This year’s Emmy BuzzMeter balloting is underway, and our panel of six television experts is here to help you sift through who’s in, who’s out and who’s on the bubble. Below, check out the Round 1 results in four crowded races for supporting actor and actress.
Drama supporting actress
The supporting categories always have the most contenders, but … 23 for supporting actress in a drama? That’s how many received votes from the panel in Round 1. “Severance,” “The Last of Us” and “Andor” each land multiple mentions in the Round 1 ballot; “The White Lotus” scores four; and “The Pitt” boasts a staggering seven, including two (Katherine LaNasa and Taylor Dearden) cracking the list of likely nominees.
Glenn Whipp thought like an Emmy voter and endorsed all seven: “Nominate all the women from ‘The Pitt’? I’d be happy for one or two from television’s deepest bench to earn nods while I wait for the cast to win the ensemble honor at next year’s Screen Actors Guild Awards.”
Matt Roush says, “When a veteran character actress makes the most of the role of a lifetime, which Katherine LaNasa does as ‘The Pitt’s’ supernaturally capable charge nurse Dana, attention must be paid.”
For LaNasa, her first Emmy nom could be particularly sweet after 35 years in the business; for 23-year-old Isabela Merced of “The Last of Us,” it could be acknowledgment that one of the best young actresses around has hit the big time. But they have to contend with Allison Janney (15 career nominations and seven wins) in one of the best-reviewed performances of her storied career, in “The Diplomat.”
Lorraine Ali lists a three-way tie for first place among Janney, “Severance’s” Patricia Arquette and Christina Ricci: “‘Yellowjackets’ ’ third season didn’t generate a ton of buzz, but former child actor [Ricci] continues to slay as the deadly nerd Misty.”
Acknowledging the dominance of some shows (such as “White Lotus”), Kristen Baldwin says, “Before they cast their ballots, voters need to check out Karen Pittman’s magnificent performance as a loving and hypervigilant mom in ‘Forever.’” Trey Mangum agrees: “After showing versatility in ‘The Morning Show,’ ‘And Just Like That…’ and more, [Pittman is] sure to go down in Black-led television history as a top-tier Black mother.”
Tracy Brown is here for the “Star Wars” prequel “Andor,” no ifs, ands or buts: “All of the women in ‘Andor’ deserve their flowers.”
1. Katherine LaNasa, “The Pitt”2. Allison Janney, “The Diplomat”3. Parker Posey, “The White Lotus”4. Isabela Merced, “The Last of Us”5. Patricia Arquette, “Severance”6. (tie) Taylor Dearden, “The Pitt”6. (tie) Karen Pittman, “Forever”8. Dichen Lachman, “Severance”9. Carrie Coon, “The White Lotus”10. Genevieve O’Reilly, “Andor”
Drama supporting actor
“Severance” gives “The Pitt” a taste of its own medicine in the supporting actor category, landing four contenders in the Round 1 list — including the top two spots, with beloved veteran John Turturro at No. 1 despite a relatively limited role this season and eternal scene-stealer Tramell Tillman at No. 2.
“With his chilling smile, tamped fury and terrifyingly pleasant tone, Tramell Tillman hit it out of the park as ‘Severance’s’ middle manager, Mr. Milchick,” says Lorraine Ali. “His is arguably the best performance of the year.”
Glenn Whipp says Turturro earns the No. 1 honor for his fine performance but admits, “I can’t shake the image of the unsettling Irving watermelon head that the good people of Lumon carved in the character’s honor for his office funeral.”
“The Pitt” gets attention for hapless Huckleberry (Dr. Whitaker, played by Gerran Howell) and handsome, talented and troubled Dr. Langdon (Patrick Ball). Trey Mangum says, “Depending on your personality, I think either Gerran Howell or Patrick Ball from ‘The Pitt’ would be a choice here.”
Among the other contenders? Kristen Baldwin says, “I didn’t love ‘Paradise,’ but voters should recognize James Marsden, who’s a one-man tragicomedy as the hard-drinking President Bradford.” Matt Roush writes, “Jason Isaacs was a revelation as the drugged-out depressive dad in ‘The White Lotus.’” And Tracy Brown praises “Andor’s” Kyle Soller: “It’s a credit to Soller’s performance that I could also have so much empathy for such an obsessive and off-putting milquetoast.”
