood is going to rack up these awards simply because it's a Ryan Murphy show? It really feels like all of the internet understands it's awful. I'm sure some a few nods will be inevitable, but HALF of this category??? I hope voters actually watch something other than Hollywood and get new ideas
Jim Parsons was TERRIBLE in Hollywood. J
I’m really hoping there is going to be a clean snub of Hollywood. Zero noms. At best the miniseries was “watchable.” Not everything Ryan Murphy does (or anyone for that matter) deserves awards recognition.
I’d rather see the actors from Watchmen get multiple noms here, like Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and (the legendary icon) Louis Gossett Jr. along with Tim Blake Nelson (who should win). Or the men from Unorthodox, The Plot Against America and El Camino (both Jesse Plemmons and the late great Robert Forster).
Tituss Burgess not having an Emmy is a crime.
(Ditto Jane Krakowski)
That "Hollywood" is pure garbage. It's the most disgusting I have seen in years.
Mantello is extraordinary and Holland very good.
All the rest is dirty trash.