Emmy Watch: Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Thursday, April 30, 2020 at 7:04PM 
Can someone from Space Force, like John Malkovich, storm in with a relatively sparse field of players?
Comedy isn’t as crowded as drama this awards season, in part because more than half of last year’s nominees in the race aren’t eligible this time around, and there’s no wave of returning nominees set to automatically refill those slots. Henry Winkler, Anthony Carrigan and Stephen Root will all need to wait for whenever Barry premieres its third season. Two-time winner Tony Hale (Veep) won’t be back because his show ended. That leaves just two potential consecutive returning nominees, and it would be a big surprise if either of them missed: defending champion Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) and Alan Arkin (The Kominsky Method). They could easily be joined by a handful of eligible past nominees if voters are feeling nostalgic
The past four years...
There’s just one contender who was nominated the last time he was eligible, and that’s Louie Anderson (Baskets). He won on his first try, earned bids for the second and third seasons of the show, and might now return for the fourth and final installment. There are three other past winners who might make a return to the race: Alec Baldwin (Saturday Night Live), whose six episodes so far make his Donald Trump impression eligible, Ty Burrell (Modern Family), who was nominated for eight out of ten of the show’s seasons, and Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family), who contended for the show’s first three seasons, winning twice. Their previously nominated costars Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family), and Ed O’Neill (Modern Family), are also eligible, as is Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine). And don’t forget seven-time nominee and past winner Sean Hayes (Will and Grace), who last earned a bid for the conclusion of the show’s initial run back in 2006.
Will there be a 'sorry about last season' nomination for Andrew Scott?
Plugging in past nominees would hardly be the most interesting way to populate this category. Andrew Scott (Fleabag) would have had an easy time getting in if his show had aired this season instead of last year! Interestingly, he’s actually eligible for Modern Love since Amazon decided to submit it is a comedy series and seemingly chose performers at random to compete in supporting or guest. I wouldn’t count on him to show up, even to make up for his snub last year. It’s likeliest that popular actors from returning shows who haven’t yet been nominated will be at the top of the list this year. Dan Levy (Schitt’s Creek) is an obvious choice whose show broke through in the lead acting races last year, though some readers of this site have argued that he should be billed as a lead. It’s hard to believe that William Jackson Harper (The Good Place) has never been nominated, but there’s little to suggest voters will notice anyone aside from Ted Danson again this year. Michael Zegen (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) has been doing great work on his show for three years now, but he’ll likely be eclipsed by two-time Emmy winner Sterling K. Brown (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), who Amazon has confirmed will be competing in this category, and maybe even by another costar, Leroy McClain, who played Shy Baldwin. Curiously, Kevin Pollak wasn’t submitted by Amazon, but perhaps five men from the same show would be excessive.
There really aren’t too many contenders from new shows, with John Malkovich (Space Force) a possibility for a late-breaking show no one’s seen yet, and Josh Gad (Avenue 5) a distant possibility if voters want some Armando Iannucci absurdity. It’s also possible that Peter Gallagher (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist) could garner votes for his sentimental portrayal of the title character’s ailing father – and he sings and dances too!
So, where does that leave us? Without much clarity, but this category gave three nominations to one show last year, so why not predict a similar swerve this time around.
Predictions:
- Louie Anderson (Baskets)
- Alan Arkin (The Kominsky Method)
- Sterling K Brown (The Marvelous Mrs Maisel)
- Dan Levy (Schitt's Creek)
- Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs Maisel)
- Michael Zegen (The Marvelous Mrs Maisel)
Which comic supporting actors do you expect to see in the lineup?
ALL DISCUSSIONS THUS FAR
Reader Comments (13)
Can we make room for Noah Reid (Patrick) in Schitt's Creek?
Thanks for the article.
This is such a weak category this year.
I agree with your six as well, with maybe Kenan Thompson too.
I really hope Louie Anderson can get nominated again this year - such a great performance.
William Jackson Harper absolutely deserves a nomination. His speech last year about nihilism was worthy of a nom but this year he had the wave speech which the internet wouldn't stop talking about the next day. Death was never presented in such a way.
I just wish for Ed O'Neill to have an Emmy.
If Ty Burrell had only missed for one season I could see sentiment getting him back in. But missing two seasons in a row is hard to comeback from. I think Wendy Malick may be the last person who did that? He can make it in, but it would still be more of a surprise.
I can't see Sterling K Brown making it in. He was good, but he was also more of a straight man and his appearances are more like cameos.
Keenan feels like a shoo-in. I wouldn't underestimate him.
I too believe Ed O’Neill deserves a nod. Can’t believe he didn’t win back when MF was all the rage.
Giving 2nd Emmy to Eric Stonestreet was such a waste.
Three supporting actor nods for Mrs. Maisel seems excessive. Yet, Cheers did it twice, Modern Family supporting actors were celebrated three times, and Barry was recognized thusly only last year!
I think the dark horse here is how will voters embrace the return of Curb Your Enthusiasm. If the Emmy favorite comes back strong, I think Ted Danson and especially J.B. Smoove are possible contenders on the supporting actor ballot.
Levy deserves it but I suspect it'll be Shalhoub again. Brown definitely does not deserve a nomination here.
Andrew -- Shalhoub is like the Streep of Emmys, only constantly winning too. No matter what happens they default to him. I like him as an actor but i dont get the awards magnetism. There is now way in hell he deserved the Tony last season. Or was that two seasons ago?
I hope and believe a Levy nomination will happen and I'll be happy whatever category it's in because he's been deserving for seasons now. I'm gonna be slightly upset if Shalhoub pulls off the win again because even on his own show he was overshadowed this by two of his co-stars (Brown & McClain).
I hope that Reid can get brought in on a Schitt's Creek sweep of nominations because he is great as Levy's partner on the show. Other men who've no chance I wish would be contending are:
Todd Grinnell, One Day at a Time
Jay Ellis, Insecure
Ncuti Gatwa, Sex Education (can't remember what category that show competes in)
Bowen ang, Awakafina is Nora from Queens
Hoping for Noah Reid especially with the competition being slight.
The golden era of TV gave me the Holy Trinity of the supporting actors in a comedy: Louie Anderson in Baskets, Andre Braugher in Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Tituss Burgess in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Sadly, only Anderson has won.