Emmy Predictions: Supporting Acting

David: Welcome to our Emmy predictions chat with your favorite awards-chasers, David and TJ. We’re splitting up the work into a couple different conversations to cover the major acting and series categories. Today we’re looking at supporting acting in a Comedy and Drama.

TJ: Yes. Yes we are.

David: In the end, we’ll tally up our predictions on July 13th, when the nominations are announced. Whoever wins is the better person, pretty much.

TJ: We split the Oscars predictions, right? You won the nominations game and I won when it counted?

David: I guess you could look at it that way.

TJ: Or you could be wrong. ANYWAYS…

David: We’ll kick it off then.

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Last Year’s Nominees:
Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) (Winner)
Anna Chlumsky (Veep)
Gaby Hoffmann (Transparent)
Judith Light (Transparent)
Allison Janney (Mom)
Niecy Nash (Getting On)

David’s Picks
Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live)
Anna Chlumsky (Veep)
Judith Light (Transparent)
Rita Moreno (One Day at a Time)
Zazie Beetz (Atlanta)
Jane Krakowski (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)

TJ’s Picks
Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) 
Amy Chlumsky (Veep)
Judith Light (Transparent)
Andrea Martin (Great News)
Zazie Beetz (Atlanta)
Jane Krakowski (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)

David: From these, Niecy Nash is gone (Getting On got cancelled), and Allison Janney is going for Lead Actress because nobody tells C.J. Cregg what to do.

TJ: I’ve got three of the others returning, McKinnon (everybody’s favorite winner), Chlumsky, and Light.

David: I have the same three returning, only rejecting past nominee Gaby Hoffmann, also for Transparent. Sorry Gaby.

TJ: It felt weird doing that. That show is super well respected and has done well with noms in the past.

David: True. But first season they only had one supporting actress. Last year they added another in Judith Light. I just feel like Transparent is losing its “show of the moment” spotlight a little.

TJ: Agreed. I added in Andrea Martin (Great News), Jane Krakowski (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), and Zazie Beetz (Atlanta). Atlanta is the up and coming awards darling. Hell, it’s really already here.

David: I love Atlanta – in support, I’m actually listening to Childish Gambino right now while watching early seasons of Community.

TJ: Nice. So who is your sixth?

David: My sixth is Rita Moreno – a legend who returns to TV (actually Netflix) with One Day at a Time. I feel like she pulls the Grace & Frankie vote (read: older vote). Why’d you go with Andrea Martin?

TJ: One word – politics. Hollywood will put her in to give everyone a chance to talk about the media more – which leads to them trashing politicians. That is literally the only reason.

David: It’s a liberal pipeline basically.

TJ: Especially a show about an up and coming news producer. What scarier job is there to take right now? African mosquito herder? Maybe?

David: Maybe just FBI Director–HELLO.

TJ: Fine.

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Last Years Nominees
Louie Anderson (Baskets) (Winner)
Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
Ty Burrell (Modern Family)
Tony Hale (Veep)
Matt Walsh (Veep)
Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele)

David’s Picks
Alec Baldwin (Saturday Night Live)
Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
Tony Hale (Veep)
Timothy Simons (Veep)
Adam Driver (Girls)
Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta)

TJ’s Picks
Alec Baldwin (Saturday Night Live)
Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
Tony Hale (Veep)
Louie Anderson (Baskets)
Ty Burrell (Modern Family)
Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

David: Of these only Keegan Michael-Key is out, with Key & Peele ending. Of these, I only have two returning: Tony Hale and Tituss Burgess. So that means, I’m leaving out the winner in Louie Anderson… Makes me nervous, since Emmy likes to return to the well.

TJ: I’ve actually got them all returning. I think the early front-runner here is Alec Baldwin, though. Alec plus the returning six are my picks.

David: Talking about seizing the cultural moment. Baldwin dominated the water cooler chat.

TJ: Absolutely.

David: My wild bunch of longshots include Brian Tyree Henry (of my beloved Atlanta), switching out a Veep guy for Timothy Simons (who was a lot funnier with Jonah in congress) and a last blast for Adam Driver in the last season of Girls…

And I just want somebody to have to say “Paper Boi” in the Emmy telecast.

TJ: Haha, we can probably arrange that.

David: It also felt good to finally purge my picks of Modern Family, which has lost nominations across the board in the last couple years.

TJ: They have. Ty’s held strong though… We’ll see…

David: We will. But now it’s time for ACTING! Drama Series Supporting Actors and Actresses.

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama

Last Year’s Nominees:
Maura Tierney (The Affair)
Constance Zimmer (UnREAL)
Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey) (Winner)
Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones)
Lena Headey (Game of Thrones)
Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones)

David’s Picks
Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things)
Chrissy Metz (This Is Us)
Thandie Newton (Westworld)
Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Vanessa Kirby (The Crown)
Aubrey Plaza (Legion)

TJ’s Picks
Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things)
Chrissy Metz (This Is Us)
Thandie Newton (Westworld)
Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black)
Winona Ryder (Stranger Things)

David: Since Game of Thrones is debuting past the nomination deadline (May 30, 2017), its trio is out of the running, and Downton Abbey is done (but don’t tell Dame Maggie, it’ll break her heart)

TJ: I have zero returning nominations here.