1. John Turturro, “Severance”2. Tramell Tillman, “Severance”3. Gerran Howell, “The Pitt”4. Jason Isaacs, “The White Lotus”5. Walton Goggins, “The White Lotus”6. (tie) Patrick Ball, “The Pitt”6. (tie) James Marsden, “Paradise”8. Zach Cherry, “Severance”9. (tie) Sam Rockwell, “The White Lotus”9. (tie) Stellan Skarsgård, “Andor”
Comedy supporting actress
There are legendary names in the field, including Catherine O’Hara, Linda Lavin, Patti LuPone and Meryl Streep — and they’re not close in our panel’s Round 1 ballot to the four formidable front-runners.
Trey Mangum says, “In my mind, it’s Janelle James vs. Sheryl Lee Ralph again, but Hannah Einbinder gets better and better year after year, and 2025 may be her time.”
Einbinder has been nominated for all three previous seasons of “Hacks”; acclaim for her performance has only grown. Then there’s current titleholder Liza Colón-Zayas, who top-lined perhaps the most memorable episode of “The Bear’s” third season. Glenn Whipp, agreeing with speculation that last year’s win might have been for that Season 3 entry, says, “Should she win again? I won’t argue. It’s a great episode!” “And let’s not forget that upstart Meryl Streep,” Matt Roush alerts us.
The women of “SNL” are very much on the panelists’ minds too. Ego Nwodim has been turning in solid work on “SNL” for years but has never been nominated. Meanwhile, Kristen Baldwin asks, “How is it possible that Heidi Gardner, an indispensable utility player for the past eight seasons of ‘SNL,’ has never been nominated for an Emmy?” Tracy Brown says former cast member “Sasheer Zamata’s turn as a prickly but charismatic potions witch on ‘Agatha All Along’ is criminally underrated.”
1. Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”2. Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”3. (tie) Kathryn Hahn, “The Studio”3. (tie) Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary”5. Liza Colón-Zayas, “The Bear”6. Catherine O’Hara, “The Studio”7. Jessica Williams, “Shrinking”8. Patti LuPone, “Agatha All Along”9. (tie) Linda Lavin, “Mid-Century Modern”9. (tie) Meryl Streep, “Only Murders in the Building”
Comedy supporting actor
Tyler James Williams is way out in front for his fourth season of “Abbott Elementary,” with reigning and two-time champ Ebon Moss-Bachrach perhaps hindered by “The Bear’s” third season having aired nearly a year ago. “Maybe it’s time Tyler James Williams wins an Emmy,” says Glenn Whipp, citing the emotional depth of his performance — and his “spot-on impression” of Quinta Brunson’s Janine — in the season finale.
Meanwhile, both multiple Oscar nominee Colman Domingo is a sudden favorite for the late-releasing “The Four Seasons” and “Saturday Night Live’s” Marcello Hernández — who plays a Domingo — are on our shortlist, as is Hernández’s co-star Bowen Yang. “It’s no fun watching Vice President JD Vance,” says Lorraine Ali, “but Bowen Yang playing Vance on ‘SNL’? Perfection.”
Stanning many in the ensemble of “Shrinking,” Kristen Baldwin singles out one: “I’d love to see Ted McGinley get recognized for his laid-back brilliance as Derek.” Matt Roush adds, “Subtlety rarely wins awards, but I’d like to see Harrison Ford’s masterful underplaying as ‘Shrinking’s’ grouchy shrink prove me wrong.”
1. Tyler James Williams, “Abbott Elementary”2. Ebon Moss-Bachrach, “The Bear”3. Colman Domingo, “The Four Seasons”4. (tie) Ike Barinholtz, “The Studio”4. (tie) Paul W. Downs, “Hacks”6. Harrison Ford, “Shrinking”7. Bowen Yang, “Saturday Night Live”8. Marcello Hernández, “Saturday Night Live”9. (tie) Matt Bomer, “Mid-Century Modern”9. (tie) Michael Urie, “Shrinking”
The post 2025 Emmy predictions: supporting actor and actress appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
