Emmy Watch: Best Actor in a Comedy
Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 9:00AM
The "what will be nominated at the Emmys?" conversation continues. Today: Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Looking at last year’s nominees, this field may not be all that different apart from the top. Only one nominee, two-time defending champion Bill Hader won’t be back. Barry hasn’t yet announced its season three premiere date. On the other hand though there’s every reason to expect that the two departing contenders, Ted Danson (The Good Place) and Eugene Levy (Schitt’s Creek), will return for their show’s swan songs. Those two shows seem to have the largest fanbases among TFE readers so we assume you're rooting for them.
Another nominee from last year, Don Cheadle (Black Monday), is a toss-up. But given that he earned four consecutive nominations in this category earlier this decade as pretty much the only representation from House of Lies, scoring yet another solo bid doesn’t feel far-fetched. Anthony Anderson (Black-ish) has been nominated five times in a row, and he survived his show being ousted from the Best Comedy Series race last year, so he may be able to do it again. Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method) is a good bet to return, but his show’s snub in the top race last year makes his chances less secure than they should be…
The past four years:
Returning after a year off is past nominee Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm). He hasn’t been nominated as consistently as his show, though he did contend for its last three seasons, which put him on the list in 2010, 2012, and 2018. His show’s prominence this season ups his chances. Interestingly, there are two other past honorees whose shows took last season off that might earn a farewell bid – Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) and Zach Galifianakis (Baskets). Each of them was nominated just once in the past, and not for their shows’ most recent seasons, but it’s always possible they’ll be chosen by voters again. The same goes for William H. Macy (Shameless), whose show is officially slated to end next season and who missed last year after five straight bids.
Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) hasn’t been nominated since the penultimate season of the show’s original run, but I had a sudden feeling watching the most recent episode, an I Love Lucy tribute, that he and some of the other cast could show up for what’s now the real final season of the series.
Newbies
The Golden Globes offered up three new possibilities in their slate of nominees from this past year. Ramy Youssef (Ramy) won the prize for his show’s first season, and the second installment arrives on May 29th, which may be great timing given that it’s right before the eligibility window closes. Ben Platt (The Politician) and Paul Rudd (Living with Yourself) will be much more distant memories, but either could show up.
Other new contenders are friendly Emmy faces, like Hugh Laurie (Avenue 5), an eight-time nominee who’s never actually won, Steve Carell (Space Force), a six-time nominee who’s also never won, and Martin Freeman (Breeders), who triumphed for Sherlock back in 2014. It’s not clear how any of those shows – including the yet-to-premiere Space Force – will be received by Emmy voters. A better bet might be Domhnall Gleeson (Run), whose show just premiered this past weekend and is expected to perform well in other categories.
At this point, let’s presume that Anderson misses, with David and Youssef edging out Gleeson, Laurie, and Carell for the open spots.
Predictions:
- Don Cheadle (Black Monday)
- Ted Danson (The Good Place)
- Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
- Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method)
- Eugene Levy (Schitt’s Creek)
- Ramy Youssef (Ramy)
Which actors do you think will make the cut this year? Stay tuned for more Emmy coverage.
ALL DISCUSSIONS THUS FAR
Reader Comments (12)
If SPACE FORCE proves great, I would think Carell can take this. Otherwise...Levy, I guess? Could see a case for Danson too. David, unfortunately, will never win and the Emmys don't seem enthused about KOMINSKY.
Loving these articles! Keep them up! Crossing fingers Emmy voters will be feeling a Schitty evening. :)
Andrew Carden: A satirical version of Trump's Space Force idiocy? Okay. Created by Greg Daniels and Steve Carell? Um, guys, I'm...pretty sure...this is an Armando Iannucci concept, and gentle, slice of life workplace comedy jokes or Police Squad style surrealism likely aren't going to cut it here?
Will Dan Levy be classified as Leading or Supporting?
I'd just love for Dan Levy to be the contender in this category for "Schitt's Creek." Sure, Eugene is a comedy icon. But Dan's work is fresh, youthful, and so well synced with his fellow actors.
Love for both Dan and Eugene to be nominated together in this category. Wouldn’t that be something.
The fact that Anthony Anderson made it in both before and after his series peaked with Emmy is a pretty good sign that he's a real contender for the nom here. ABC will likely give him a hard push.
I have trouble seeing Cheadle making it in for season 2. Unless something happens in the back half of this season, it very much feels like a "here's your nom because we love you" one season thing.
Macy is out because of the college scandal, even if he didn't go down. I suspect the Emmys will find it easy to skip Ramy unless season 2 comes back with a real bang. It just doesn't feel like an Emmy show, unfortunately.
I don't think Dan Levy will get nominated for acting in either lead or supporting. His best chances will come in the writing or directing or producing categories. He absolutely deserves an acting nom in my opinion, but I don't think the Emmys will see it that way.
Loving these articles as well - thank you!!
I agree with those 6 as well, but I wonder if Black Monday's shortened season will affect Don Cheadle's chances at another nomination. He didn't do much this season.
I really hope that one of these three can surprise:
Ben Platt - The Politician
Jim Carrey - Kidding
Paul Rudd - Living With Yourself
@ken Dan Levy was on the ballot in the supporting category the past few years, so I doubt that will change this time around.
How ridiculous that Dan Levy would be in supporting. If I had to choose one of the two Levys to go supporting, it'd actually be Eugene.
Do the shows decide the category placement or do the Emmy people? Currently, Dan Levy is competing against his father as Lead in a Comedy in the Canadian tv awards.