David: Same here. But we do have some agreement in the new field. Agreeance?

TJ: We both have Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things). I’m in love with the kids in this cast. I hope she ends up there.

David: She would be a good representative for all those kids… And they have the SAG Best Drama Award going for them.

TJ: We both have Chrissy Metz (This Is Us), Thandie Newton (Westworld), and Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale).

David: I love Thandie in Westworld… She was my favorite part.

TJ: I’m a big fan of Ann Dowd. Her work on The Leftovers was the best acting of that series, in my opinion. I hope she makes an appearance for something soon.

David: She’s got a chance in Guest Actress for The Leftovers, I believe. I haven’t seen Handmaid – but I wanted to have that show represented. It was either her or Samira Wiley for me, out of ignorance I just picked.

TJ: My two that differ from your picks are Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black) and Winona Ryder (Stranger Things). Winona was my favorite acting in Stranger Things and Orange is the New Black, for yet more, boring, political reasons.

David: Here’s where you’re wrong…

TJ: I quit the website.

David: …Just kidding. I don’t know. But I chose not to double up on Stranger Things. Didn’t want to push my luck on a show I actually like. And Uzo has gotten a nomination for every year since OITNB started… But left the field last year after it changed from Comedy to Drama.

I added Vanessa Kirby from The Crown, which i feel like will be the show with the most nominations (with the void left by GoT). It’s FANCY.

TJ: I agree on that last bit. The Crown will clean up… …But disagree with everything else you say and stand for.

David: Fair. And for my last slot – my dream nominee: Aubrey Plaza’s inspired lunacy in Legion. Won’t happen but yes it will it must I said it would.

TJ: That would be amazing.

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama

Last Year’s Nominees:
Ben Mendelsohn (Bloodline) (Winner)
Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul)
Michael Kelly (House of Cards)
Jon Voight (Ray Donovan)
Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones)
Kit Harington (Game of Thrones)

David’s Picks
John Lithgow (The Crown)
Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul)
Michael Kelly (House of Cards)
Jeffrey Wright (Westworld)
Jon Voight (Ray Donovan)
Scott Glenn (The Leftovers)

TJ’s Picks
John Lithgow (The Crown)
Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul)
Ed Harris (Westworld)
Jeffrey Wright (Westworld)
David Harbour (Stranger Things)
Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead)

David: Of these, only the good ol’ GoT boys are out of the running since GoT is debuting late.

TJ: I, again because of GoT, have zero returning.

David: Nope, that’s not true. YOU FORGOT ABOUT BANKSY.

TJ: DAMMIT. Yea, he’s my only one. I’m so glad he’s getting love post Breaking Bad. Mike is one of my favorite drama characters of all time.

David: For my returnees… I have Banks, Michael Kelly (Cards), and a crusty old cheese danish (Ray Donovan). We both left off Ben Mendelsohn, who, despite being dead in the Season 1 finale of Bloodline (spoilers), won an Emmy for Season 2. I haven’t seen Season 3, but maybe he wins for decaying?

TJ: That’s just common sense, right? So, we agree on newcomers John Lithgow (The Crown) and Jeffrey Wright (Westworld). You don’t agree with my picks of David Harbour (Stranger Things), Ed Harris (Westworld), and, my favorite pick of the day, Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead). What gives, David?

David: Well, TJ, I’m glad you asked. I’d love for David Harbour to show up here (his speech at the SAGs helped people know who he is), but I’m doubtful of across the board support for Things. I think the moment is a little past-due for Westworld, but I like your Harris pick. I voted for category laziness here, with my bunch of returning actors.

…And I added Scott Glenn from the Leftovers. Another wishful thinking case for me. Can I split that for half Glenn, half Christopher Eccleston?

TJ: They would be my top two picks from the show for this category. It’d be tough to pick one.

David: And as far as Jeffrey Dean Morgan goes… I think the whole Walking Dead support left the party years ago. I like JDM, but I don’t see Emmy support coming back from the dead. So to speak.

TJ: LAME. It did leave for TWD, but JMD brings a new face. And it was much needed.

David: It’s just tough to leave and come back as a show. Nothing against TWD. Or your favorite pick.

TJ: True. That about wrap it up?

David: It does. Any parting thoughts or puns for Supporting ACTING?

TJ: If there is a show you could see sweeping the sides, what would it be? I’d pick Westworld and Veep. A better chance of Westworld, but I don’t think either one happens.

David: I don’t think either will either… if Vanessa Kirby gets in, a better chance for The Crown, because I think Lithgow is a lock to win. If you play Churchill, you will get an Emmy. Ask Brian Cox, Brendan Gleeson and Michael Gambon… because they’ll tell you the same thing I just told you.

TJ: Oh, ok. You wanna wrap it up?

David: “ENGLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND” —Winston Churchill

TJ: Nice wrap up.

~fin~

Well this has been The Media By Us award-chasing the Emmys, looking at our definitive 100% correct predictions for Supporting Actors. Join us next week when we talk about Lead Acting!