Take your bets on who will be joining Michael Keaton in the Lead Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie category. The “Dopesick” actor has already won the SAG Award equivalent of this category, but with the Emmys, the competition is much more intense. Although it’s a cakewalk compared to Lead Actress in a Limited Series.
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It’s hard to dismiss Ben Foster’s transformative performance in the film “The Survivor” (a 2021 TIFF world premiere acquired by HBO). He will likely be the only “TV movie” turn to be nominated if he makes the cut. Colin Firth is arguably the best performance in “The Staircase,” which will likely be a popular play on HBO Max in May. Paul Bettany is looking to repeat his recognition in this category from last year with “A Very British Scandal.” Oscar Isaac has two projects that could get him in the five, “Scenes from a Marriage” from last fall and the more recent (and likely more watched) “Moon Knight.” Sebastian Stan is fantastic in “Pam and Tommy,” but will his co-star Lily James steal his thunder? Samuel L. Jackson just earned his first Oscar statue, a lifetime achievement award just last month. Will he land his first acting Emmy nomination for “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” in July? And can we ever underestimate SAG favorite Jared Leto, even if “WeCrashed” is likely not a real player? And how about Tom Hiddleston, Jon Bernthal, Sean Penn, and J.K. Simmons waiting in the wings? There is simply too much content for a category limited to just five nominees. [Posted April 29]
Likely
Michael Keaton, “Dopesick”
In the Mix
Ben Foster, “The Survivor”
Colin Firth, “The Staircase”
Paul Bettany, “A Very British Scandal”
Samuel L. Jackson, “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey”
Oscar Isaac, “Moon Knight”
Oscar Isaac, “Scenes from a Marriage”
Sebastian Stan, “Pam and Tommy”
Andrew Garfield, “Under the Banner of Heaven”
Jared Leto, “WeCrashed”
Longshots
Tom Hiddleston, “The Essex Serpent”
Jon Bernthal, “We Own This City”
Sean Penn, “Gaslit”
Himesh Patel, “Station Eleven”
David Thewlis, “Landscapers”
J.K. Simmons, “Night Sky”
Jamie Dornan, “The Tourist”
Miles Teller, “The Offer”
Clive Owen, “Impeachment”
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, “Super Pumped”