Emmy Watch: Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Sunday, May 30, 2021 at 3:00PM Our team is breaking down the top contenders in all the major races and highlighting some of our favorites over the next few weeks.
This category has, over the past few years, featured a wealth of contenders, including three nominees from a single show each of the past two years. Very few of those aired this past season, and in fact only two shows that have ever produced nominees in this category. Both The Handmaid’s Tale and This Is Us, which have fallen somewhat out of favor with Emmy voters compared to the warm welcome they both got at the beginnings of their runs, have a handful of contenders that could show up here, so let’s start with those and then examine the many new shows that could offer potential nominees…
This Is Us has only ever really done well in the acting categories. I’d like to think that the absence of so many past contenders would finally make room for Justin Hartley, who remains the only one of the five original adult Pearson family members (Kevin) never to be nominated. Like last year, however, he’s submitted in the lead race, which makes some sense story-wise but means that he’s unlikely to be included. A past nominee here, Chris Sullivan, who plays Toby, has also had solid material, and he could very well return. A push could be made for Griffin Dunne, who portrays Uncle Nicky, to compete in this race instead of in the guest category.
For The Handmaid’s Tale, Bradley Whitford won the guest prize for his first appearance on the show and was nominated last year, and he’s a good bet to return even if he hasn’t been featured as much this season. I think that Joseph Fiennes is likely to earn another nomination for his focused performance as Commander Waterford, but it won’t be in this category since he’s officially been promoted to the lead race. If enthusiasm for the show is strong, any of the other supporting males, like O-T Fagbenle (Luke), Max Minghella (Nick), or Sam Jaeger (Mark) could also make the cut.
The Crown has produced two nominees in this race over the course of its run so far, and, though he was unfortunately snubbed for season three, Tobias Menzies, who plays the late Prince Philip, is a decent bet to earn a nomination given the universal acclaim for the show.
Another nominee who could return from last year for a different part is Giancarlo Esposito for The Mandalorian, a role that earned him a guest acting bid for season one, since Better Call Saul hasn’t yet aired its final season. He might also be on the ballot for The Boys.
NEW CONTENDERS
The best place to start is to look to the new series that we discussed in the Best Drama Series race and analyze their ensembles for standout players. A past winner in this category is John Lithgow, whose turn in Perry Mason could earn him his thirteenth career nomination and a shot at his seventh trophy. Michael Kenneth Williams (Lovecraft Country) is a good bet for his emphatic paternal performance if Emmy voters go for his genre series. From a crowded ensemble, Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton) is a frontrunner for his show. I’d be excited to see John Carroll Lynch (Big Sky) earn his first-ever Emmy nomination for a portrayal that was substantially better than his show. Marvel enthusiasm could propel either Wyatt Russell (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) or Daniel Brühl (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) – or both – to a nomination.
OTHER POSSIBILITIES
In Treatment returns from a decade-long hiatus with a few formidable actors in its cast who get superb showcases due to the series’ therapy session format. It’s hard to pick between Anthony Ramos, John Benjamin Hickey, and Joel Kinnaman, and I suppose it’s possible that all three could make the cut if voters are enthusiastic enough about the show (Hickey is the only previous Emmy nominee, for the final miniseries season of The Big C, though Kinnaman surely came close both for The Killing and House of Cards). One cautionary note: despite six acting nominations over the course of this show’s first three seasons, none of them were in this category. Non-binary actor and three-time Critics Choice nominee Asia Kate Dillon appears to be eligible for the few Billions episodes that aired during this season, and they’re once again submitted here. A light year like this could be the opportunity for a breakthrough for the standout star on a show that’s mysteriously never earned a single Emmy nomination despite its previously-awarded cast.
This category seems oddly devoid of contenders for a category that, on last year’s official ballots, had an incredible 455 actors on it. Are there a whole host of men we’re missing here? We’ll assume this category yields eight nominees again this year.
Predictions:
Giancarlo Esposito (The Mandalorian)
John Benjamin Hickey (In Treatment)
John Lithgow (Perry Mason)
Tobias Menzies (The Crown)
Wyatt Russell (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier)
Chris Sullivan (This Is Us)
Bradley Whitford (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Michael Kenneth Williams (Lovecraft Country)
Who do you think can break through here? Previous category analysis
Best Supporting Actor, Emmys, Joseph Fiennes
Reader Comments (15)
If Your Honor competes as a drama series instead of limited series, I think Hunter Doohan could sneak onto the final ballot. Emmy voters have shown favor in recent years to young men in strong roles. Doohan was memorable as a high school student balancing guilt, grief, and panic. When you steal scenes from an actor the caliber of Brian Cranston, awards seem appropriate.
Jonathan Bailey, Bridgerton
Chris Chalk, Perry Mason
Angel Bismark Curiel, Pose
Griffin Dunne, This Is Us
O-T Fagbenle, The Handmaid's Tale
Tobias Menzies, The Crown
Jesse Williams, Grey's Anatomy
Michael Kenneth Williams, Lovecraft Country
Options must be limited if the actors from Falcon & The Winter Soldier have a shot. If someone told me that entire show was acted by AI, S1mone-style, I’d believe you.
Michael K. Williams gave us such an impassioned performance on Lovecraft Country, especially given that he had to act as a sort of puzzle box character central to the show’s mysteries. I’d love to see him get in here.
Such a weak category this year. I wish it would be 6 nominees and not 8.
It definitely feels like Williams, Whitford (maybe he can be submitted as guest right now?), Menzies and Lithgow are safe.
Hickey was solid in the first episode so he's probably in as well.
Ramos was good as well.
But is anyone watching In Treatment?
Jonathan Bailey is pretty good in Bridgerton.
Emmys sure love Esposito but I can barely remember him in The Mandalorian.
A small error in your table -- Kieran Culkin was nominated for Succession, not for The Morning Show.
No one is considering Daniel Bruhl for Best Supporting Actor? He fucking killed it in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and became a meme onto his own. He's the villain you want to party with. I can't hate him because.... FUCK HE'S COOL!
@Keith right you are. The question is, would you rather Kieran Culkin joined The Morning Show or Billy Crudup joined Succession?
Honestly, with the Emmys' love for Giancarlo Esposito, I wonder if they put him in for The Boys instead of The Mandalorian? He gets rather more generous material (ie lots of monologuing) in The Boys, while in The Mandalorian he's just menacing.
Can you but a symbol next to the years victors on the chart? Thanking you in advance.
@Working stiff: What an awesome lineup! If any other cast member of Pose other than Billy Porter has a (slim) chance, it's Curiel.
MKW for the win!
@Rod, it will be interesting to see if people in general watch In Treatment. I loved the first 3 seasons with Gabriel Byrne. It was a tough switch with Uzo Aduba but I think she can pull it off. I just today watched the 2nd episode with John Benjamin Hickey, and he definitely rises to the occasion.
A black actor has never won the supporting actor drama Emmy in its storied history. As shameful as that statistic is, this could be the year to break that tragic trend. I think the frontrunner is Michael Kenneth Williams.
Russell is good, but Brühl is fantastic and scene-stealing during all his screen time on F&WS...I would bet on Brühl.
Ian: I mean, Omar winning an Emmy would be SWEET.
@ NewMoonSon
Yeah, I don't think the category is so weak this year. I came up with that list off the top of my head and definitely had the feeling I was forgetting about five shows and at least as many performances. My personal favorite is Chris Chalk, although all eight of them have great submission material.