On Thursday morning, the 2015 Emmy Awards nominations for every category will be announced.
The Emmy Awards are usually maddening, since not every single show that you adore can receive a nomination in their respective categories. While Game of Thrones and Veep are shoe-ins for nominations, as they are every year, some of our favorite shows, like, Sundance’s Rectify and BBC America’s Orphan Black, may have a tough time finding their way to the Emmy Awards.
Predictions: Better Call Saul, Downton Abbey, Empire, Game of Thrones , House of Cards, Mad Men, Orange Is the New Black
Other Contenders : The Good Wife, The Affair, The Americans, Rectify, Orphan Black, Parenthood
Six of these shows will most likely be nominated at the Emmy Awards, leaving the seventh slot for many shows to duke it out for the nomination. That slot could easily be filled by The Americans or The Good Wife , but Better Call Saul, which had a stellar first season in the eyes of pretty much everyone, deserves this nod to fill the gaping hole left by Breaking Bad.
BEST COMEDY
Predictions: The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Jane the Virgin, Silicon Valley, Transparent, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Veep
Other Contenders: The Comeback, Parks and Recreation, Louie, You’re the Worst, Black-ish
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is a no-brainer, since the Emmy Awards seem to love Tina Fey. Silicon Valley should get the nomination after a season better than its last, which still received an Emmy Award nomination. The Big Bang Theory , while far from it’s best, will receive a nomination due to the Emmy Awards loving this CBS show. Veep, Modern Family, and Transparent are the top three contenders. Louie or Parks and Recreation could easily receive an Emmy Award nomination, but it will be tough in this strong field. Jane the Virgin , which fans seem to love, should receive a nomination after its incredible first season.
BEST DRAMA ACTOR
Predictions: Dominic West, The Affair ; Jon Hamm, Mad Men ; Terrence Howard, Empire ; Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul ; Clive Owen, The Knick ; Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
Other Contenders: Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom ; Hugh Dancy, Hannibal ; Aden Young, Rectify
This category was pretty simple — all of these performances are deserving of Emmy Awards, not just the nomination, but in a tough year, some may not even get in the field. Jon Hamm looks to be the favorite after a great final season, which showcased some of his best performances in the show.
BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Predictions: Claire Danes, Homeland ; Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder ; Taraji P. Henson, Empire ; Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife ; Ruth Wilson, The Affair ; Robin Wright, House of Cards
Other Contenders: Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black ; Katey Sagal, Sons of Anarchy ; Taylor Schilling, Orange Is the New Black
The predictions above leave little for any other contenders to sneak into the Emmy Awards field. Claire Danes looks to be the favorite after she carried the last season of her series with an incredible performance. Robin Wright, who is an easy nod, could also sneak into contention for the Emmy Award.
BEST COMEDY ACTOR
Predictions: Andy Samberg, Brooklyn Nine-Nine ; Don Cheadle, House of Lies ; Louis C.K., Louie; William H. Macy, Shameless ; Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory ; Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
Other Contenders: Jonathan Groff, Looking ; Anthony Anderson, Black-ish ; Will Forte, Last Man on Earth ; Chris Messina, The Mindy Project ; Billy Crystal, The Comedians.
This is probably the most boring category at the Emmy Awards. Five of these slots are easy to fill, while the final two will be a competition between the contenders, Macy and Cheadle.
BEST COMEDY ACTRESS
Predictions: Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie ; Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt ; Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback ; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep ; Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation ; Amy Schumer, Inside Amy Schumer
Other Contenders: Mindy Kaling, The Mindy Project ; Emmy Rossum, Shameless; Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin; Anna Faris, Mom; Kristen Schaal, Last Man on Earth
While the previous category was tedious, this one is one of the best of the 2015 Emmy Awards. So many possible choices for every single slot at the Emmy Awards is amazing. This is a category to watch for!
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA
Predictions: Kit Harrington, Game of Thrones ; Ben Mendelsohn, Bloodline; Jonathan Banks , Better Call Saul ; Peter Dinklage , Game of Thrones ; Michael Kelly , House of Cards ; John Slattery , Mad Men
Other Contenders: Joe Morton, Scandal ; Craig T. Nelson, Parenthood ; Matt Czuchry, The Good Wife ; Mandy Patinkin, Homeland ; Jon Voight, Ray Donovan
The question in this Emmy Awards category is: how many Game of Thrones actors will be nominated? Peter Dinklage is a mainstay, but Harrington is also very worthy for his portrayal of Jon Snow.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA
Predictions: Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black ; Christine Baranski, The Good Wife ; Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey ; Lena Headey, Game of Thrones ; Christina Hendricks, Mad Men ; Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Other Contenders: Carrie Coon, The Leftovers ; Bellamy Young, Scandal; Yael Stone , Orange Is the New Black; Lorraine Toussaint , Orange Is the New Black ;
This Emmy Awards category could be filled with actors only from Orange is the New Black. More likely though, only one will make it, and the obvious choice is Uzo Aduba.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY
Predictions: Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine ; Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt ; Ty Burrell, Modern Family ; Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family; Hugh Laurie, Veep; Tony Hale, Veep
Other Contenders: Chris Pratt, Parks and Recreation; Andrew Rannells, Girls; Timothy Simons, Veep
One year, this category had four Modern Family actors. May happen again in a weak year for this Emmy Awards category.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY
Predictions: Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory ; Julie Bowen, Modern Family ; Anna Chlumsky, Veep ; Allison Janney, Mom ; Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live ; Eden Sher, The Middle
Other Contenders: Niecey Nash, Getting On ; Amy Landecker, Transparent ; Jane Krakowski , Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
This Emmy Awards category is always the most fun. With fun comes difficulty in prediction. Julie Bowen and Allison Janney are easy choices, but after that is anyone’s guess.
OTHER EMMY AWARDS CATEGORIES
Best Reality Competition Program: The Amazing Race, Dancing With the Stars, Project Runway, Top Chef, So You Think You Can Dance, The Voice
Best Reality Host: Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars; Anthony Bourdain, The Taste; Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance ; Heidi Klum/Tim Gunn, Project Runway ; Jane Lynch, Hollywood Game Night ; Jeff Probst, Survivor
Best Variety Talk Series: The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Late Show with David Letterman, Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Best Variety Sketch Series: Drunk History, Inside Amy Schumer, Key and Peele, Portlandia, Saturday Night Live, The Soup
Best TV Movie: Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Curtain, Poirot’s Last Case; Bessie; Derek: The Final Chapter; Killing Jesus; Nightingale
Best Limited Series: American Horror Story: Freak Show ; The Honourable Woman; The Missing; Olive Kitteridge; Wolf Hall
Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actor: Adrien Brody, Houdini; Ricky Gervais, Derek: The Final Chapter ; Timothy Hutton, American Crime ; Richard Jenkins, Olive Kitteridge ; David Oyelowo, Nightingale ; Mark Rylance, Wolf Hall
Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actress: Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honourable Woman ; Felicity Huffman, American Crime ; Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Freak Show ; Queen Latifah, Bessie ; Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge ; Frances O’Connor, The Missing
Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actor: Michael Chiklis, American Horror Story: Freak Show; Damian Lewis, Wolf Hall; Bill Murray, Olive Kitteridge; Jonathan Pryce, Wolf Hall ; Stephen Rea, The Honourable Woman; Finn Wittrock, American Horror Story: Freak Show
Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Freak Show ; Mo’Nique, Bessie ; Cynthia Nixon, Stockholm, Pennsylvania; Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Freak Show ; Janet McTeer, The Honourable Woman ; Susan Sarandon, Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe
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